Muslim Family Who Hid 26 Jews in Albania from the Nazis Honored by ADL

New York, NY, January 18, 2007… A Muslim family who saved 26 Jews from the Nazis and led them to safety in the mountains of Central Albania was honored by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) with its Courage to Care Award.

The award was presented posthumously to Mefail and Njazi Biçaku on International Rescuer's Day, January 17, in New York City. Accepting the award on their behalf were family members Muhamet Biçaku, Elida Hazbiu and Qemal Biçaku, two of whom came from Albania.

Michael Salberg, ADL Director of International Affairs, who presented the award said; "Mefail, his son Njazi and their entire family had the courage to care. Through their compassion and valor without regard for religious or ethnic differences they upheld the honor of the human race and the conscience of the world. In the moral void that engulfed the world in those nightmare days when the cruelty of the Nazis ran rampant, the Biçaku family was among those few shining stars."

---snip---

In February 1944, when the Nazis descended upon the mountain hiding place, not a single Jew fell into their hands. During the Holocaust, Albania was the only country in Europe that protected and sheltered its entire Jewish population, both native and foreign. Through the valiant efforts of Muslims and Christians, all of Albania's Jews survived the Holocaust.

more...

(emphasis added)

One bit of context: at the time of the Holocaust, Albania was home to only 200 Jews.

Thank you for the context. However, I will say, it doesn't or, rather, shouldn't matter that only 200 Jews were in Albania at the time. Because of the bravery of these people, those 200 Jews are not listed among the 6 million who died and do not have to have their memories defamed, denied, or minimized by Holocaust deniers (or their "defenders") and they (or their descendants) live among us!

Just as how Denmark saved all of its Jews. Both the Albanians and the Danish could have easily capitulated and turned in their neighbors, friends, and even strangers. They would have gotten a reward, and probably special favors. Bit, instead, they risked prison and very probable death to save -people both known and unknown to them.

My best friend as a child had a grandmother who lived with them who survived Auschwitz-Birkenau. Her whole family was murdered. And, I mean WHOLE family -- hundreds of poeple... she alone survived. Her cousins had been in hiding, but were betrayed by people they had been friends with for years.

Scary how often I use the term 'moral void' to describe our world today.

because the people of Albania were able to see them as fellow human beings. May we all be able to raise above the distinctions and differences which divide.

Thanks for posting!!!!

Made my morning.

Even if it was only 200 Jews saved, that was probably more than the entire Jewish population of Poland at the end of the war (where my family was from and why I only have 1 living relative outside of the US)...

What amazing courage.

The ADL proves its value once again in bringing this to light and honoring these people.

Both countries are shining examples of what happens when people put aside artificial differences and see each other as humans.

Good for the Biçaku family!

Not all Danish Jews survived. However, because of the Danish government and her people, of the 8000 Danish Jews, only* 100 lost their lives. It is THE smallest number of deaths of Jews by ANY nation then occupied by Nazi Germany!

*I hate to use the word "only" when talking about humans dying, but without that word, the sentence didn't make sense.

n/t

I'm glad these descendants were able to accept the award on their behalf. Stories like this also strike a serious blow to the arguments of other Eastern European countries (who shall remain nameless) who claim that it was impossible to intervene against the Nazis murderous policies, or even that collaboration was the only way to survive. I hope the countries which collaborated in the Holocaust will reevaluate their position, but I doubt they will. Albania and Denmark, however small their ability to contribute in terms of saving lives may have been, shine as examples of how our common humanity can endure even through the darkest times. I only wish that more people had heeded that example at the time, and even today.

:cry:

^Very sweet and sad story.

Thanks for sharing!