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Righteous Among the Nations Encyclopedia Project

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Encyclopedia of the Righteous Among the Nations. Europe (Part I) and Other Countries

Encyclopedia of the Righteous Among the Nations. Europe (Part I) and Other Countries

Part of the Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Law in 1953 that established Yad Vashem as a authority creating a memorial to commemorate and perpetuate the memory of the heroes an martyrs of the Shoah also required it to honor the “Righteous Among the Nations who risked their lives to save Jews.” 

“He who saves one human being is as if he saves the entire world.”  The entire concept of “Righteous Among the Nations” is based on this thought, the thought behind this Jewish saying.  During the Shoah, this saving of another despite the dangers and the risk of death was carried out in many ways such as the sharing bread with strangers, hiding of a Jewish individual or an entire family within one’s house or on one’s premises, concealing of Jewish children within one’s religious institution despite the insufficient heat or food for those already living there, and the obtaining false identification papers.

As of 1 January 2008, 22,000 persons from 44 different countries have been recognized by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations. These individuals came from different backgrounds, religious denominations, and social and political groups.  To honor these courageous rescuers still further the International Institute for Holocaust Research – Yad Vashem undertook a project to publish a comprehensive encyclopedia containing personal stories and heroic acts of rescue of each Righteous Among the Nations. 

This encyclopedia project presents in a series of volumes the stories of all those who have been honored by Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations for their rescue activities on behalf of Jews during the Shoah era.  To date, there are published volumes on France, Poland, Belgium, and the Netherlands.  In addition, the latest volume that has been published is Part 1 of Europe and Other Countries, in which the stories of the Righteous Among the Nations form Austria, Brazil, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United States are included. A second volume of Europe and Other Countries is forthcoming.

 

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