Responses to Discrimination

Several people responded to active discrimination by helping the victims in different ways. This is a collection of clips highlighting testimony from survivors and aid givers themselves. One question that sometimes emerges in these clips is "what made you stand up to discrimination and racial intolerance?"

• 

  Henny Paritzky on Aid Giving

  Language: English

  Henny Paritzky speaks on how her family escaped deportation with the help of a nun and a policeman in a hospital in Lyon, France.
• 

  Roman Kent - Testimony

  Language: English

  Roman Kent acknowledges the contribution of the “Righteous Gentiles” who put their own lives on the line in order to save Jews during the Holocaust.  Kent’s testimony is featured in Testimony – The Legacy of Schindler’s List and the USC Shoah Foundation.
• 

  Richard Rozen on Hiding in Poland

  Language: English

  Richard Rozen remembers hiding with his family in an attic of a small cabin on a farm in Poland for over two years. At night when everyone was sleeping Richard’s father gave him writing and reading lessons. Richard’s testimony is featured in the book, Testimony – The Legacy of Schindler’s List and the USC Shoah Foundation.
• 

  Johtje Vos on her decision to help Jewish people

  Language: English

  Johtje Vos reflects on her decision to help hide Jews during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Throughout the war Johtje and her husband, Aart, housed 32 Jews, although never more than 14 at the same time. In 1982 both Johtje and Aart were recognized as Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem for risking their own lives to save the lives of others.
• 

  Dora Goldberg on hiding in France

  Language: English

  Dora Goldberg remembers when her mother never returned due to roundups by German soldiers in France. Dora describes being sent to her aunt's house and hiding in the bathroom from Nazis who were searching for her and her brother.
• 

  Lusia Haberfeld on ghetto hiding and evasion

  Language: English

  Lusia Haberfeld recalls how her family evaded deportation by hiding in an attic within the Warsaw ghetto.  This clip from Lusia’s testimony is featured in the IWitness Activity: Chance & Choice: A survivor's story.
• 

  Syrt Wolters reflects on being an aid provider

  Language: English

  Syrt Wolters speaks admirably of the Spainers, a Jewish family he and his wife hid in their home in the Netherlands during World War II.  
• 

  Arie Van Mansum Rescuer and Aid Provider

  Language: English

  Arie Van Mansum was only in his early 20’s when he helped rescue Jews in the Netherlands. He describes why he chose to risk in life in order to hide and rescue Jews. Arie was recognized as Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem.
• 

  Liliane Bentitou on hiding in France

  Language: English

  Liliane Bentitou reflects on hiding in Lyon, France and how she was able to conceal her identity with false papers.

   

   
• 

  Leon Gersten on Hiding

  Language: English

  Leon Gersten and some of his family escaped the Frystak ghetto in Poland and hid with a Polish family for almost two years. Leon remembers when police officials entered the home of the Polish family looking for Jews and he recalls how much the family sacrificed.
• 

  Rose Toren on her hiding experience

  Language: English

  Rose Toren’s father told her to leave the family to go hide with a friend from school in Nazi occupied Poland. Rose recalls the night she fled to her friend’s house and evaded beatings by the Gestapo.