Rescue and Flight: American Relief Workers Who Defied the Nazis

Rescue and Flight: American Relief Workers Who Defied the Nazis

by SusanElisabethSubak (Author)

Synopsis

When Susan Elisabeth Subak discovered that members of the Unitarian Church had helped her Jewish father immigrate to the United States, she was unaware of the impact the organization had made during World War II. After years of research, Subak uncovers the little-known story of the Unitarian Service Committee, which rescued European refugees during World War II, and the remarkable individuals who made it happen. The Unitarian Service Committee was among the few American organizations committed to helping refugees during World War II. The staff who ran the committee assisted those endangered by the Nazi regime, from famous writers and artists to the average citizen. Part of a larger network of American relief workers, the Unitarian Committee helped refugees negotiate the official and legal channels of escape and, when those methods failed, the more complex underground channels. From their offices in Portugal and southern France they created escape routes through Europe to the United States, South America, and England, and rescued thousands, often at great personal risk.

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More Information

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 342
Publisher: University of Nebraska Press
Published: 25 May 2010

ISBN 10: 0803225253
ISBN 13: 9780803225251
Book Overview: The story of the Unitarian Service Committee, an organization of Americans who rescued European refugees during World War II

Media Reviews
A fascinating book. . . . In this true-life tale of intrigue, danger, courage, and dedication the reader will encounter the names of many eminent people whose lives were saved by the USC. -Marcia Weiss Posner, Jewish Book World -- Marcia Weiss Posner * Jewish Book World *
Complementing recent historiography concentrated on the actions of relief workers in Displaced Person Camps after the war, Rescue & Flight is valuable, focused research on the important and relatively few efforts undertaken before and during the war to save lives. -Michal Shapira, Journal of Interdisciplinary History -- Michal Shapira * Journal of Interdisciplinary History *
Subak delivers well her intent to carve a respectable place for these workers' legacy. It is a must-read for Unitarians and scholars of contemporary religious history and WWII. Professors can also include it in their recommended reading lists. -Mark Chung Hearn, Religious Studies Review -- Mark Chung Hearn * Religious Studies Review *
This volume is not only a valuable contribution to Holocaust studies; with its blend of factual information, tensions, and intrigues, it is a fascinating read. -Suzanne Vromen, Holocaust and Genocide Studies -- Suzanne Vromen * Holocaust and Genocide Studies *
Author Bio
Susan Elisabeth Subak has written numerous articles and essays that have appeared in such publications as the New Republic and Climatic Change. William F. Schulz served as executive director of Amnesty International USA from 1994 to 2006. He is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and chairs the board of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.