The History of the Righteous Among the Nations

The story of the Righteous Among the Nations is a profound chapter in the history of the Holocaust and World War II. It honors non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews from the horrors of Nazi persecution. 

These individuals acted with exceptional bravery, often at great personal risk, to provide shelter, protection, and assistance to Jews during one of the darkest periods in human history. Their moral courage and humanity stood in stark contrast to the indifference, collaboration, and cruelty that characterized much of the world during that time.

Background: The Holocaust and Nazi Persecution

Between 1941 and 1945, under Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime, six million Jews were systematically murdered in a genocide that sought to annihilate European Jewry. The Holocaust, as it became known, also targeted other groups such as Roma, disabled individuals, political dissidents, and Slavic people. Jews were rounded up, ghettoized, deported to concentration and extermination camps, and killed.

During this time, many European nations were occupied by Nazi Germany or had collaborationist regimes that assisted in the deportation of Jews. Fear and anti-Semitic propaganda led many non-Jews to turn their backs on their Jewish neighbors, and some even profited from their persecution by taking their property or betraying them to the authorities.

However, in the midst of this widespread horror, there were individuals who defied the Nazis and put their own lives at risk to save Jews. These men and women, known as the **Righteous Among the Nations**, chose to act with kindness, empathy, and bravery, often motivated by moral or religious convictions, despite knowing that the penalty for helping Jews was often death.

Yad Vashem and the Righteous Among the Nations Program

Yad Vashem, the official Holocaust memorial center in Israel, was established in 1953 to commemorate the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust and to honor those who resisted Nazi oppression. In 1963, Yad Vashem created the Righteous Among the Nations program to identify and honor non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust.

The criteria for being recognized as a Righteous Among the Nations are strict. To qualify, the person must have:

1. Acted at great personal risk to save Jews from persecution or death.
2. Provided assistance without expecting financial or material reward.
3. Successfully helped at least one Jewish person survive the war.

The process of recognition is based on documented evidence, survivor testimonies, and thorough investigation. Those who are honored receive a medal, a certificate of honor, and their name is inscribed on the Wall of Honor in the Garden of the Righteous at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. For those no longer alive, their families are invited to accept the honor on their behalf.

Stories of Courage and Sacrifice

The stories of the Righteous Among the Nations are as varied as they are inspiring. They include people from all walks of life: farmers, clergy, diplomats, doctors, teachers, and ordinary citizens. What unites them is the choice they made to act against injustice, even when it meant endangering their own lives.

Here are some notable examples:

1. Oskar Schindler (Germany)

One of the most famous Righteous Among the Nations, Oskar Schindler was a German businessman who used his factory in Kraków, Poland, to employ and protect over 1,000 Jews. Through bribes and clever manipulation, Schindler managed to shield these workers from deportation and death. His story became widely known through the book Schindler’s List and the subsequent film adaptation by Steven Spielberg.

2. Raoul Wallenberg (Sweden)

Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat, saved tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews by issuing protective passports and sheltering them in safe houses in Budapest. He used his diplomatic immunity and courageously stood up to Nazi officials, even confronting Adolf Eichmann, one of the key architects of the Holocaust. Wallenberg’s fate remains uncertain, as he disappeared after being arrested by Soviet forces in 1945.

3. Chiune Sugihara (Japan)

Chiune Sugihara, the Japanese vice-consul in Lithuania, issued thousands of visas to Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi-occupied Poland, allowing them to escape through Japan. Disobeying direct orders from his government, Sugihara worked tirelessly, often writing visas by hand, to help Jews escape the Holocaust. His actions are credited with saving around 6,000 lives.

4. Irena Sendler (Poland)

A Polish social worker, Irena Sendler led a secret network that smuggled Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto. Working with the Polish resistance, Sendler provided false documents and placed the children in safe homes, convents, and orphanages. She was eventually arrested and tortured by the Gestapo, but she never revealed the identities of the children she had saved. It is estimated that Sendler helped rescue about 2,500 Jewish children.

5. Miep Gies (Netherlands)

Miep Gies was one of the people who helped hide Anne Frank and her family in Amsterdam. Gies and her husband provided food, supplies, and companionship to the Frank family for more than two years. After the Franks were arrested, Gies found and preserved Anne’s diary, which later became one of the most famous accounts of the Holocaust. Though Gies always maintained that she was not a hero, her bravery saved the memory of one of the most enduring stories of the Holocaust.

6. Dimitar Peshev (Bulgaria)

Dimitar Peshev, a Bulgarian politician, played a key role in preventing the deportation of the Bulgarian Jewish population to Nazi death camps. When he learned of the planned deportation, Peshev organized a parliamentary protest and, despite political risks, successfully halted the deportation. Bulgaria became one of the few Nazi-allied countries where Jews were largely spared from deportation.

Risks and Consequences

The Righteous Among the Nations faced immense dangers. Many lived under constant threat of exposure and execution. In Nazi-occupied territories, hiding Jews was punishable by death—not just for the individual, but for their entire family. Despite these threats, the Righteous Among the Nations took incredible risks to hide Jews in their homes, supply them with false identity papers, or help them escape to safer areas.

In some cases, these courageous individuals were caught and executed, but many managed to keep their operations secret until the war’s end. Their stories often remained unknown for decades, as the survivors they helped sought to rebuild their lives in the postwar world.

Legacy

As of 2021, more than 27,000 people from over 50 countries have been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations. Their names are etched into history at Yad Vashem, and their stories continue to inspire future generations.

The title of Righteous Among the Nations is more than just a recognition of heroism; it is a reminder of the power of human decency and the profound impact that individual actions can have, even in the face of overwhelming evil. These people were not professional soldiers or politicians; they were ordinary men and women who made extraordinary choices when confronted with moral dilemmas.

Conclusion

The story of the Righteous Among the Nations serves as a beacon of hope and a reminder of the capacity for good even in the darkest times. These individuals, through their selflessness and courage, saved thousands of lives and provided a glimmer of humanity during one of history’s greatest tragedies. Their legacy endures as a testament to the moral responsibility each person has to resist evil and protect the vulnerable, regardless of the personal cost.

Continue reading: Paul Grüninger Biography