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The Jewish Olympians among Hitler's Victims

(Times of Israel) Matt Lebovic - Gymnast Judikje "Jud" Simons from the Netherlands and boxer Victor "Young" Perez of France were among several dozen Jewish Olympians and world champions murdered during the Holocaust, along with most of their spouses and children. At the 1936 "Nazi Olympics" in Berlin, at least 13 Jewish athletes from several countries earned medals. Agnes Grunwald-Spier's 2016 book, Who Betrayed the Jews? includes information on 30 Jewish Olympians killed in the Holocaust, some of whom gave up their freedom to share the fate of loved ones. Renowned skier Bronislaw Czech represented Poland in three Olympic Games. At age 32, he was arrested by the Nazis and sent to Auschwitz. There, he was offered freedom in exchange for training German youth in skiing, but refused and died in Auschwitz. According to Grunwald-Spier, the 30 murdered Jewish Olympians in her book "were all successful sportspeople who had been proud to represent their country. Their country had been proud to bask in their glory. However, when the Nazis were implementing the Final Solution, that was of no significance and they were mowed down like all the other Jews of Europe."
2016-08-26 00:00:00
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