As I finished reading the section assigned in Rescuers I began to think about how Belgium was considered the least powerful, when compared with France and Germany, yet they resisted Nazism the most. Belgium's government-in-exile, the secretaries-general, and the Catholic church resisted the anti-Semitic laws and orders. Also, I think the Front Independence was brilliant because it disrupted the Nazi effort, while saving Jews and other targeted groups. In addition, I admire Gerts Jospa and Maurice Heiber for establishing the CDJ to reaffirm the commitment to save as many Jewish people as possible.
France is seen as one of the Allies ("a good guy"), but it is shameful that when the country became occupied, the Vichy government did not resist the Nazi ideals. The Vichy "puppet" government abandoned the Jewish people just to stay in the good graces of Hitler's Germany. Although the government at the time failed to stand up for what is right, the French people did. the statistic that "only 29 percent of France's Jews were killed."(112)
Germany was the region that was the root of the Holocaust. Many German Jews and other targeted groups saw and experienced the development of Hitler's horror in a way that few could ever imagine, or be spared. Fortunately, not everyone followed him like sheep, and instead became rescuers.
Each individual has the potential to achieve great things in life by helping others no matter how terrible the world may sometimes seem.
No comments:
Post a Comment