Irene Gut Opdyke Research Paper

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During the Holocaust, over six million Jews were killed, but there are only twenty thousand known rescuers. These rescuers are known as the “Righteous Among the Nations.” Irene Gut Opdyke saved the lives of sixteen Jews during the Holocaust. Her reasoning? She believed that all Jews shouldn’t be treated as anything less than a human being. She says ”My mother taught me to keep my heart, my hands, and my ears, open for anyone who is needy.” Irene’s morality was a huge part of her decision to rescue. When Irene was young, a Rabbi told her mother, “God has plans for your daughter,.. We must watch and see what little Irenka does.” (In my hands pg. 8) Growing up, Irene was raised Catholic. She was always trying to help. She and her siblings found a bird with a broken wing, and nursed it back to health. Also, when she was fourteen, she had a fortune telling incident. She melted a candle, and when it cooled, its silhouette was a ship sailing with a crucifix on the bow. This all foreshadows the fact that she will turn out to be a compassionate, and selfless person. When Irene was sixteen, she started nursing school. The summer after her first semester, she returned home to Kozlowa Gora to visit her family. “That was …show more content…

She registered for work, and was given an identification card, and working papers. She was assigned work at a German run restaurant. She hated it. She left that job, when she found a job at a Polish run shop near her Aunt Helen’s house. Eventually the Nazi’s came and forced Irene and some others to work in an ammunition factory. After two weeks, she became weak and tired. One morning cadre officers came to inspect the workers. Irene’s hands were shaking as she tried to bundle ammunition. She ended up fainting. When she came to, A major handed her a cup of coffee. He offered her a job that he thought would be better for her. It was at a hotel. She would be working for Herr

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