Rescuers

by MICHAEL DANTY

The Rescuers

Cecilia Razovsky and Frances Perkins worked in America while Kate Rosenheim toiled in Nazi Germany to find a means to save the lives of Jewish children and bring them to this country. They labored to overcome restrictive legislation, anti-Semitism, and Nazi restrictions that created an ever- tightening noose around the neck of European Jews from the mid 1930’s.

These three extraordinary women, who, on both sides of the Atlantic, saved the lives of 1,000 Jewish children from the Nazi terror. Our country should have saved 40,000. It is a miraculous story of the Shoah that has to be told.

The 1000 Children

Approximately 1,000 Jewish children reached our shores from 1934 to 1945. They ranged in age from fourteen months to sixteen years of age. Most of these children were unaware of their rescuers and the political blockades that were put into place to prevent their being saved.

Some of those rescued included U.S. Ambassador Richard Schifter, rock impresario Bill Graham, as well as noted physicists, physicians, and historians. Many are still alive to tell their story. America could have saved thousands more.

It is impossible to tell the story of the 6,000,000 who died. Each remembrance of the Shoah brings new light on those who were persecuted, those who reigned terror on the Jewish people, and those who were rescuers. This is the story of three rescuers. They did not use hiding places, false passports or escape routes over the Alps or Pyrenees. Instead, they relied on paper and pens, alliances with powerful people and the sheer will to bring these 1,000 children to safety.

The rescuers is also the story of America in the 1930’s and 1940’s. It became a safe haven for some, but an example of what isolationism, racism, and fear can do to the symbol of freedom. Cecilia, Frances, and Kate battled the Nazi Juggernaut in Europe, and anti-Semitism in America. They also had to mollify the fears of the American Jewry who were afraid that Americans would turn on them.

Kate Rosenheim might be working with a family, trying to get their child out of the country or begging for exit visas from a Nazi Reichsminister. Frances Perkins frequently met with President Roosevelt to try to change immigration quotas and legislation. She also confided her fears to  First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. Cecilia Razovsky worked with legislators to create new immigration laws. She labored tirelessly for each child and fought anti-Semitism on every level. She often said that “she could not rest peacefully knowing that Jewish children were being turned away from America.”

The Rescuers is also a message for the future. Today, Americans still battle amongst themselves over quotas and immigration laws. We disagree regarding saving the victims of racial and cultural genocide. What will those in political power today learn from the strengths of Cecilia, Kate, and Frances? There are thousands of children to be saved from death. How will we respond?

About the Author

Michael Danty has produced television and theatrical projects since 1976. His work has appeared on every major network, including the BBC, Japanese and Australian television, HBO, and Showtime. He has worked in both video and film and was a producer at American Zoetrope for 4 years. He has also worked for Paramount Pictures, 20th Century fox, New Line Cinema, and Golden Harvest Films.

Michael’s mother is one of the 1,000 children.

This treatment was registered in 2009 with the Writers Guild of America (WGA). It has been minimally copyedited for style for this website.