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A Story Seldom Told
By anitamckay on 2010-11-24 16:32:08
“All Jewish children will sleep with your children, all will eat the
same food, all will live as one family.”
These words were spoken by Mehdi Frasheri, the Albanian prime minister, as the Nazi extermination of Jews began during
the Second World War. Even before he spoke those words, Albania's King Zog had directed that Albanian passports be
issued to Jews, particularly those fleeing the Nazis from other countries. Before the war ended, Albania had saved an
estimated 2,000 Jews and became the only European country in which the Jewish population after the war was higher than it
was at the beginning of the war. These are statements by some of the rescuers: “My father said that the Germans would have
to kill his family before he would have them kill his Jewish guests.” “How could I not save Jews? I felt their suffering." Two
things make this story remarkable. One is that it was Albanian Muslims who saved the Jews. They were acting from a Koran
principle which tells the faithful to protect their guests, even at the cost of their own lives. They shared what little they had,
even as Albania suffered greatly during the war. In Albania, this is called Besa. The other remarkable aspect is that this story
has not been told widely. Perhaps that will begin to change with the international media attention the story has received in
some sectors. American photographer Norman Gershman traveled to Albania and Kosovo to find the rescuers, photograph
them, and their stories. He captured these stories with his camera and in words. An exhibit of his work has been displayed in
an increasing number of venues since 2008. A documentary about Gershman's work is in production. What makes this story
of personal interest to me is that it was called to my attention by a Bosnian friend. Who better than a Bosnian to understand
the high cost of demonizing an entire group of people? It is only by ignoring the complex reality of a group of people that
we can turn them into a cartoonish unanimity we can hate or fear as a group. We are entering a time of moral reflection for
many traditions. My hope is that many of us use some of this time to reflect on the ways our thoughts and behaviors promote
peace, and the ways they promote violence and suffering for ourselves and others. For more information about Gershman's
work: http://www.eyecontactfoundation.org/
