Rescue stories

There are so many different kinds of Holocaust literature that I thought I would begin a separate thread devoted to books about rescue efforts.

I am currently reading Sheila Isenberg's account of the work of the Emergency Rescue Committee, A Hero of Our Own: The Story of Varian Fry. It's very interesting to see what it was about certain people that caused them to become involved in rescue efforts, particularly those who were not themselves at risk. And also sad to see the distinctions that were drawn among various classes of refugees.

In this same vein, I'd recommend Lisa Fittko's books, Solidarity and Treason and Escape through the Pyrenees.

Amazing woman, Lisa Fittko. She died last year at the age of 95, still a fighter for peace and civil rights.

There's a little known rescue effort that happend in the States. It's refered to, at this point, as "One Thousand Children." Because of politics most refugee's were turned away, but a couple of different groups and individuals managed to, more or less, smuggle over about 1,000 Jewish children. I had the honor of interviewing one woman who came over through this movement, and she introduced me to this little known piece of history. There is a book out about it, but it's not widely availible (and I don't have it yet)... but an interesting piece to learn about.

There is a book out about it, but it's not widely availible (and I don't have it yet)

Do you know the name and/or author?

Looks like there are actually two (it had been a little while since I'd looked into these)

Don't Forget To Say Goodbye: The Children's Flight from Nazi Persecution to American Freedom.
Edited by Philip K. Jackson and Iris Posner

Unfulfilled Promises: Rescue and Resettlement of Jewish Refugee Children in the United States, 1934-1945
Judith Tydor Baumel

Apparently both can be found on Amazon... now if only I could afford them.. sigh.

I thought I'd mention a book by Chasya Pincus called Come From the Four Winds. I bought this book because I have relatives who feature in it! (Robert and Helen) I've yet to read it. The book is the story of those partisans in Europe who helped smuggle Jewish children across Europe and then take them by boat into Palestine during the Holocaust.

This book was out of print (1970, Herzl Press) when I bought it online. When it arrived, I found this copy had been signed by the author!

Hi, I was just wondering if someone has already mention a book that I think excellent and very well researched The Path of the Righteous: Gentile Rescuers of Jews During the Holocaust by Mordecai Paldiel?
It covers a very wide field, features many individual stories, and has chapters devoted to specific countries. I bought it some 13 years ago at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem but I believe it was by an US publishing house or foundation. I believe it is still in print.

You should also read some of the books about the Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg who saved thousands of Budapest Jews.

There is a book and a movie called the hiding place by corrie ten boom about a dutch family (father a clockmaker, and two middle aged daughters), that helped rescue jews by hiding them in their own house. There are also prison diaries by the same writer. i believe one of the sisters died in prison. I read this a long time ago. The movie is very fine, if you can find it. This is the story of righteous gentiles like varian fry and raoul wallenberg, but on a smaller scale. These were modest christian people who saved as many as they could, and lived their beliefs.