Pages:
9 + 13
,
transcript +
Additional Material:
1 CD-ROM
Year of publication:
2000
Keywords:
Schleich, Josef,
;
Germany.
;
Jews Persecutions
;
Righteous Gentiles in the Holocaust.
;
World War, 1939-1945.
;
Austria History Anschluss, 1938.
;
Graz (Austria)
;
Vienna (Austria)
;
Autobiographies
;
Biographical sources
;
Memoirs
Abstract:
The businessman Josef Schleich was born in 1902 in Graz, Austria. He went on businesstrips to Vienna and upheld close relationships with Jewish merchants. After the Anschluss to Nazi Germany in 1938 he was contacted by some of his Jewish acquaintances, who asked him to assist them in their attempts to leave the country. He started to hold agricultural classes for Jews, who wanted to learn a trade prior to their emigration. With the support of the Jewish community (Kultusgemeinde) he traveled around Europe to find out about possible emigration routes. Soon he concentrates his efforts on the Southern border of Austria with Yugoslawia. Due to prior business endeavors, which were already partially illegal, he already knew the border with its many sidepaths. Initially he started his efforts to assist Jews illegally over the border with the knowledge of the Gestapo, but after some time he could only continue his endeavors on the basis of constant bribes. In 1940 the Jewish community was dissolved and moved to Vienna, where Schleich continued to organize his activities under the cover of a travelagency. Most of the people arrived from Vienna, some even from cities in Germany, at Graz, where Schleich accomodated them in his city apartment, until further transportation was arranged. Schleich had helpers among some farmers along the border as well as some helpers on the Yugoslawian side. The whole extent of the people he helped crossing the border is still unknown, but new research has proved that the number of rescued Jews amount to more than 20.000. After the war, in 1947, he was accused of taking advantage of the plight of Jews, due to the fact that he received substantial fees for his efforts to assist Jews over the border. In 1949 Josef Schlech died in Graz.
Abstract:
The collection contains materials pertaining to a radio broadcast in Austria on Oct. 25, 2000, “Der Steirische Schindler”, about Josef Schleich from Graz, Austria, who saved the life of thousands of Jews, 1938-1941. Also included is a typed transcript of the broadcast.
Note:
German and some English
URL:
http://digital.cjh.org/webclient/DeliveryManager?pid=400510&custom_att_2=simple_viewer
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