Manuel Luis Quezon -The Filipino Oscar Schindler
This is the “Open Doors” monument that is going to be unveiled in June 21 at the Rishon Lezion Holocaust Park in central Israel in recognition of the role of the Filipinos in helping the Jews in their darkest moments during the Holocaust.
When I was in the “meet the relatives” after my marriage to a German-Swiss-Jewish American, I was introduced to the hubby’s step-uncle who he said was in the Philippines
in the 1940’s. Since I was in that “smile-ear-to-ear” when you’re introduced and welcomed in the family, I did not bother to ask why he was in our country.
My ex-hubby’s family is Jewish. They’re from Germany who were some lucky ones who were able to migrate to seek refuge in the United States. ‘
Little did I realize that the step-uncle must have been among the Jews who were saved by our local Oscar Schindler.
If you have seen Schindler’s List, you should know who Oscar Schindler was.
If you are a Filipino, shame on you if you do not know the grandfather of the popular blogger, Manuel Quezon III—the President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, Manuel Luis Quezon.
Oscar Schindler was credited for having saved more than 1,200 Jews during the Holocaust. The depiction of the annihilation of the Jews in the movie left me drained and shocked. I could not imagine that there were such evil people capable of torturing and killing their fellowmen.
By hiring Jews in his factories and or bribing some corrupt Gestapos, Oscar Schindler was able to save a few of the millions who were gassed or were killed during raids in the ghettos
Manuel Luis Quezon on the other hand adopted an open door policy to welcome Jews fleeing persecution in Nazi Germany.
The Philippines was ready to accept 10,000 Jews a year, but only 1,200 made it to Manila.
Only a few know about this story until a holocaust survivor Frank Ephraim wrote a book “Escape To Manila” which detailed the author’s and other 35 Jewish refugees’ journey to the Philippines.
According to the Israel embassy:
The “Open Doors” monument, which is the first Philippine monument to rise in Israel, commemorates the courage, hospitality and the determination of the Philippine Government through President Manuel L. Quezon to give humanitarian support for the European Jews seeking refuge from the Holocaust in the 1930s.
The Ca t
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The Cat is a part-time educator who was also a former Dean. She is a CPA with a PhD in Economic Development and Doctorate in Business Admin., enjoying her early retirement because of her disability; of being brain challenged, hehehe! that's according to her.
Wow, this is really interesting! Ngayon ko lang nalaman ito. Maraming salamat for the historical information, Cat. I’ll try to get hold of the book.
lalaine, it was also only recently that i came to know about the open door policy of the phils. under President Manuel Quezon.
I heard this story from mlq3 himself when he was guest speaker on “God Save Israel” Conference in Araneta. MLQ3, being a graduate of the Brent School of the Episcopal Church in the Philippines, is trying to imbibe the ecumenical spirit of the late President so now and then, he is seen on ecumenical gatherings…
a very small country and yet so powerful.
it is indeed blessed.
NOw ko lang din nalaman kung ano ibig sabihin ng “Schindler’s List”. LOL. I thought it connotes something negative..
oh it is a beautiful but depressing movie and yet i watched it several times.
Nung first time ko pinanood SL, di ko maintindihan. Binatukan pa ako ng nanay ko. Pero pinanood ko ulit na ako lang mag isa, dun ko pa lang na appreciate.
It’s good to know we had a role to play in the holocaust period. Hahanapin ko na ngayon sa Amazon iyang librong yan
very interesting di ba mahalia. as a small country and a catholic at that, we did not close our door to the jews.
Wow!I didn’t know about that open door policy by our former President M.L.Quezon. Thanks for the listings, Ms. Cat.
you’re welcome jim.
wow napaka informative naman nyan mam cat, nasan ako ng itinuro yan sa iskwela?sure ako wala nyan sa hay skul kasi hanggang hay skul lang inabot ko e hahahahaha nice to know mam cat atleast may nadagdag nanamang mahalagang kaalaman.
hindi yan itinuro kasi it is about jews. Di ba Catholic country tayo at hindi welcome ang mga Jews.
at marami ding nagpapalabas na gawa gawa lang ng mga jews ang holocaust at myth lang para lang daw kumuha ng simpatia at kaperahan ang mga jews, tingnan mo nga naman mga yan oo
kahit na nga ayan na naka bihadhad na ang ibidensya na talagang my holocaust, o yan bang sa darpur?bandang huli palalabasin ding myth?
Iniiwas nila ang issue sa Darfur kasi parang ang treatment nila sa lugar na yun pati na din sa mga tao dun e forsaken.
I was in Amsterdam with Junsy and Nelson and we lined up in the winter trying to get inside Anne Frank’s House. If you don’t know her, just google the name.
It was an ordinary house, just like any other. Except for the bookcase, the hidden door, where Anne Frank hid.
While the tour guide was explaining things, my friend Junsy kalabit me… the whole place was just eerie and if anyone knew nothing about the holocaust, they could go visit Anne Frank’s House in Amsterdam and you’d learn it in an hour. Tears in my eyes, wa biro. It was moving.
Then I saw the Schindler’s List. Rivers ‘day! Rivers!
ayay kamahalan maraming luha ang inubos ni anne frank sa mga mata ko, sinubaybayan ko yung istorya ng buhay nya pati yung tatay nyang si otto na iyak palagi pag napapagusapan yung anak nya, nice to know na nasilip mo pala yung tinuluyan nilang attic house
One more movie about Holocaust is the Italian comedy “Life Is Beautiful”. The father tried to protect his son from the horror in the concentration camp. It was the last minute of the movie where you will shed a tear. the father got killed a few minutes before the liberators came. the son was safe …he hid him inside a box.
we learn history thru movies and books especially when our history is being rewritten by some countries which would like to hide the atrocities of war.
yay, napanood ko din yan mam cat
doon ko nagustuhan si liam neeson at kinainisan si ralph fiennes yong gumanap na sira ulong german nazis na si amon goth na pag sinusumpong, namamaril ng mga jews mula sa kaniyang balkonahe.
kahit anung sabihin mo mam cat, winking love ko pa rin si ralph ralph wink wink ang garutay
hahahaha! i started loving liam neeson since schindler’s list. hanapin ko yang book manay cat (escape to manila) at ang movie na life is beautiful.
yes yes yes, maraming nangyari sa history na hindi itinuturo sa school. malamang sa germany toned-down ang pagtalakay nila kay hitler at sa holocaust.
Actually, I loved both liam neeson and ralph fiennes. Effective na kontrabida sa ralph fiennes. haha..
Di ko pa napanuod ang Schindler’s List sa totoo lang kasi grade 5 lang ako nung nilabas yun. Pero take note ko nga ang mga movies na sinasabi nyo dito para pag dumaan ako sa DVD store e bibili ako. Yipee!
I loved war movies talaga kasi yung tatay ko e pinalaki ako sa kakapanuod ng war movies at sci-fi films. Heheh.
Which only goes to show ang galing umarte ni Ralph Fiennes. Kasuklam suklam character nya sa movie na yun and he made it very believable. But of course favorite ko rin si Liam.
Was it Ralph Fiennes sa Red Dragon? Sequel ito dun sa Hannibal Lecter movies. Okay din sya dun at sa English Patient.
Kainis wala na akong alam na magagandang pelikula lately. Intay ko na lang sila sa cable television. Iyong kaisa isang sinehan dito sa amin na double-feature, yun puede magsigarilyo sa loob, yun tipong nagpapalabas ng 10 commandments pag Lent? Several years ago, pinatay ng Betamax at VHS tapes. Pero at least may internet naman ngayon at dvd players. Pero I miss the big screen ng sinehan.
Jan,
Si Ralph Fiennes nga yung sa Red Dragon. Ang ganda din ng pelikula na yun. And also, he is the one portraying Lord Voldemort sa Harry Potter films.
Kung pagdating sa pagalingan ng arte at pagganap ng dark roles, kay Ralph Fiennes ako, SOLID. Haha.
