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US ambassador salutes WWII saviours of Jews

PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge 14.07.2014 10:04
The US ambassador to Poland saluted a group of 50 'Righteous Gentiles' who aided Jews during WWII as “a light in the darkness” at a reception in Warsaw on Sunday.

Ambassador
Ambassador Mull. Photo: US Embassy

“The Polish Righteous risked their lives in order to save others,” Ambassador Stephen Mull said.

“You knew that the Hitlerites killed people - sometimes entire families - for aiding Jews during the German occupation of Poland,” he reflected.

“You knew this, but at the same time you decided to help your Jewish brothers and sisters."

Sunday's reception at the Marriott Hotel was hosted by the New York-based Jewish Foundation for the Righteous, which provides material assistance to those who aided Jews during the war.

Stanlee J. Stahl, current Executive Vice President of the foundation, told the gathering that “the world's indifference to evil became the norm” during the Holocaust.

“Each of you represents an exceptional part of Polish society – it's heroes,” she said.

“Each of you saved the honour of humanity.”

Leszek Mikolajkow, one of the Righteous who attended Sunday's meeting, said that he was “slightly embarrassed” by the ceremony, although he acknowledged that he understood the need for such events.

“Ultimately, they were our neighbours, we had to save them, it was just a reflex,” he said.

To date, 6454 Poles have been honoured for aiding Jews during the Second World War, as listed by Israel's Yad Vashem foundation. (nh)

Source: PAP

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