After the Nazis killed most of their family, three surviving brothers formed a rescue and resistance group that welcomed Jewish refugees
After the Nazis killed most of their family, three surviving brothers formed a rescue and resistance group that welcomed Jewish refugees. Escaping to the swampy woods in German-occupied Poland (today Belarus), Tuvia, Asael, and Zus Bielski saved more than 1,200 Jews from the Germans. They not only preserved the lives of those hiding with them but created a community for Jews in the middle of war-torn Europe. Tuvia was determined to accept and protect all Jews regardless of age or gender. Under his leadership, the community thrived. Workshops employed over 200 people, including tailors, carpenters, and blacksmiths. The partisan leaders also managed a primitive infirmary, a school for the children, and a synagogue. This vibrant Jewish forest community recreated a sense of belonging that the Nazis aimed to destroy. The partisans also fought against the Germans by disabling trains and blowing up bridges, even as they were hunted by the Nazis and their collaborators. After the wa...
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