What did Irene Gut Opdyke do?
What did Irene Gut Opdyke do?
Irene Gut Opdyke (born Irena Gut, 5 May 1922 – 17 May 2003) was a Polish nurse who gained international recognition for aiding Polish Jews persecuted by Nazi Germany during World War II. She was honored as a Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem for risking her life to save twelve Jews from certain death.
How many Jews did Irene Opdyke save?
12 Jews
Irene Gut Opdyke, (85), an acclaimed memoirist who wrote of becoming the mistress of a German officer during the second World War to save 12 Jews she hid in his villa, has died in California, near her home in Yorba Linda.
What is the theme of my hands?
In My Hands is the inspiring story of how a young girl proved that the actions of one good person can make a difference. Irene Gut Opdyke’s remarkable story of courage and faith as a Holocaust rescuer began in a small village in eastern Poland where she was raised.
Where did Irene Gut and William Opdyke live?
Gut and several Jews also fled west from Soviet occupied Poland to Allied-occupied Germany. She was put in a Displaced Persons camp, where she met William Opdyke, a United Nations worker from New York City. She emigrated to the United States and married Opdyke shortly thereafter. They raised a family together.
What did Irena Opdyke do for a living?
Opdyke began a public speaking career which culminated in her memoir In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer. In 1982, Irena Opdyke née Gut was recognized and honored by Yad Vashem as one of the Polish Righteous Among the Nations.
When was Irene Opdyke’s memoir in my Hands published?
Opdyke’s memoir, In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer (Alfred A. Knopf; later ISBN 0385720327), was arranged by her manager at the time, Alan Boinus and published in 1999 through Random House, with co-author Jennifer Armstrong.
When was Irene Gut Opdyke honored by the Pope?
On 9 June 1995, Irene Gut Opdyke was honored with a papal blessing from Pope John Paul II at a joint service of Jews and Catholics held at Shir Ha-Ma’alot synagogue in Irvine, California, along with an invitation from Pope John Paul II for her to have an audience with him.