Online Sources #4 and #5

Both of these sources talk about those who rescued in the time of the Holocaust. They both highlight that hardly anyone rescued, less than 1%, and talked about how they did this even though these rescuers risked their lives. In source 4, it focuses on Karski and his ideals. He explains his two ideals of how he knew people rescued, stating, "This assertion Karski explains is based on two reasons. First, because it is historically untrue. Thousands of Christians tried to save Jews and were ready to die for them. Some did. Second, because this kind of an emphasis perpetuates the idea that "everybody hates the Jews". Not everyone hates the Jews. Christian rescuers felt that the Jews were valuable enough to risk their lives for them. In short, it is both historically incorrect and psychologically unhealthy to concentrate on the idea that no-one wanted to save Jews" (Jan Karski, Personal communication, 1999, Source 4, Page 2). In source 5, it discusses the 'why' of rescuing, stating, "The very question "Why did you do it?" evokes discomfort and even annoyance in rescuers. The question challenges an instinctive response that stemmed from personal integrity, from their humanity. Rescuers are often embarrassed with their answers because they are not eloquent or philosophical and because the interviewer may be disappointed at the simple, "It was the right thing to do." "I couldn't live with myself if I let this person die." Psychologically, the very word "why" often seems accusatory and puts the rescuer on the defensive" (Source 5, pg 5).

Both of these articles struck me as they both tied together what we have been discussing and class and altruism. I enjoyed source 4 as it spoke well of altruism and how we often see it in disguise, stating, "If we were a part of a group of people that included altruistic rescuers, we could not distinguish these rescuers from the rest of the group. Traditional ways for placing people into certain categories are of no help" (Source 4, pg 3). This struck me as I have always seen altruism this way, noting the low profile those who are true altruists hold. When put in a line up, one could not point an rescuer out. "These people were altruists just doing what they saw as right. Coming from source 5, it states, Rescuers became outlaws in a Nazi no-man's-land. Their ideas of right and wrong were not widely held. Being isolated was new for them, since before the war, they had been very much part of their communities. Prior to the rescue they tended not to be loners or people who felt alienated from society.viii But the secret of rescue effectively isolated them from everyone else. Neighbors who suspected people of harboring Jews viewed them as selfish and dangerous because they risked the lives of those around them" (Source 5, pg 3). The idea of these rescuers holding low profile is brought up again here. Reading the line of right and wrong stands out as the 'right' thing at the time was to not take part and be antisemitic, but these people went against these forceful ideas and rescued because they saw that as right.