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World Jewish News
Righteous Gentiles Conference in Minsk
24.03.2009
In the Johannes Rau International Education Center in Minsk, the first international scientific and practical conference «The Righteous Gentiles in Belarus» was held. During the Second World War, of the 1 million Jews from Belarus, no more than 200 thousand survived. Often Belarusian residents of settlements risked their own lives to help the Jews. They hid the Jews in their homes, adopted their children, and offered support in moving to safer places, saved them from cold and hunger. But against the backdrop of the fate of Soviet soldiers, partisans and underground fighters, their actions in the post-Soviet history often remained unnoticed. Only in the 1990s, the recognition of the heroic deeds of these people began.
Today, nearly 700 documented cases have been found proving the facts of rescue of Jews by Belarusians, who were awarded the honorary titles "The Righteous Gentile." Unfortunately, many have won the title only after death. Currently, Belarus is home to about 50 righteous gentiles, including 23 who live in Minsk.
According to Alexander Lukashenko, President of the Republic of Belarus, this little-known page of the patriotic activity of Belarusians during the war is an indication of their just and courageous nature, and the answer to the question why the fathers and grandfathers of today’s Belarusians stood up and won that terrible war.
Speaking at the opening of the conference, Leonid Levin, chairman of the Union of Belarusian Jewish Public Associations and Communities, was trying to show great respect and warm attitude towards the people who had committed a modest, in their view, deed – saving human lives.
And each person who presented a welcoming speech that day intended to underline the importance of the event and their respect towards the Righteous Gentiles. The speakers were the Ambassador of Israel to the Republic of Belarus Edward Shapira, the German Ambassador to Belarus, and the Ambassador of Ukraine to the Republic of Belarus. Edward Shapira said that the title of a Righteous Gentile conveys a deep meaning. In his view, one must have a great power and particular courage to risk the safety of the loved ones and their own lives in order to save the Jews - sons of another people.
"And they saved people. Because this was their way of life. They thought and felt that way. And this was their grandeur and strength of spirit! Therefore, it is important that they are known!" the Ambassador emphasized. Part of the conference was the presentation of Artem Prigorovich, a student of Belarusian State University, called "The Righteous Gentiles of Belarus", as well as the first book of the post-war period with the memoirs of 150 former prisoners of Auschwitz death camp "Auschwitz Death Camp: Living Evidence of Belarus" by Alexander Borisov, Kuzma Kozak, Galina Stuchinskaya.
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