Visas for life for 29 days, from july 31 to august 28, 1940, mr. Chiune sugihara, sugihara chiune, 1 january 1900 31 july 1986 was a japanese government official who served as viceconsul for the japanese empire in kaunas, lithuania. A shamed man joel ben izzy was cleaning a jewish graveyard in japan, when he stumbled upon the story of chiune sugihara a rebellious japanese ambassador to lithuania. A japanese diplomat stationed in lithuania in 1940, he issued thousands of visas to jewish families, enabling them to flee the country before the nazis arrived. Joel ben izzy was cleaning a jewish graveyard in japan, when he stumbled upon the story of chiune sugihara a rebellious japanese. In the sugihara house, visitors are presented with an uptodate audiovisual exposition in the hisctorical rooms of the former consulate. Sugiharas stand pages 27 37 chiune sempo sugihara, righteous among the nations khassid umot olam m y father had rented a oneroom loft for us on the second floor of an old building on straszuna street in the heart of wilnos historic jewish quarter. Chiune sugihara 19001986, a japanese diplomat, risked his job and reputation in order to save thousands of people. This bibliography was generated on cite this for me on thursday, march 5, 2015. The true story of chiune sugihara, the japanese schindler, who with his familys encouragement, saved thousands of jews in lithuania during world war ii.
A travelers literary companion by jeffrey angles, j. In march 1939, japanese consulgeneral chiune sugihara was sent to kaunas to open a consulate service. The myth of chiune sugihara as currently portrayed. In defiance of his superiors, sugihara decided to provide transit visas to thousands of jews who had escaped german persecution in poland. Sempo chiune sugihara, japanese savior the international. Chiune sugihara opened the japanese consulate in kaunas, lithuania, only 3 days before the invasion of poland. Chiune sempo sugihara january 1, 1900 july 31, 1986. Based on hiroki sugihara s own words, passage to freedom is the first fully illustrated childrens book to tell sugihara s heroic story, highlighting his courageous humanity, and the importance of a childs opinion in his fathers decision.
The sugihara story, by ken mochizuki and illustrated by dom lee, is written from the perspective. Have students estimate how many days he did this if he saved about 10,000 people. Inspire a love of reading with prime book box for kids discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1. Chiune sugihara united states holocaust memorial museum. Chiune sugihara, the japanese viceconsul in kaunas, lithuania, is being credited with the issuance of 2,9 family visas for the stranded jewish families during the period from july 29 to august 26, 1940. Mar 06, 2014 the video, made by faculty members of the new york film academy, explains that as german forces moved across europe, time was running out for jews seeking to flee when help came from an unlikely. The museum exhibits documents brought from japanese archives. Tells the story of chiune sugihara and the transit visas he issued that allowed hundreds of jewish families to flee europe through russia to japan and other countries. Sugihara s definition of humanity as realized by helping those in trouble stemmed from his benevolent nature and japanese sense of dignity.
In the summer of 1940, he issued visas to thousands of jewish refugees, against the express orders of his government. Juan pujol aka garbo you can listen to this audio file. The elusive japanese diplomat who risked his life to rescue 10, 000 jews from the holocaust levine, hillel on. Happy birthday, chiune sugihara, the japanese schindler. New film about chiune sugihara, the japanese schindler. Welcome to the website of the chiune sugihara sempo museum. Stamberg sugihara susan talks with the son of a former japanese diplomat who defied his government to save the lives of jews during world war ii. His father wanted him to be a doctor, but his dream had always been to study literature and live abroad. Many of them used this opportunity to flee europe into safety. October 11th, the tv drama, visas for six thousand peoples lives. The museum celebrates the memory and legacy of my grandfather, whose selfless actions as a diplomat in wartime europe nearly eight decades ago saved the lives of thousands of jewish refugees from slaughter by the nazis. Contains a facsimile of a nonalphabetical document listing of 2,140 jews who received transit visas from chiune sugihara, japanese consul general in kovno kaunas, lithuania, during august 1940 bound together with a name index to same prepared by the registry of holocaust survivors. New film about chiune sugihara, the japanese schindler, makes u. Includes home movies, photographs, film footage, and interviews with holocaust survivors who owe their lives to chiune sugihara.
Premiere persona non grata tells the story of japanese diplomat chiune sugihara, who defied orders and issued over 2,000. About chiune sugiharathe chiune sugihara memorial hall. Shiune sugihara 19001986 was a japanese diplomat who helped thousands of jews leave the soviet union while serving as consul of the empire of japan in lithuania. Holocaust survivors and victims database sugiharas list. In 1940, yukiko sugihara was with her husband, the japanese consul chiune sugihara, in kaunas kovnolithuanias capital between the wars. Sugihara is sometimes also referred to as chiune, an earlier rendition of the japanese character for sempo, part of his formal name. These consuls went strictly by the book, and in many cases, were even stricter in issuing visas than their governments required. Rokusennin no inochi no visa new edition by yukiko sugihara taisho shuppan visas for 6,000 lives.
