Customer Reviews

The Man Who Stopped the Trains to Auschwitz: George Mantello, El Salvador, and Switzerland's Finest Hour (Religion, Theology, and the Holocaust)

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THis is a compelling story written almost in novel form. The history is documented meticulously and represents a herculean effort by the author. This story of rescue on a grand scale is largely unknown and Schindler's efforts pale b comparison. This is a must read for anyone interested in the Holocaust. The author deserves much praise-I would love to hear him speak!

After Hungary left WWII, Germans felt free to round up Hungarian Jews for extermination. The book, based on meticulously researched material, reads as an adventure-mystery novel yet is non-fiction. It shows that rescue was possible to an extent when people,with proper leadership, rose up and protested. Credit here goes to the Swiss people, journalists and major Swiss Theologians and Pastors.Under leadership of outstanding Swiss theologians such as Karl Barth, the Swiss people evinced an extraordinary moral leadership in efforts to halt mass murder of Hungarian Jews. The drive for rescue was spearheaded by a Rumanian Jew named Mantello who worked for the El Salvadoran embassy in Switzerland.The facts give the Swiss people the credit they deserve for helping in the rescue of Jews and show that where there was courage and a will, many were rescued. Anyone with the slightest interest in human courage and dignity, not just the holocaust, should read this book.

This question always fascinated me when watching westerns and their modern analogs: can one man take on overwhelming odds and win against indifference and bare evil? A common wisdom tells us that such a win is just a wishful fantasy. It is a bright ray of inspiration to find an unlikely cross of the “High Noon”, “Dirty Harry” and “A Frisco Kid” in a story of lonely and smart orthodox Jew winning against the huge murderous system beyond the worst nightmares of the heroes of Gary Cooper, Clint Eastwood and Harrison Ford. How big a “Gold Life Saving Medal” should be awarded to a person who saved 100,000 innocent lives from the gas chambers in 1944? Is there any monument that would give him his due? However, this man, George Mantello, was not only forgotten but maligned. The “delicate” reason for this lack of appreciation was that “all [organizations involved in the rescue effort] were of the opinion that any efforts they were not involved in were not valid” according to a witness testimony quoted in the book. The author provides mountains of testimony confirming Montello’s selfless dedication to the rescue work beyond a common comprehension. The book is thoroughly researched and documented but its subdued narrative reads really well. It is a rebuke to those who did little or nothing, an inspiration for lonely enthusiasts, and a glimpse of hope for the rest of us. Jews did have lonely heroes - Samson, David, before the spotlight shifted to leaders of large groups. Now, thanks to David Kranzler, we know one more such hero â€" George Mantello.

After read this book i must say ¡ I am proud to be a citizen from El Salvador ¡ ¿why? I didn't know that my country make such big contribution to save the live of thousand of Jews.
GOD Bless and follow Blessing our country EL SALVADOR because that.