Richard Hurowitz, author of "In the Garden of the Righteous," discusses the motivations and characteristics of individuals who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. He notes that rescuers, though a tiny minority, often shared a belief in something greater than themselves, frequently rooted in religion, and were raised with values of tolerance and self-confidence. Hurowitz highlights Aristides de Sousa Mendes, a Portuguese diplomat who undertook the largest single rescue, and Gino Bartoli, an Italian cycling champion who used his fame to aid the underground. The conversation explores why some communities, like Denmark and Le Chambon, were more successful in protecting their Jewish populations due to pre-existing ethos of tolerance and communal solidarity.
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