There recently was a death of a 98 year-old lady named Irena. During WWII, Irena, got permission to work in the Warsaw Ghetto, as a Plumbing/Sewer specialist. She had an 'ulterior motive' ... She KNEW what the Nazi's plans were for the Jews, (being German.) Irena smuggled infants out in the bottom of the tool box she carried and she carried in the back of her truck a burlap sack, (for larger kids..) She also had a dog in the back that she trained to bark when the Nazi soldiers let her in and out of the ghetto. The soldiers of course wanted nothing to do with the dog and the barking covered the kids/infants noises.. During her time of doing this, she managed to smuggle out and save 2500 kids/infants. She was caught, and the Nazi's broke both her legs, arms and beat her severely. Irena kept a record of the names of all the kids she smuggled out and kept them in a glass jar, buried under a tree in her back yard. After the war, she tried to locate any parents that may have survived it and reunited the family. Most though had been gassed. Those kids she helped got placed into foster family homes or adopted.
Recently, Irena was up for the Nobel Peace Prize ... She was not selected. However, Al Gore won, for a slide show on Global Warming and Barack Obama won for a speech on peace.
My grandma sent me an email with that story attached. I am touched by all of the unknown bravery and unselfishness that the world has to offer, as well as, good people. I think Irena is one of my new hero's and I appreciate her example.
4 comments:
She has to be the cutest old lady I have ever seen... What an amazing story. The Nobel Peace Prize doesn't mean what it use to.... there are so many wonderful, unsung heros in this world. I am sure she will receive an even greater prize in Heaven :)
I appreciate you posting this story. I had never heard it before. As the survivors of WWII and the Holocaust are passing away, we can't let their stories be forgotten.
There was a Hallmark movie about her earlier this year. It is an amazing story and there are so many hero's that we often don't hear about or celebrate.
Wow, that's all I can think to say.
Post a Comment