Honourable Lives (Roul Wallenberg, Corrie Ten Boom)
... Mr. Wallenberg did not go unnoticed; in 1984, many years after his disappearance he was awarded the Canadian Honourary Citizen award (http://www.newswire.ca/releases/June2001/04/c0930.html ). This award was unique at the time, because it had never been given out. To this day, due to such high honourable requirements only two people share this award. (Ottawa Citizen, November 4, 2001). On June 14, 2001 the government of Canada, declared that January 17 become Raoul Wallenberg day. ˇ§In honouring Raoul Wallenberg each year on Jan. 17, we will honour the courage, character and humanity of an exceptional individual," said Canadian Heritage Minister Sheila Copps ( http://www.newswire.ca/releases/June2001/04/c0930.html ). These awards that Mr. Wallenberg received were given because he had the courage to care and the commitment to act, showed that one person can make a difference, that one person can confront radical evil, prevail and transform history. By putting his life at risk to save the lives of Jews, Mr. Schindler did the right thing. Oskar once replied, ˇ§If you saw a dog going to be crushed under a car, wouldn't you help him?ˇ¨ (Oskar Schindler, (http://home8.inet.tele.dk/aaaa/Schindler2.htmv [2001, 15 December]). Jews were herded into crowded ghettos, randomly beaten and humiliated, capriciously killed.(http://www.holocaust-history.org/). Jewish property and businesses were summarily destroyed, or held by the SS and sold to Nazi investors, one of whom was the fast talking, womanizing, money hungry Oskar Schindler.(http://translate.google.com/translate?ˇKwww.shoa.de/p_oskar_schindler.html) Oskar Schindler, the unlikeliest of role models, took his first steps of risk from the darkness of Nazism towards the light of heroism. Schindler grew up with all the privilege money could buy. He was born Catholic, but from an early age he was attracted to the world of sin. His exploits with women are the stuff of barroom legend.(http://home8.inet.tele.dk/aaaa/Schindler2.htmv [2001, 15 December]). Mr. Schindler was never one to miss a chance to make money, so he went to Poland to buy some Jewish property. By getting involved in the black-market he became friends with the Gestapo. His new friends gave him connections that enabled him to takeover a factory that he ran with the cheapest labor around at the time; Jews. (http://home8.inet.tele.dk/aaaa/Schindler2.htmv [2001, 15 December]). As the killing in the holocaust increased, Schindler began to want to protect his Jewish workers. In 1942, he witnessed Germanˇ¦s attacking neighbouring Jewish families. (http://home8.inet.tele.dk/aaaa/Schindler2.htmv [2001, 15 December]). While he was watching innocent people being packed onto trains, something startled him. ˇ§Beyond this day, no thinking person could fail to see what would happen, I was now resolved to do everything in my power to defeat the system.ˇ¨(http://www.remember.org/imagine/schindler.html). Being so close to the Nazi enemies, Mr. Schindler, through bravery, was able to save 1,200 Jewish lives. At the time he saved 1,200 peoples lives, but the offspring of the rescued Jews could be uncountable. Oskar had changed from a money-propelled man to a caring, just man. Many witnesses had seen him at one point in tears because he was not able to help anymore Jews. (http://www.english.upenn.edu/Holocaust/steinhouse.html.). In trying to answer the inevitable question, why did he do it, one of the survivors said: ˇ§I don't know what his motives were... But I don't give a damn. What's important is that he saved our lives.ˇ¨ (http://home8.inet.tele.dk/aaaa/Schindler2.htmv [2001, 15 December]). His sacrifices to prevent his employees from being captured ended in fame and friendships. Even though Corrie ten Boom was captured for her efforts in sheltering Jews, her loving and courageous attempt was clearly displayed. Haarlem, in the Netherlands, where Corrie had lived, was plagued with German soldiers. No one could buy food unless they had a ration card. Dutch newspapers were stopped and all radio sets had to be given up.(p. 34, ten Boom, The Hidding Place) On a February Morning in 1944, a Dutchman whom Corrie did not know asked for some money. He said he needed it urgently to save some Jews. Corrie did not feel sure about him, but could not risk letting down any Jews.(p.126-128, ten Boom). It turned that she was tricked and the Dutchmen was working with German soldiers. All the guests piled into the secret room. Some Gestapo officers and two Dutch Nazis burst into the house. The Gestapo and Nazis took Corrie away to a concentration camp. She was released by an error that a guard had committed. Corrie later found that the Naziˇ¦s murdered all people of her age.(ten Boom, The Hidding Place) ...