Module 3: Religion & Culture
Christians Saving Jews
Righteous Among the Nations
More than 26,000 individuals from 51 countries have been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations.
Irena Steinfeldt, Director of the Department of the Righteous at Yad Vashem, discusses the unique nature of the program and its impact on survivors and their rescuers. The 2010 lecture is part of Yad Vashem’s series “Insights and Perspectives from Yad Vashem Historians.”
Gentiles Saving Jews
Oral History: Susan Bloomfield
In this oral history from the family of rescuers, Susan Bloomfield talks about her family’s role in saving a Jewish family by hiding them in their attic during the war. The unnamed Jewish family expressed their thanks by giving a menorah that would have been used to celebrate Chanukah. Susan reflects on her family’s role in the Dutch resistance in terms of her Christian faith, the significance of that menorah for her family, and how this family remembers the Holocaust.
Interactive Map
This interactive map traces the history of the menorah that Susan Bloomfield received from her family. The map was created by Nicola Woodhead, a PhD candidate in History at the Parkes Institute at the University of Southampton, UK.
To effectively use this map, press on the menu button on the top left. You will then be able to scroll down and see, in the form of a list, the menorah’s journey with different members of Susan’s family.
Oral History: Thomas Paul
Thomas Paul reads from his father’s memoir and discusses his father’s experience as a US GI liberating the camp at Gunskirchen, a sub camp of Mauthausen. Thomas is himself a pastor and concludes with a reflection on prayer. In his oral history, Thomas Paul explains the importance of religion in the life of soldiers who, like his father, witnessed the horror of the concentration camp universe.
Caleb Huiet Paul and the liberation of Gunskirchen lager
Left: A painting of Caleb Huiet Paul. Courtesy of Thomas H. Paul.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1I9Z2kGKuZmewlGdNkb4-4KY9cFZbk_PF&usp=sharing
Right: Survivors and American troops in Gunskirchen after liberation. 1945 May 06 – 1945 May 15, Gunskirchen, Austria. Photograph Number: 12769. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Thomas Sweeney.
Interactive Map
This interactive map of Thomas Paul and his father’s life experience, including their time in the military, was created by Nicola Woodhead, a PhD candidate in History at the Parkes Institute at the University of Southampton, UK.
To effectively use this map, press on the menu button on the top left. You will then be able to scroll down and see Thomas and Caleb’s journey. Click on the different icons to learn further them and discover pictures from their lives.