Meron din naman siyang roles na ginanapan na medyo light. Example dun e yung film nya with Jennifer Lopez na “Maid in Manhattan”
in washington DC, there is the USHMM, a living memorial to the Holocaust,it stimulates leaders and citizens to confront hatred, prevent genocide, promote human dignity, and strengthen democracy.
i am not sure whether it was the former president eisnehower who was then the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe to take pictures and movies because he expected that time will come when those events would written off in history as if it never happened.
isa na naman itong fact in history na dapat maging proud tayo.
wish ko lang ay sana ang ugaling ito ni pres. quezon ay gayahin ng kasalukuyang pangulo.
nakakalungkot lang talaga na malabo talaga na magkaron tayo ng matutuwid na pinuno, kasi pag matapat at matuwid ang namumuno dinededo kagad kasi nga di pwede loko nung mga ganid e
lee,
totoo yan. pag hindi nila kabagang, patay kang bata ka.
kaya nga mam cat magtataka ka ba kung bakit kahit na si gloria ang pinaka corrupt e nagtatagal sya? bakit kamo? dahil lahat sila nakikinabang kasi give and take sila kaya sila magkakasundo
Thanks Ms. Cat for this very informative post. You know what, I really admire President Manuel L. Quezon for his undying love for our country. Sad to say, extinct na ang ganitong mga klase ng pinuno ngayon.
Oh well, if only there are at least a handful like him in the Senate and the Congress siguro gaganda ang ekonomiya natin…tsk..tsk…
“if only there are at least a handful like him in the Senate and the Congress siguro gaganda ang ekonomiya natin…tsk..tsk…”
ms.Snow marunong karin palang magpatawa, lakas ng sense of humor mo muntik nako mahulog sa upuan hahahahahahahahaha
Naku Lee, talagang isang malaking kahibangan na nga talaga ang naiisip ko dahil wala na talaga. Hay, ano ba kasi nangyayari sa kanila dun…Moro-moro lang. *roll eyes*
Off topic: Huy kumusta na? I hope you are ok. Me? sira laptop…huhuhu..heto on and off pa rin sa internet.
sabi nga nila wala ng statesmen sa senate at sa congress. ngayon mga aswang na. kita mo ba yong malalaking bawang na dala ni Roxas?
ganun ba?i know what you feel kasi ako di makapasok sa maraming site then to my own site waaaaaaaa
oo nga lee, naiiyak tuloy ako. kahapon nga nagrent ako sa computer rentals makapunta lang sa ating Barrio Siete at makapost lang ng kahit isang article.
ako naman wala sa harap ng pc pag weekend kasi gala galore ako my ibang bisyo ang lola nyo pag weekend nagpapakadalubhasa sa F1 car racing kaso F2 naman yung sakin kasi indoor carting hahaha at sa gabi bawal muna sakin ang pc habang nagpapagaling ako ng aking insomnia stay away muna ko sa harap ng pc pag ok na ulit balik bisyo hahaha
lee,
parang naririnig kita, huwag mo akong tuksuhin, PC. sabay irap sa computer pero memya, lalapit din.
naku buti di nag iinit ulo mo sa cyber cafe ang iingay ng mga studyante sarap pagbabatukan lol
snow,
sana nga meron pang natitira sa Senate at sa congress. pero kung meron man siguro, bilang lang sa daliri. pag walang pera, hindi rin naiboboto.
ayoko dati panoorin yang schindler’s list kase black and white eh lol
pero nun napanood ko sa ch2, winner! ang ganda.
thanks for the info ms.cat, now ko lang din nabalitaan yan
oo nga malensky, dyan ko naging crush si liam neeson. btw, biyudo na siya gurl…asawa kasi yan ni natasha richardson…hmmmm, may bf ka na ba? puede na siya. ^_^
malen,
yon bang tipong hindi ka kukurap lalo nang hinahanap nila ang mga jews na nagtatago sa piano, sa ilalim ng beds, sa kisame.
ang akala noon ang mga jews ay yon lang taga israel (batok sarili) pero kababayan din nila, iba nga lang ang relihiyon.
maraming mayayaman dahil sila ay shrewd businessmen who were able to buy their freedom.
pero ito ngang mayayaman ang pinaginteresan.
