50 Children
One Ordinary American Couple's Extraordinary Rescue Mission Into the Heart of Nazi Germany
HarperCollins · Print & ebook · April 22, 2014
Based on the acclaimed HBO documentary, the astonishing true story of how one American couple transported fifty Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Austria to America in 1939—the single largest group of unaccompanied refugee children allowed into the United States—for readers of In the Garden of Beasts and A Train in Winter.
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- Who it’s for
- A documented rescue story pairs intimate testimony with the hard realities of 1939.
- Themes
- Refugee rescue, Personal courage, Anti-Semitism
- Genres
- Holocaust History, Jewish Lives, World War II History
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Based on the acclaimed HBO documentary, the astonishing true story of how one American couple transported fifty Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Austria to America in 1939—the single largest group of unaccompanied refugee children allowed into the United States—for readers of In the Garden of Beasts and A Train in Winter. In early 1939, America's rigid immigration laws made it virtually impossible for European Jews to seek safe haven in the United States.
Continue reading
As deep-seated anti-Semitism and isolationism gripped much of the country, neither President Roosevelt nor Congress rallied to their aid. Yet one brave Jewish couple from Philadelphia refused to silently stand by. Risking their own safety, Gilbert Kraus, a successful lawyer, and his stylish wife, Eleanor, traveled to Nazi-controlled Vienna and Berlin to save fifty Jewish children. Steven Pressman brought the Kraus's rescue mission to life in his acclaimed HBO documentary, 50 Children. In this book, he expands upon the story related in the hour-long film, offering additional historical detail and context to offer a rich, full portrait of this ordinary couple and their extraordinary actions. Drawing from Eleanor Kraus's unpublished memoir, rare historical documents, and interviews with more than a dozen of the surviving children, and illustrated with period photographs, archival materials, and memorabilia, 50 Children is a remarkable tale of personal courage and triumphant heroism that offers a fresh, unique insight into a critical period of history.
Courage in Context
A documented rescue story pairs intimate testimony with the hard realities of 1939.
Come here for
- A focused account of one couple’s effort to save fifty children
- Historical context grounded in memoirs, documents, and interviews
Expect
- A sustained narrative centered on personal courage
- Archival materials and period photographs alongside the story
Where it sits
| Holocaust History | 64% |
|---|---|
| Jewish Lives | 53% |
| World War II History | 45% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Jewish History
- World War II History
- 20th-Century History
- Holocaust History
- Authors
- Steven Pressman
- Publisher
- HarperCollins
- Published
- April 22, 2014
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Theme
- Refugee rescue · Personal courage · Anti-Semitism
- Reading lane
- Jewish History