Numerous stories of death, destruction, and pure horror have been told of the Holocaust, and it's unlikely that all of the stories born from that terrible period will ever be told in full. However, among the countless tales of death and evil there are also many tales of good and heroism. Normal men and women became heroes during this time, risking their life and liberty to help save the lives of others.
The Heroism Of Varian Fry
While her birth name was Hermine Santruschitz, the woman who became known for hiding Anne Frank and her family from the Nazis was better known as Miep Gies. A Roman Catholic born in 1909, Miep was an Austrian born girl who was taken in and raised by a Dutch family for some time. It was in 1933 that she began working with Otto Frank, who had moved to the Netherlands to escape Nazi persecution.
Miep Gies – The Frank Family Guardian
As a member of the German SS, Kurt Gerstein was responsible for carrying out many of Hitler's orders and with taking part in them. However, most today agree that he was actually working to spread the word of just what was happening during the Holocaust and was funneling information out to members of the Catholic church.
Kurt Gerstein – A Tragic Hero
The Holocaust was one of the darkest periods in human history, and during it there was no shortage of terrible villains who enacted unspeakable atrocities on millions of people. But while it's easy to focus on the terrors these evil men committed, there is a large group of Holocaust heroes that put themselves at great risk to help save Jews and other people from the death camps.
Holocaust War Heroes – A Diverse Group
While most German officers participated and even reveled in the murder of millions, there were some who actually did their best to save Jews and others from death despite tremendous risk to themselves. One such man was Wilm Hosenfeld, and while he managed to save several people from death, he eventually met a tragic end.
The Heroism Of Wilm Hosenfeld