“The H.K.P. Jewish Labor Camp 1943–1944” by I. Guzenberg, 2002 Memorial Plaque honoring <strong>Karl</strong> <strong>Plagge</strong>, Yad Vashem Civil Courage in times of the Holocaust “This is a story about victims, offenders, and one of very few who opposed the inhumane cruelty of the Holocaust bravely. The essence of the story has remained undetected for decades. What started as the initiative of some survivors in 2001, to rescue the story bit by bit from oblivion, resulted in the formation of a group of people working together beyond the bounds of states and continents. They wanted to reconstruct the story for posterity as a warning and a reminder, but also as a sign of hope for the strength of humanity in the future. For those involved it has been very emotional and fascinating but before long it also caused a public stir internationally. The story teaches about the dangers we face when society neglects – in small or large part – the norms and values of humanitarian and mutually supportive behavior and submits to a system of terror, hate and violence. Two places, Vilna and Darmstadt, a thousand miles apart, with no direct historical or cultural ties, constitute the story’s coordinates. Not even the graves remain of those for whom Vilna used to be home; home, too, for a few survivors who with great hardship had to start a new life somewhere in the world. Vilna was at one and the same time the place for offenders, helpers and rescuers. The story revolves around a man from Darmstadt who tried to remain true to the principles of humanity in inhuman times. He was able to admit his mistakes and to regret his failures as well as exploit his scope for action in a clever, capable, and discreet way. His name is <strong>Karl</strong> <strong>Plagge</strong>. His biography is associated with incredible crime long concealed but brought to light again in our day and age. This should be handed down to coming generations to ensure that something like this will never ever happen again.” 5 “Who exactly was <strong>Plagge</strong>? Why did he try to protect his Jewish workers …?” (Michael Good) 6 Footnotes: 1) Michael Good, p. 89 2) Josif Reches, in: Viefhaus, p. 46 3) Michael Good, p. 87 4) Michael Good, p. 104 5) Marianne Viefhaus, manuscript 2003 6) Michael Good, p. 88 Display Board 1: The Search For <strong>Karl</strong> <strong>Plagge</strong> Picture Credits for Display Board 1 ‘The Search For <strong>Karl</strong> <strong>Plagge</strong>’ Fig. 1: Pearl Good, Darmstadt 2005, private collection Fig. 2: Pearl, William, and Michael Good, 2005, private collection Fig. 3: Michael Good, 2005, private collection Fig. 4: William Begell, private collection Fig. 5: Simon Malkes, private collection Fig. 6: Salomon Klaczko, private collection Fig. 7: Joerg Fiebelkorn, private collection Fig. 8: Marianne Viefhaus, 2003, private collection Fig. 9: Irina Guzenberg: The H.K.P. Jewish Labor Camp 1943–1944, cover page Fig. 10: Irina Guzenberg, Vilnius 2005, private collection Fig. 11: Eliezer Greisdorf, private collection Fig. 12: Margot Zmarzlik (Support Fund for Surviving Baltic Jews, Freiburg), Tobias Jafetas (Union of Former Ghetto and KZ Prisoners, Lithuania), 2005, private collection Fig. 13: Memorial Plaque honoring <strong>Karl</strong> <strong>Plagge</strong>, Yad Vashem Background Picture: Pearl Good and grandson Jonathan in the former Vilna Ghetto, 1999, private collection – 8 –
Display Board 2: <strong>Karl</strong> <strong>Plagge</strong> – until 1941 – 9 –
Change language