April 28, 2014
SCHINDLER'S LIST OF A Chilean diplomat
DEVIA FRANCISCO ALDUNATE
Chilean lawyer and diplomat
Did you see the movie "Schindler's List," directed by Steven Spielberg and
winner of seven Academy Awards Academy, and was winner of seven Academy
Awards Academy?
As you will recall, the film was based on the biography of a German
businessman Oskar Schindler, who through a series negotiations with the Nazi
authorities of a concentration camp in Krakow, got about 1,100 Poles-Jews
who had registered as their operarios- to survive the Holocaust.
If I told a Chilean diplomat also risked his life during World War II,
making a list that would allow a group of Polish-Jewish families residing in
Romania, also escape what the Nazis called the "Final Solution" me believe?
Thanks to the research of its own initiative to initiate Chilean diplomat
Jorge Schindler (who is not related to the aforementioned Oskar Schindler)
can tell you briefly a case of courage, honor and loyalty deserves to be
widely disseminated.
The work of Jorge Schindler began gathering was prompted by a letter from
the Polish-Jewish citizen Mr. Oli Kotzer, addressed to the Embassy of Chile
in Israel in 2011.
Why my family won in January 1942, in Romania, a passport or laissez-passer
issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile?
With this letter and the aforementioned study, the Chilean Foreign Ministry
learned that the Charge d'Affaires of Chile in Romania, Samuel del Campo,
between 1941 and 1943, in dangerous and difficult circumstances, secured the
release and subsequent extradition of 250 families ghetto in the city of
Czernowitz, territory now belonging to Ukraine.
Why Chile diplomat accredited in Romania, took part in rescue and protection
of Polish-Jewish citizens in that country?
The answer is simpler than it seems.
At the beginning of World War II and given the neutrality of Chile in this
conflict, our government in 1941, agreed to represent the interests of
Poland in Romania. However, and here is the detail of this story, the
Chilean government never instructed his diplomats on how to deal with
persecution, attacks and deportations of Jewish refugees.
When the Charge d'Affaires Samuel del Campo decided to help these families,
as a representative of Polish interests in Romania, he did it alone without
help of his Chancellery, knowing he would not be supported in this
humanitarian endeavor, and which is worse, to be risking his own life.
As you reader / to remember sir, the governments of Chile and Argentina were
the only countries in Latin America that declared its neutrality in the
conflict, maintaining that policy until the war ended almost
Let me share some thoughts:
When the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile accredits Samuel del Campo to
Romanian government, led at the time by its leader, Ion Antonescu, an ally
of Nazi Germany do so by any particular reason?
Did you know the Chilean Foreign Ministry segregation, expulsion and
execution suffered by Jews and Gypsies, among other victims, under the
repression of that leader?
If the Foreign Ministry was unaware of the repression exercised by the
leader Antonescu, he would sin, in my opinion, ignorance and ineptitude. But
if you had a history of what really happened in Romania why he accepted to
represent the interests of Poland, which had been annexed by Nazi Germany?
What gain by it? In this case, he chose the School of Idealism or Realism in
foreign policy?
Moreover, Samuel del Campo who was? Was it voluntary or forced your
destination to Bucharest? Would any discrepancies or enmity with high
ministerial authority of the time, to be sent to Romania? Why did you accept
this challenge? or perhaps parodying the Godfather "made him a proposal he
could not refuse."
These legitimate questions may partly be elucidated once Jorge Schindler
complete its work.
What is clear is that when Samuel del Campo chose solidarity and selflessly
to protect those families, it did following bluntly to his sense of duty,
his humanitarian conscience.
I want to transcribe then selected parts of speech of George Schindler,
because of the distinction "Printing Report" that was awarded precisely
derived from this historical research.
"... The charge d'affaires in Romania, Samuel Del Campo, he developed
political reports to the Ministry in Santiago, where forward-looking and
acutely aware of the arrests and mass deportations of Jewish citizens
Romanians and Poles, among which was Kiesler-Kotzer the family.
Inform the dictator Antonescu had ordered the creation of a ghetto in
Czernowitz to concentrate more than 50,000 Jews reported that two-thirds
were deported to Transnistria (Ukraine) where they died.
Without waiting for detailed instructions from Chile, Samuel del Campo
appointing a Romanian trusted lawyer to be directed in his name to the city
and visit the provinces of Bukovina and Bessarabia, the then annexed by
Romania.
I quote: "To cope, methodize and channel the flood of plaintive cries for
protection and justice, and above all humanity, I had to appoint, residing
in Cernauti, a personal representative of mine ... this my delegate's
mission was the receiving complaints by Polish citizens, regardless of
religion. While I was involved with the presidency of the cabinet,
distribution between his hands the fate of so many unfortunate things that
the greatest crime they have committed is the crime of being born a Jew. "
Samuel del Campo confirmed in these lines imminent deportation to the East
of the Jews of Czernowitz, which takes urgent steps to ensure the Chilean
refugee protection to all Polish citizens and their families, since it
claims to local government "Law concerning Romanian Jews is not applicable
to foreign Jews in the kingdom." Based on this argument, the diplomat
created identification, obtaining start negotiations with the Romanian
military governor who manages delivery 250 families who were "loaded" on
rail cars awaiting deportation to Transnistria in Ukraine.
Families rescued at the last minute, could return to the city and leave the
ghetto through that also managed the Field restitution of confiscated homes,
taking care to place a sign identifying its inhabitants as "persons under
protection the Republic of Chile. "In this task, del Campo told, reports,
with the cooperation of the Mayor of Czernowitz, Traian Popovici.
In this regard, leading members of the Polish Jewish community aimed at Del
Campo thank telegram dated November 12, 1941:
"His Excellency Mr. del Campo: Before you can personally express our warmest
thanks, Your Excellency, please accept the assurances of our devotion and
our deep gratitude for the high effective protection and aid granted to
Polish citizens in the hardest moments of their life. Please join the
government of Chile that our whole life will be recognized and grateful for
this great protection.
The First Secretary of the field remained in Bucharest until May 1943 when,
under dangerous circumstances, leaves the country via Turkey to take over as
consul in Switzerland.
In the archives there is no mention of her humanitarian work, no recognition
of the clarity of his political reports that since 1941 our authorities
anticipated the Holocaust.
The research proves that Mr. del Campo made a remarkable effort, even at
risk to his own safety, going beyond the general instructions, helping to
save the lives of many people, as attested to by Oli Kotzer .
The path of Samuel del Campo shows us how this profession -the
career-diplomacy sometimes little understood, may represent (in different
historical circumstances) light and hope for the persecuted and
discriminated against ... "
Nothing else to say, only recognize and remember Samuel del Campo and all
those who like him have risked their lives for others. Whoever saves one
life
Hardy
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This moderated discussion group is for information exchange on the subject of
Czernowitz and Sadagora Jewish History and Genealogy. The opinions expressed
in these posts are the opinions of the original poster only and not necessarily
the opinions of the List Owner, the Webmaster or any other members
or entities connected with this mailing list. The Czernowitz-L list has
an associated web site at
http://czernowitz.ehpes.com that includes a
searchable archive of all messages posted to this list. As a result,
Messages sent to the list are available to the general public within days
of posting.
Please post in "Plain Text" (help available at:
<
http://www.jewishgen.org/InfoFiles/PlainText.html>).
To remove your address from this e-list follow the directions at:
<
http://www.it.cornell.edu/services/elist/howto/user/leave.cfm>
To receive assistance for this e-list send an e-mail message to:
<owner-Czernowitz-L_at_list.cornell.edu>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Received on 2015-11-18 14:53:38