While imprisoned in Auschwitz, Dr. Otto Wolken made a daring decision—he risked his life to help save a 12-year-old boy

While imprisoned in Auschwitz, Dr. Otto Wolken made a daring decision—he risked his life to help save a 12-year-old boy.

Despite having his medical degree stripped by the Nazi regime, Otto was selected to work as a camp doctor. He tried to help those whom he could, but many of his patients died from disease or were sent to the gas chambers.

"There are ... incidents that remain with me, which I have not been able to forget," Otto reflected.

In 1944, a young Italian Jewish boy, Luigi Ferri, arrived in Auschwitz, where he met Otto. Determined to keep Luigi alive, Otto first hid him in the barracks for weeks. Luigi was later put to work as an errand boy, protecting him from the gas chambers.

When the camp was evacuated and its prisoners placed on death marches in early 1945, Luigi hid once again, this time with Otto. They survived, and are pictured here after their liberation.

Photo: USHMM, courtesy of Frieda Fisz Greenspan

#Holocaust #History #NationalDoctorsDay

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