January 30, 2006
The Israeli embassy in Slovakia has honored seven Slovaks for rescuing Jews during the Holocaust. Only one of those honored last week is still alive, but she could not attend the ceremony because of health reasons. The decorated include a Protestant priest, a former policeman as well as other citizens helped hide Jews from the Nazis. The Nazi-sponsored Slovak regime had some 70,000 Slovak Jews deported during World War II, a majority of who perished in concentration camps. More than 400 people in Slovakia have been named Righteous Gentiles, a designation given by Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial.