Zoe Johnson

Mr. Hawkins
World HistoryP, Period 2
8 April 2016
Rescue Stories of Jews
Those kindhearted enough to play a role in the survival of Jews during the Holocaust are
the reason we have such in depth knowledge of this traumatizing event. Life as a Jewish
individual was dreadfully fearful and their futures were uncertain. They were often hopeless that
their family and friends would last the next week or even the next day. Some heroic rescuers
provided an optimistic outlook for the Jewish people. However, rescue missions were not easily
achieved and those involved certainly had to get creative. Tales of how people managed to
escape have been documented, both from the eyes of the rescuer as well as the rescued.
People involved in these liberations utilized myriad tactics, all equally difficult, in order
to send Jews to safety. First of all, individuals willing to help Jews in danger faced severe
consequences if they were caught, and formidable logistics of supporting people in hiding
(Website 1). Though these heroes assisted the Jewish by choice, it was never a glorious situation
to be muddled up in. All were aware of the risks, yet bravery and morality motivated their
accomplishments. For instance, During the following days, the Danish resistance organized
a rescue operation, in which Danish fishermen clandestinely ferried some 7,200 Jews (of the
country's total Jewish population of 7,800) in small fishing boats, to safety in neutral
Sweden (Website 1). Its incredulous that these ordinary people were able to cope with very

little resources to save the majority of their Jewish population. These eventscouldnt be resolved
without the aid of several clever people. Swiss diplomat Carl Lutz, and Italian citizen
Giorgio Perlasca (posing as a Spanish diplomat), provided tens of thousands of Jews in
1944 with certification that they were under the "protection" of neutral powers (Website
1). By doing so, it lessened the risk of punishment toward the Jewish people under the Hungarian
government. Though the situation was still treacherous and the certification may or may not have
been brittle, it was an intellectual method which saved many Jews. Now that it is apparent that
rescuers achieved the impossible in many different ways, observing similar situations of the
rescued is just as astonishing.
As for Rachel Litowicz, her family experienced separation hardships during this
genocide. She states, I don't think it was easy for them [the family she was staying with],
because they were not so rich. They fed everybody with the food they had. This was my
impression. The whole family was good to me, and I had to trust them (Website 2). This
was generally how relationships between the rescuers and the recued went; it was never easy and
blind trust was common within dire situations. Every rescue ordeal was a sacrifice for either side.
Furthermore, Later, I was able to take my sister out of a small concentration camp and
send her to them. Mrs. Unger found a good place for my sister as a servant in a rich Polish
home, and that's how she survived (Website 2). It was commonplace for families to be split
up because risk peaked if they were in larger groups. Though it mustve been strenuous to be
apart from her loved ones, she was able to participate in keeping her sister safe. Correspondingly,
Sometimes people helped me. Sometimes you pretend you're not Jewish, and sometimes
you're in hiding, and they get you. I can't tell you about it (Website 2). No survivor has a
consistent story; plans are altered, things rarely go as planned, and most successes were built on

luck. Along the way, some survivors found themselves on the brink of capture and/or death. As
for the rescuers, their circumstances were no safer, regardless that they werent the Nazis initial
target.
Run of the mill people, such as teacher Jeanne Daman, may find themselves swept up in
the scramble of a Jewish rescue. Along the way, contact was made with the ONE, mostly in
the person of Nelly Lameere, Mrs. Volon, and Jean Herinckx, (mayor of Uccle, with whom
there was daily contact). Thanks to their cooperation, Daman was able to whisk the
children to safety (Website 3). Occasionally, people made relations with organizations which
played a significant role in keeping Jews under the radar. It was ideal to spread out resources in
order to ensure as much security for the Jews from multiple prospects. Moreover, Daman took
them to their future employers and provided them with false identity papers and ration
cards, which she usually received from Perelmans husband, Chaim. The placements did
not always turn out well and often had to be changed (Website 3). Again, some heroes
attempted false identities; however, tactics like these usually didnt last very long. Nonetheless, it
bought them time, and in turn, saved lives. Similarly, Jeanne then assumed a new identity
and became a social worker with the Secours dHiver (Winter Help, a welfare organization
set up by the Germans) (Website 3). Starting as a school teacher with no relation to the
Jewish, she had now indulged herself in the protection services during WWI. By doing so, she
was able to make her way through obstacles in disguise.
All in all, regardless of the amount of Jewish lives saved, these lesser-known saviors
justify for their stories to be heard. These people are the greatest example of courage and

kindness to this day. The Holocaust forced them to be incredibly inventive under pressure, and
for that, their contribution to the Jewish deserves eternal gratitude.