alam mo bang sabi ng aking PIL, bago pinayagan yong mga nakaalis, pinasurrender pa ang kanilang mga ginto.
yong iba raw nilulon nila yong mga alahas.
hahaha alam na alam mo mam cat na adik di rin makakatiis hahaha
talaga, merong ganung policy pala dati si MLQ? di ko lam un ah…ang alam ko lg kasi ang pagiging hot-tempered nya
elmot,
kilala rin siy doon sa sinabi niyang My loyalty to my party ends where my loyalty to my country begins na dapat siyang sinusunod ng mga pulitiko natin ngayon.
ito ang pinamost criticized niyang quotation:
“I would rather have a country run like hell by Filipinos than a country run like heaven by the Americans, because however bad a Filipino government might be, it can always be improved.”
Kasi we missed daw ang mgaging State ng United States.
Many did not know that US did not intend to make the Phils a state. maraming awayan noon sa mga US at debate sa mga universities na isa ay dahil ayaw nilang malahian ang kanilang lahi ng Asyano.(asyano dahil hindi lang Pilipino).
Ang mg ignoranteng Puti noon na nakikita lang yong mga retratong pinadadala na mga aborigines natin ang akala nila ay lahat nga ng pilipino ay nakatira sa puno kagaya ng tsonggo at mga barbarians na walang damit at hindi marunong magsapatos.
may time noon na bawal ang intermarriages at ang mga asians noon ay bawal magpetition ng kanilang kamag-anak.
having been to the US as representative of the country before he became a president, he witnessed the discrimination being heaped on asians kung saan hindi pwedeng pumasok sa restaurant at sumakay sa harapan ng bus kagaya ng mga itim.
Totoo yan Ms. Cat.
Yung famous writer na si Mark Twain, against siya sa pagsakop ng US sa pinas kasi nakikita nya ang pinaggagawa ng kano sa pinas dati.
Add ko pala na si Mark Twain ang isa sa mga nagtatanggol nun sa mga Filipinos during the intense debates dyan sa US about Philippine colonialization.
If I am not mistaken, anti-imperialism si Mark Twain.
eh kaya naman pala puro impakto at buwaya ang mga andyan! hmpt! grrr!
This is an awesome piece, Ms. Cat!
I’m a sympathizer of Jews.
Mula noong nasa Middle East ako, very sympathetic ako sa mga Jews, though dito na lang sa Amerika ako nakakakita ng mga Hudyo. My dad is not a Jew but he went in a high school ran by Jews, ages ago.
Kasi ang mga Arabo in general anti-Jews, due to the Palestinian conflict (which was really something else)… May kasabihan pa nga silang: You can eat with the Jews but never sleep along with Jews kasi traydor daw! They meant something in general that don’t get caught unguarded by the Jews kasi they’ll snag precious things from you daw…
Lumalabas talaga pagka-racist ko pag may naririnig akong hindi maganda patungkol sa Jews noong nasa Dubai ako! They generalize Jews to the extreme… Judaism and Israel are different.
It was a very unfair statement to a fellow human…
that’s right. the first is the religion and the second is the coutry. my ex-hub’s family is jewish but they are not from israel.
they did visit israel in pilgrimage.
Nice post, Mam Cat. Schindler’s list is one of my favorite movies along with Life is Beautiful (kac romantic in Nazi times and was magnificently portrayed). Lately, I watched Valkyrie, and it was also moving. Some Nazi generals and colonel risked their lives and reputation in trying to defeat Hitler (some might have other hidden agenda as well).
First time ko rin nalaman un open door policy ng Philippines. My dad hasn’t informed me about this. He is my constant historyteller. =) Will inform him, incase he didn’t know.
hindi rin naikwento sa akin ng family ko, siguro maramimg walang alam noon dahil tinago nila for fear of the jews being persecuted.
ang lola ko galit sa mga hudyo for religious reason.
