He was a diplomat to Lithuania during WWII, and right before the Russians officially kicked him out and shut down his consulate, he signed, illegally I might add, over 2,000 passports to Jewish refugees to go to Japan, where they would be able to escape to other countries to get away from the Nazis. (Though all of the papers were actually for a small Dutch held island off the coast of South America, almost none of the Jews actually went there.) Even though many could not afford the trip (a requirement to get his signature according to Japanese law), nor did some even have passports, he would still sign blank pieces of papers anyway.
...the best thing? He never bragged about it. Despite losing his job after the war, and struggling to make ends meet for the rest of his life for him and his family, he didn't accept accolades for what he had done (though many tried to get him to). His reason? Because when one does a good thing, one does not brag about it, he just does it.
Y'know, it's funny. I didn't learn it in class. I got bored last night, wanted to see something that I didn't have so I went to the library and picked up "Mulan", "Master and Commander" (stupid stupid stupid!), and a documentary called "Sugihara: A Conspiracy of Kindness." I still have it if you want to watch it.
I want to watch it, but you might as well return it to the library. I have an hour of The Office to get thru', and then enough work to keep me guilted away from movies for a long time.
Or maybe I could take it home w/ me during break...ăăȘă
I don't quite understand, how it can be claimed he was saving Jews from the Holocaust, when these said Jews were then living in the Soviet-controlled Lithuania?
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branchandroot
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Date: 2005-10-08 02:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-08 03:15 am (UTC)He was a diplomat to Lithuania during WWII, and right before the Russians officially kicked him out and shut down his consulate, he signed, illegally I might add, over 2,000 passports to Jewish refugees to go to Japan, where they would be able to escape to other countries to get away from the Nazis. (Though all of the papers were actually for a small Dutch held island off the coast of South America, almost none of the Jews actually went there.) Even though many could not afford the trip (a requirement to get his signature according to Japanese law), nor did some even have passports, he would still sign blank pieces of papers anyway.
...the best thing? He never bragged about it. Despite losing his job after the war, and struggling to make ends meet for the rest of his life for him and his family, he didn't accept accolades for what he had done (though many tried to get him to). His reason? Because when one does a good thing, one does not brag about it, he just does it.
Cool guy, huh?
no subject
Date: 2005-10-08 04:19 am (UTC)Sorry Brandy.
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Date: 2005-10-08 02:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-10-08 08:13 pm (UTC)Or maybe I could take it home w/ me during break...ăăȘă
no subject
Date: 2007-01-23 04:15 am (UTC)I don't quite understand, how it can be claimed he was saving Jews from the Holocaust, when these said Jews were then living in the Soviet-controlled Lithuania?
no subject
Date: 2007-01-28 08:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-29 11:30 am (UTC)Yes, but there was no immediate danger to them in 1940. Neither Sugihara, nor the Jews couldn't know that Germany is going to attack the Soviet Union.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-30 03:58 am (UTC)