Steven Pressman (1) (1955–)

Questo documentario rivela la storia drammatica e mai raccontata di Gilbert ed Eleanor Kraus, una coppia ebrea del Center City Philadelphia che, nel 1939, si recò nella Vienna occupata dai nazisti in un audace tentativo di salvare 50 bambini e riportarli al Stati Uniti. Non solo i Kraus hanno avuto a che fare con alti funzionari nazisti a Berlino e Vienna, ma hanno anche dovuto aggirare le rigide e bigotte politiche di immigrazione degli Stati Uniti, rendendo quasi impossibile portare profughi ebrei negli Stati Uniti. Nel portare avanti questa incredibile missione, Gilbert ed Eleanor Kraus furono responsabili del salvataggio del più grande trasporto americano di bambini rifugiati durante l'Olocausto.… (més)

Apologies to those who have been waiting for my review of this book. I’m not up for writing a thorough review, but I hope my impressions are useful to you, especially regarding deciding whether or not this book is for you.

I found the account gripping and suspenseful, even though the reader knows from the very start pretty much what is going to happen.

From previous reading, I knew most of what was going on during the period and yet the details told still managed to shock me at times – great examples including excerpts from the NY Times, State Dept. memos, and the memories of those involved with this rescue.

I get more and more angry at the U.S. the more I learn. I get so exasperated with human beings. Luckily, this story is mostly about the bravery, heroism, and empathy expressed by some very good people.

I was particularly grateful for the details given of what happened with everyone, and surprised that there were so many children that couldn’t be currently tracked re what happened to them. I hope they or their significant others see the plea at the end of the book, and come forward with information. I had to smile because so many of the personalities/behaviors of certain children left me not at all surprised by the adults they became. I was very touched to read about some of their post rescue lives and accomplishments.

There is an exceptionally fine and informative Afterword by Paul A. Shapiro of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

There is no gorgeous language but it is a well written straightforward account.

The photos of the children, others involved, documents, the times & places of the era were so important to me, especially the family portraits of the children and their families.

The last year I’ve had a reading dry spell, but this book was easy for me to read, and very enjoyable.

SPOILER:

I was very surprised that so many of the parents and siblings got out and how so many of them also got out before the worst of the Holocaust, in 1939 and 1940. The relatively few exceptions were so heartbreaking, more so because of how many were able to escape the worst of the Holocaust. … (més)