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1/ In honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, allow me to tell you all the story of Carl Lutz, the man (and former St. Louisan!) who orchestrated the largest civilian rescue mission of the entire Holocaust. #HMD2021 
2/ Carl Lutz was born in 1895 in Switzerland. At the age of 18, and without knowing a word of English, he emigrated to the United States.
Soon, he enrolled at Central Wesleyan College in Warrenton, Missouri, hoping to go into ministry or missionary work. (Photo via USHMM)
Soon, he enrolled at Central Wesleyan College in Warrenton, Missouri, hoping to go into ministry or missionary work. (Photo via USHMM)
3/ In 1920, Lutz found a job with the Swiss Legation in DC and transferred to GW, where he finished his studies. From 1924-1935, Lutz worked several diplomatic posts in the US, one of which was in St. Louis. I took this photo of the block where he used to work.
4/ Lutz begged Swiss authorities to recall him to Switzerland, or at least Europe for years, but as we'll see, the Lord had different plans for Lutz. Finally, in 1936, he was appointed to a post in Palestine (then under British mandate).
5/ While Lutz was stationed in Palestine, he and his wife saw four Jewish men lynched from the roof of their apartment. Soon, Lutz wrote a letter to his brother stating: "As I swore to the victims, as they suffered hits and stabs, that one day I would speak up for them..."
6/ That opportunity would come soon enough. In 1939, Germany asked Switzerland to represent their interests in Palestine (Remember, Palestine is under British control at this point). Lutz receives the order.
7/ Lutz worked hard in his role in Palestine, even garnering praise from the Fuhrer's office. He is also introduced to British emigration certificates issued that would allow their holders exile in Palestine (There were German Jews in Palestine at the time who needed these docs)
8/ In 1942, Lutz is transferred to Budapest. Hungary was still allied with Germany at the time and Nazi forces had not yet occupied. That changed in March 1944 when Germany occupied Hungary and in May started deporting Jews to death camps, primarily Auschwitz.
9/ Along with others (including US officials), Lutz was able to convince Hungarian authorities to halt the deportations in July. By then, 438,000 Jews had been sent to Auschwitz. About 90% were murdered upon arrival.
10/ Remember those certificates? Lutz had an idea. He negotiated directly w/ Adolf Eichmann to procure 8,000 protection papers that would prevent their holders from being deported. The request was approved by the Fuhrer's office partially because of Lutz's hard work in Palestine