May synagogue pa ba sa Philippines?
ang alam ka nadestroy noong world war 2.
wow didnt know that story as well, thanks for shairng ms cat… btw loved schindler’s list and a beautiful life and watched those movies million times na yata and naiiyak pa rin ako everytime na napapanood ko
pusa (kapatid ba kita? )hehehe just kidding
i watched SL in the cinema, then in the vhs, then in the dvd. hindi pa rin naubos yong aking luha.
i was hoping that the girl in red dress will be spared.
hindi ko rin alam ang relationship ng pinas sa holocaust. thanks for the info manay cat!. grabe tayuan balahibo ko habang binabasa ko. the same reaction every time i watch Schindler’s List. grabe talaga. buti naman at meron pala tayong contribution nung panahon ni Quezon. kudos to him!
same here Glo, and actually as i have been writing, never a fan of museum while in the barrio, busy sa pag-a-araro
only when i came to the US when I started venturing out in these museums – at very engaging and informative pala
i did saw and i love that movie “Life is beautiful”
glo,
marahil talagang hindi inilagay sa history dahil nga tayo as Christian nation predominantly Catholic. katulad din siguro nang unit-unting pag-alis ng Roma sa mga pope na hindi kanais-nais ang ginawa noong sila ay naghahari sa Vatican.
Please go check these other films about Jewish atrocities that I had watched over the recent years:
The Pianist by Roman Polanski, (Poland) starring Adrien Brody.
The Black Book by Paul Verhoeven, (Netherlands)starring Carice Van Houten.
thanks jim.
yang pianist ganda din nyang movie na yan
@cat,
true! true!
you have Japan who edited their books!
you have China who would not publish the true Tianamen Square story
you have most of the Middle East countries where Israel is not showing in their maps
you have Reyna’s pictures na wala sa pitaka nang mga boylets.
eeeek! sorry. mali. ignore na lang yong last sentence hehehe
Reyna,
Baka di mo nabigyan ng pridyidir yung boylets mo.
pag walang pinadalang panlaman ng wallet. hahahaha
In my own opinion, meron lang misunderstanding and some sort of wrong generalization about the jews. Akala ng mga ibang tao e masama silang lahat.
Maraming contributions ang jews kahit papaano.
actually pare peborit ko yun nung araw yung mountain jews diba?lasang lemon
jewsko naman lee pag bumanat ka talaga. maloloka ako. hahaha
actually marami akong jokes about jews. sila sila rin naman nagbibiruan.
Lee,
Lol. Masarap ang mountain jews. Hahah.
Baka gusto mo ng orange jews?
silver,
ang alam ko lang sa jews, they are shrewd businessmen. Then they help each other parang mga intsik.
tapos matipid. pero hindi naman lahat ganoon kasi yong aking FIL galante pero yong anak niya, matipid.
mam cat dyan satin yung mga chinese business people nagtutulungan pero dito parang hindi, yun satin kasi that time tlagang kelangan nila isat isa magtulungan para sila makaangat
diyan kasi competition nila sarili nila.
dito ang kumpetensiya nila ibang lahi.
pero lately kumpetensiyahan na rin yong mga tai-pans.
Isa pa: Remember the film that cesar montano made in hollywood, yung The Great Raid.
It tells a story about a military rescue operation dati sa Cabanatuan noong World War 2.
hindi war movie and SL, silver. it is centered on the killing of the jews by the nazis.
Ay ganun ba? Hehe. Thanks for that correction Ms. Cat.
Tingnan ko nga sa DVD stores ang movie na itetch at panuorin ko nga.
Meron pa daw magandang palabas din about the Holocaust. Paborito ng tatay ko ito: Escape from Sobibor.
from cnn:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/06/05/obama.germany/index.html#cnnSTCText
President Barack Obama made an emotional visit to the former Nazi concentration camp at Buchenwald, Germany, Friday,
Another thing, nung college e may nabasa akong kopya ng letter / memo ni Heinrich Himmler (alipores ni Hitler dati). Dun sa letter na yun, idenetalye yung mga ginagawa nila sa Jews dati: hinuhubaran, forced labor,summary execution, torture, gas chamber, sinusunog ng buhay etc. Kinuwento nya na araw-araw, laging may mga carts na punong puno ng bangkay ang umiikot sa concentration camps – pinipickup yung mga patay na Jews sa mga selda tapos itatambak nila sa isang open pit.
