Courage in the Face of Hardship

In my previous career, I traveled internationally often and witnessed firsthand the progress of people who overcame incredible hardships to build amazing nations. Germany and South Korea are two such examples where the resiliency of the citizenry is evident at nearly every turn. Often referred to as the “miracles on the Rhine / Han” respectively, the speed at which these two war ravaged nations rebuilt into thriving, economic powerhouses is a testament to their people.

Israel is another country I was very fortunate to visit during my travels. I was always struck during my visits how modern and thriving Israel had become in just a few decades.

Many may not know that January 27^th is designated as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. In 2016, as part of the observance activities, the Army installation where I was serving solicited essays related to the theme of courage in the face of hardship. I submitted the following passage not necessarily about the horrors of the Holocaust, but rather the resiliency it took for the survivors to recover in the immediate aftermath.  Surprisingly, the essay was selected for the observance!

Scholars on the topic would poke holes in the limited research and basic conclusions that went into this essay, but it wasn’t meant to be an exemplar of academic research. The passage below is my personal reflection on how the Jewish survivors in post WWII Europe displayed incredible courage in the immediate aftermath of one of the darkest moments in history.

The history of the Holocaust is replete with horrifying images and stories of the unimaginable suffering endured by European Jews in Nazi death camps from 1939-1945.   Much less is written about the hardships that holocaust survivors continued to face in the months and years immediately following their liberation.  In the chaos immediately following World War II, over 250,000 European Jews were displaced persons.1 Although they survived the Nazi’s attempt at genocide, many Holocaust survivors died during the harsh conditions in 1940s post war Europe.  Those that did escape war torn Europe to the United States, the British Mandate of Palestine, and numerous countries around the world not only survived but thrived in nearly every aspect of human endeavor.  The remarkable story of escape and redemption by over a quarter million Holocaust survivors is a shining example of unparalleled courage and resilience.

In the immediate aftermath of World War II, Allied liberators forced nearly 100,000 European Jews to remain housed in former Nazi concentration camps.   Many Jews survived Nazi captivity only to die weeks or months later.  President Truman observed, “As things stand now, we appear to be treating the Jews as the Nazis treated them except that we do not exterminate them.”2  This realization coupled with the influx of nearly 150,000 displaced Jews escaping war torn Eastern Europe forced Western leaders to treat Jews as a separate group amongst the thousands of displaced Europeans.

Holocaust survivors seeking to forget bitter memories on the European continent almost overwhelmingly desired to leave Europe and many sought to migrate to the British mandated Palestine.3  Initially, Britain resisted the Jews desire to immigrate to Palestine.  In one notable incident, the British Navy intercepted a ship containing 4,500 Jewish Holocaust survivors attempting to enter Palestine.  The British forced the ship back to Hamburg, Germany and forcibly removed the occupants.4  This incident and other harrowing stories of the Holocaust survivor’s plight to escape Europe forced Allied powers to implement controlled immigration plans for European Jews migration to the United States, British mandated Palestine, and numerous other countries.

From 1946 to 1950 over 100,000 Holocaust survivors immigrated to the United States.5   Each and every one serves as a remarkable example of courage and perseverance against all odds.  Many of their names became legendary within American society.  Film director Roman Polanski, media personality Dr. Ruth, and U.S. Representative Tom Lantos are just three examples of Holocaust survivors who suffered untold loss yet achieved unparalleled success.

It is estimated over a quarter of a million Holocaust survivors and Eastern European Jews escaped post war Europe to British Mandated Palestine in the years following WWII. Once the British Mandate ended in 1948, the state of Israel survived numerous conflicts and hardships to become one of the most developed nations on Earth.  Holocaust survivors played a significant role in establishing Israel and leading the state to numerous successes in every endeavor.

Holocaust survivors thrived in the aftermath of WWII and serve as an enduring example of courage in the face of unfathomable hardship.  European Jews were not history’s only persecuted people and unfortunately, as recent events indicate, they are not the last.  The remembrance of over 6,000,000 victims of the Holocaust ensures that we will never forget the consequences of unchecked evil. The accomplishments by over a quarter million Holocaust survivors serve as a timeless lesson about the power of hope even while facing the darkest abyss.

1 Rosenburg, Matt. 2016. “ Displaced Jews in Europe” About.com. Accessed April 19, 2016. http://geography.about.com.

2 Ibid.

3 Ibid.

4 Ibid.

5 Ibid.

My last few blogs focused on historical events that shape us. January was a good month to look at these topics as most of us probably don’t associate January with historical significance! I know its clichéd, but forgetting the lessons of history could doom us to repeat it.

Next week, for the first blog of February, I’ll shift gears to investing, one of my favorite pastimes!

The views, opinions and biases expressed in this blog are my own and do not reflect those of the U.S. Army or the Department of Defense.

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