These are the sources and citations used to research sempo sugihara. The chiune sugihara sempo museum and the israeli embassy in tokyo are pleased to announce a special joint exhibition entitled beyond duty, honoring the 34 diplomats from around the world who have been designated as righteous among the nations by the yad vashem holocaust remembrance center for their heroism in rescuing jews during world war ii. Chiune sugihara, the japanese schindler sempo sugihara. Interactive timeline of sugihara s life born january 1, 1900, in rural japan, chiune sugihara lived during a period of extraordinary change in his home. About the author and illustrator ken mochizuki brings his background as a newspaper journalist with an interest in. See 5 photos from 9 visitors to chiune sempo sugihara statue. On august 2, 1940, as on every other morning for weeks before.
Chiune sempo sugihara january 1, 19001986 was the first japanese diplomat posted to lithuania. There was no way chiune could know that he would one day save the lives of thousands of jews and become a great hero to the jewish people. Chiune sugihara, the japanese consul who saved thousands of jews. Conspiracy of kindness, with an interactive timeline examining sugiharas travels and key historical events that influenced his life. Nearly 30 years after his death, chiune sugihara has become a symbol of doing the right thing. Sugihara unflinchingly sat for endless hours signing visas with their own hands. Sugiharas deeds took place not in asia but on the other side of the world, in kaunas kovno, lithuania. His thoughts and actions make us proud to be japanese and urge us to become individuals that will continue serving others in the midst of difficulties. Lees unique illustration style involves applying encaustic beeswax on paper, then scratching out. The original surname of his parents was iwais, a very common one in those places.
Honored in israel and japan, yet still largely unknown in the west, japanese diplomat and spy chiune sugihara, with this book, joins the ranks of raoul. Chiune sugihara, a japanese diplomat serving as consul in kaunas, lithuania during world war ii, he helped rescue some 6,000 desperate jewish refugees fleeing annihilation by the nazis by defying his own government and issuing transit visas throu. Chiune sugihara risked his life to help thousands of jews flee europe by issuing transit visas. He grew up in seoul, south korea, and went on to illustrate books in both the united states and korea. During the second world war, sugihara helped about 6,000 jews flee europe by issuing transit visas to them so that they could travel through japanese. The hall was created using traditional refined construction methods using cypress grown in sugihara s hometown of gifu. Japanese diplomats act of mercy is enduring legacy for. Judith elbaum schumer explains how her family got out of lithuania during wwii with the help of the japanese diplomat chiune sugihara, who saved thousands of. This book is an invaluable historic record of the heroic and humanitarian actions of japanese consul chiune sugihara, a name highly regarded in jewish society worldwide. When chiune sugihara was growing up in japan, he had never even met a jewish person. Countless thousands could have been saved if other consuls had acted more like sugihara. Chiune sugihara, sugihara chiune, 1 january 1900 31 july 1986 was a japanese diplomat who served as viceconsul for the japanese empire in kaunas, lithuania. Chiune sempo sugihara statue little tokyo 9 visitors. A museum based on the life of chiune sugihara 19001986, a japanese diplomat who issued.
Sempo sugihara english bibliographies cite this for me. He was born to a middleclass family in japans gifu prefecture on the main japanese island of honshu. The legend says that when sempos father, mitsugoro iwais finished his military service in manchuria and siberia in 1895, he came down with tuberculosis. Museum devoted to visas for life diplomat chiune sugihara to open in tokyo. Chiune sempo sugihara, a japanese diplomat stationed in the lithuanian prewar capital of kaunas kovno in the summer of 1940. Kaunas was the temporary capital of lithuania at the time and was strategically situated between germany and the soviet union. Escaping lithuania with the help of chiune sugihara youtube. Chiune sugihara was a japanese diplomat who served as viceconsul for the japanese. My hero, chiune sugihara there are times when we should speak not only of our enemies who wish to destroy us, but also of those who risked their lives and careers to save our people.
Sempo sugihara, the japanese schindler, was aired on yomiuri television. Sempo chiune sempo sugihara was born in 1900 in gifu prefecture, japan. If there had been 2,000 consuls like chiune sugihara, a million jewish children could have been saved from the ovens of auschwitz. An evacuation of jews, with help from japan the new york times. It accentuates the cultural differences between faraway lithuania and yaotsu town where he was born. With the help of modern technology, we present unique moments of chiune sugiharas life, stories of those who were rescued by him. Amid preparations for the end of a semester at northwestern university where arielle salomon is pursuing a masters degree in business administration the 28yearold is taking time out of. Feb 04, 2016 new film about chiune sugihara, the japanese schindler, makes u. Jan 01, 2010 chiune sugihara, also known as sempo sugihara, was born in yaotsu in the gifu prefecture of japans main island of honshu, on january 1, 1900, to a middleclass samurai family.
Subscribe to our channel so you never miss a video. Sharp darts radio amazing discoveries africa rediscover america audio podcast sports show 1204 pc. Companion web site to the pbs documentary sugihara. Interactive timeline of sugiharas life born january 1, 1900, in rural japan, chiune sugihara lived during a period of extraordinary change in his home.
840 966 568 894 1158 96 1422 801 856 493 1190 1303 1354 537 179 41 722 666 1156 52 1204 146 869 1483 74 37 902 151 248 709 663