A few days later, sinusunog nila ang mga bangkay. Naging familiar na daw sa mga tao nun ang amoy ng patay na tao. As in they can smell death and decay everywhere.
Amazing na yung librong nabasahan ko nun e isinama ang litraks ng mga Jews dati sa concentration camps. Nakakapanghilakbot kasi mas hayop pa sa hayop ang nagisip ng ganito -si hitler. What I find ironic e may jewish blood si Hitler. Sa pagkakaalam ko e sa mother’s side nya.
Pero eto ang katotohanan: marami pa ring ethnic atrocities na nangyayare. Example na yung sa Rwanda, Bosnia at Darfur na parang nakalimutan na ng mundo.
ganyan yung sa SL. ang more. ang di ko makalimutan yung pinahubad lahat ng mga babae. pinapila sila para piliin ang fit pa magtrabaho.yung hindi na, syempre papatayin.
so ginawa ng mga babae eh pinadugo nila daliri nila at ipinahid ang dugo sa kanilang mga pisngi (like blusch on) para nga naman mukhang healthy sila. mga ganyang measures just to stay alive…
isa pa yung mga bata na nagtago sa deposit ng mga tae! wag lang mahuli…
oh yeah i remember them, nakakasuka di va?
yep, magaling si ralph kahit sa red dragon.
ang inis ko sa kaniya ay yong parang siya yong masama na pinoportray niya. ganoon siya kaeefective. Pero hindi ako kagaya nong tumirang matanda sa amin na dahil kontrabida yong isang artistang babaeng nakita niya sa Rustan, dinudoro-duro niya at piangsabihang huwag appihin yong paborito niyang artista kung hindi sasabinutan niya. hahaha
pero may nabasa akong negative na news about ralph which made me think if his character is for real and for reel only.
ang diko makalimutang palabas na napanood ko e yung escape from sovibor ba yun?tama ba spelling hahaha nakapila yung mga tao para sunugin
ganoon din sa sl di ba. million yong pinatay nila sa gas chambers. buti hindi sila nagkasakit sa hangin noon na amoy nasusunog na laman ng tao.
“Was it Ralph Fiennes sa Red Dragon? Sequel ito dun sa Hannibal Lecter movies. Okay din sya dun at sa English Patient”
di ako masyadong nagandahan sa red dragon lalo na sa huli,yung dun sa blind na lady parang ang astig astig nya tapos bigla lambot sya,di gaya ni lecter kahit na tigasing killer at my soft side maganda parin yung dating,oo sya yung sa english patient sya din yung sa Constant Gardener
lee, that’s looooooooooooooooooove.
@mam cat, yun na nga e ang violent violent tapos bigla lambot dahil sa love yoko ng ganunnnnnnn waaaa gusto ko ako lang love ni Ralph hihihihihi
lee,
saiyo na si ralph, meron naman akong peborit, vampire siya. o di va. blood lang ang kaniyang sinisipsip. classy.
UPDATE:
Monument in Israel honors Filipinos
For saving 1,200 Jews from Holocaust
By Volt Contreras
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 03:37:00 06/28/2009
Filed Under: War, history
MANILA, Philippines—Before Schindler’s List, there was another document—the Philippine visa—that saved hundreds of Jews from the gas chambers and mass graves of the Holocaust.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20090628-212784/Monument-in-Israel-honors-Filipinos/
BUwahahaha… buwan ng wika ngeon.. Tga Baler Aurora si Quezon.. its nice to be his kababayan…
Happy 400 years Baler
[...] The Filipino Oscar Schindler [...]
ngayon ko lang nalaman ang info na ito(1200 jews), thanks.
I admire manuel l. quezon during those dark days of the nazi persecution of God’s ancient people the jews. Quezon made the philippines to shine when all the other countries including the mighty US refused to give refuge to these suffering people at that time. I feel so proud to be a filipino.
… thanks to him, the Philippine passport allows you entry to Israel without a visa
i had a classmate in elementary and highschool who was born in the philippines but with jew parents. but her father and uncle went back to israel during our 3rd or 4th year high school to find a greener pasture.