"These rescuers give us hope because of their courageous acts--stunning moments in a bleak time," photographer Gay Block said during a symposium that featured her portraits of 105 Europeans from 11 countries who helped save Jewish lives in Europe during World War II. The symposium, held on March 19, officially opened the "Rescuers of the Holocaust: Portraits by Gay Block" exhibit running through May 15 at the Schatten Gallery.
In conjunction with Block, Malka Drucker interviewed and photographed the rescuers from 1986-1988 to produce their book, Rescuers: Portraits of Moral Courage in the Holocaust (Holmes & Meier, 1992). The video, "They Risked Their Lives," which features the interviews with many of the rescuers, is also included in the exhibit.
During the symposium, Marion Pritchard spoke of her experience as a rescuer. Born in Amsterdam in 1920, Pritchard hid and helped save Jewish children in the Netherlands. "I don't consider myself a hero; I just did what any human being should do. I felt it in my heart," Pritchard said. Her story is featured in Block's exhibit and book.
Debra Dwork, associate professor at the Child Study Center at Yale University, presented a talk, "To Save a Life: Women's Work in the Shoah (Holocaust)," in which she highlighted women rescuers such as Pritchard. During the Nazi occupation within many European countries, Dwork said, it was extremely conspicuous for men to be seen with children or strangers. Thus, much of the decision to hide or help Jews escape fell to the women of each family. In Pritchard's case, she estimates that her Dutch community helped save approximately 600-1,000 Jewish children.
"However, although the work of these rescuers preserves humanity's honor, we must never forget the millions who perished in the Holocaust--the example of how intolerance leads to oppression," Block said.
The symposium and exhibit are sponsored by the Geothe-Institut of Atlanta, the Anti-Defamation League, the Jay and Leslie Cohen Chair of Judaic Studies, the Dorot Chair in Modern Jewish and Holocaust Studies, the Department of Religion, the Jewish Studies Enrichment Fund, the Rao Fund for Interreligious Studies, the Friends of the Emory University Libraries and Dr. and Mrs. William E. Schatten.
--Bradley A. Singer