Partisans, The Resistance and other rescue efforts

Several hundred people boarded the ship that day in Europe on a last effort to escape the Nazi terrorism. They were not sure of a destination, they were very hopeful that to save their lives, some nation, some port of entry, would take in these jewish survivors. Their hope was unfounded. America would not take them in: Except for Senator Claude Pepper from Florida, and a few others, many believed that there should be extreme restrictions on jewish immigration to the US even if it meant saving lives. Still, they believed somewhere, there would be open hearts. Docking at last in Cuba in Havana Bay, they found that like in Europe, there were no softened hearts to those condemned to death. They were forced to turn back. Most of those on board, were led to the death camps, particularly Auschwitz, where most died.

The Bielski Brothers may not be known by name even to many who study the holocaust, but they had a determined role both in rescue and resistance. Making their base in the forests, they rescued and provided for many refugees that other rescuers and resistance members would not, for fear of being caught. They hid the lame, the elderly, children and the sick and weak deep in the forest, protecting them, providing safe passage and keeping them fed and clothed. Their "city" in the forest was deemed "New Jerusalem": a title indicating the hope of the earth since the beginning of time: New Jerusalem, the hope of the meek of the earth. It is estimated they may have helped 1200-1400 persons escape and provided important underground resistance.

1919-1943 Young Mordecai Anielewicz was the head of the resistance movement in the Warsaw Ghetto, during the infamous Uprising. His group, The Young Guardians (Ha Shomer ha Tzair) held to active resistance to the Nazis. He commanded the ZOB in the Ghetto. These young men and other resistors, held off the Nazis in one of the first (and last) bloody resistance attempts. Anielewicz perished in the bunker at Mila 18 in May 1943. One of his cohorts: Zuckerman, survived the war and went to live in Israel. In the violent Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, Mordecai and his 'comrades' with minimal ammunition and men/women, held off the imposing troops of Stroop for weeks. In the end, most perished. See "Ghettos"

Sophie Scholl and her Brother Hans, with Professor Huber and another student named Pabst, formed the White Rose resistance movement at the University of Munich. They handed out fliers containing the sermon of their Bishop, Galen, who stood against Hitler in his extermination (called "euthanasia")of the mentally ill. Hans, a former soldier, and medical student eventually took the remaining pamphlets,and from a second story university balcony showered the fliers like petals of a white rose. Quickly caught, these two young brave people were given an unfair trial with a Nazi lawyer, condemned to death by beheading, and quickly executed by guillotine, having only moments to say goodbye to their parents. The reason for the charge of treason? They were charged with undermining the German morale, and 'volk', and diminishing the war effort. These brave young people grounded in faith and conviction chose death rather than forsaking the truth. See White Rose

The Dutch underground was one of the most effective of underground movements. Since most cars were confiscated during the Nazi invasion, couriers on bicycle often disguised as older women, brought news and information to those aiding their jewish friends and neighbors to escape. Innocuous symbols such as triangles were put in windows to let partisans know whether it was safe to come in. Counterfeit rooms were built to exact specifications and false indentities and food coupons were obtained. Queen Wilhemina, got word to her countrymen from Britain, urging them to keep up hope and their efforts to resist the German takeover. Virtually thousands of Jewish lives were saved, although the partisans often ended up in prison, concentration camps or killed. Early in the war, many of the Dutch wore yellow tulips or stars on their lapels in support of their Jewish neighbors under Nazi oppression. See Rescuers

Roza Robota is a name not well known, but she saved virtually countless lives. Roza along with a few other partisans inside Auschwitz, smuggled in gunpowder and other explosives, smuggling them to members of the sonderkommando, forcing the Nazi guards to execute far less persons than they would have otherwise. IN October 1944, the Sonderkommando Uprising managed to grenade and destroy Krema # IV. They tried nonetheless, and hung young Roza and her compatriots after torture and interrogation. Says Sheldon Schwartz, author of "Anna Heilman. Never Far Away. The Auschwitz Chronicles of Anna Heilman." and son-in-law of Anna Heilman, who was there at Auschwitz when her sister was hanged along with Roza Robota,

The other women hanged after being brutally tortured for months by the SS were Ester (Estusia) Wajcblum, Regina Safirztajn and Ala Gertner. The four young women were hanged in front of the women's camp (not the entire Auschwitz-Birkenau complex) on January 5 or 6, 1945, less than two weeks before the advancing Soviet Army liberated the camp. Just before she was hanged, Roza Robota shouted two words in Hebrew: Chazak VAmatzbe, which translated means, Be strong and have courage!", not "Be bold and strong and have hope".

[from Correspondence]

The Danish Sea Rescue was a remarkable but very dangerous effort by Danish and other sailors tin small ships and boat to carry refugees to safety in World War II. Passengers for refuge were either smuggled aboard or covertly given passage on even the smallest of vessels to Denmark and other countries which the Nazis had not captured, particularly scandinavian countries.. A small wooden boat used in this rescue effort is on display at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The Danish sailors were at great peril of being caught and even interred or killed along with their treasured cargo. Most of the Danish Jews, particularly of Copenhagen escaped to safety because of the bravery and defiance of danish sailors. See Danish Rescue at Sea"

The French Partisans more than most were actively involved in a daily basis in resistance efforts such as sabotaging railways/tracks to prevent deportation efforts, downing telegraph and telephone lines, munitions shipments, espionage, and rescue efforts. Creating an underground as well they were able to host many in their escape from the Third Reich and the killing centers. France was a particularly difficult country during the Shoah for resistance workers, because while many French were sympathizers, it was often difficult to tell which officials for which reason would betray a resistance worker. The French Partisans are commemorated in the "Song of the French Partisan

1900-1944 The Leader of "Oneg Shabbat". This group of intellectual/artist/journalists were each responsible for chronicling the historical events of life in the Warsaw Ghetto. They stored their journals/records in milkcans and hid them from the Nazis. Today they provide our best eyewitness accounts of what life was like in the Ghetto. Ringelblum had an opportunity to leave the Ghetto and escape. Instead, he gave up his life in order to perform and preserve this important work. Our finest history of daily life in the Warsaw Ghetto, from the arts to politics comes from the "Warsaw Diaries" of Ringelblum. See "Milkcans of Emmanuel Ringelblum