Irene Gut Opdyke
Encyclopedia
Irene Opdyke was a Polish
nurse who gained recognition for aiding Jews persecuted by the Nazis during World War II
and for saving twelve Jews.
Later, she smuggled Jews into the woods and delivered food to them there as well. Rügemer then asked Gut to work as a housekeeper in his villa. She hid 12 Jews in the cellar and each day they would come out and help her clean the house. One day Rügemer found out about the refugees in his house and made a deal with Gut to become his mistress. In 1944, she and several Jews fled until Russian forces occupied Poland. After the war, she made her way to West Germany and then to the United States.
at a joint service of Jews and Catholics held at a synagogue
in Irvine, California
. The blessing had been obtained for her by Alan Boinus and by Monsignor
Joseph Karp of the Polish Catholic Church in Yorba Linda, California
. The blessing was the first recognition by the Roman Catholic Church
of her heroic efforts during the Holocaust.
and co-author Jennifer Armstrong
.
In 1998 Opdyke's story was the subject of a lawsuit when she sought to regain the right to tell the "authorized" account of her life story, which she had previously assigned in a lawful motion-picture option agreement. Copyright attorney Carole Handler represented Opdyke and worked with the parties to reach an agreement. The case was dismissed with prejudice. In an ironic twist after the trial, all parties agreed that the promoter had done "nothing wrong." Mrs. Opdyke publicly acknowledged the promoter whom she had sued by thanking him in her book, In My Hands, and agreed to give him producer credit for the eventual "authorized" motion picture about her life story.
, opened on Broadway
on 29 March 2009 to mixed reviews. It was written by Dan Gordon
and starred Tovah Feldshuh
as Irena Gut. It had earlier premiered off-Broadway at the Baruch Performing Arts Center in New York City. After failing to find an audience, the play closed on 28 June 2009
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
nurse who gained recognition for aiding Jews persecuted by the Nazis during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and for saving twelve Jews.
Humanitarian efforts
In 1942, Irena Gut witnessed Nazi soldiers throw a baby into the air and shoot the child. During the German occupation, Gut was hired by Major Eduard Rügemer to work in a kitchen of a hotel. She would take food from the hotel and smuggle it to the local ghetto.Later, she smuggled Jews into the woods and delivered food to them there as well. Rügemer then asked Gut to work as a housekeeper in his villa. She hid 12 Jews in the cellar and each day they would come out and help her clean the house. One day Rügemer found out about the refugees in his house and made a deal with Gut to become his mistress. In 1944, she and several Jews fled until Russian forces occupied Poland. After the war, she made her way to West Germany and then to the United States.
Blessing
On 9 June 1995, Irene Gut Opdyke was honored with a papal blessing from Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
at a joint service of Jews and Catholics held at a synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
in Irvine, California
Irvine, California
Irvine is a suburban incorporated city in Orange County, California, United States. It is a planned city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28, 1971, the city has a population of 212,375 as of the 2010 census. However, the California...
. The blessing had been obtained for her by Alan Boinus and by Monsignor
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
Joseph Karp of the Polish Catholic Church in Yorba Linda, California
Yorba Linda, California
Yorba Linda is a suburban city in northeastern Orange County, California, approximately northeast of Downtown Santa Ana, and southeast of Downtown Los Angeles....
. The blessing was the first recognition by the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
of her heroic efforts during the Holocaust.
Book
Opdyke's autobiography, In My Hands: Memories of a Holocaust Rescuer (ISBN 0385720327), was published in 1999 with the help of Alan Boinus, who helped secure her publisher Random HouseRandom House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
and co-author Jennifer Armstrong
Jennifer Armstrong
Jennifer Mary Armstrong is a children's author of fiction and non-fiction.-Books:* Armstrong, Jennifer. . Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World : The Extraordinary True Story of Shackleton and the Endurance Crown Books for Young Readers...
.
In 1998 Opdyke's story was the subject of a lawsuit when she sought to regain the right to tell the "authorized" account of her life story, which she had previously assigned in a lawful motion-picture option agreement. Copyright attorney Carole Handler represented Opdyke and worked with the parties to reach an agreement. The case was dismissed with prejudice. In an ironic twist after the trial, all parties agreed that the promoter had done "nothing wrong." Mrs. Opdyke publicly acknowledged the promoter whom she had sued by thanking him in her book, In My Hands, and agreed to give him producer credit for the eventual "authorized" motion picture about her life story.
Play
A play based on the book In My Hands, entitled Irena's VowIrena's Vow
Irena's Vow is a Broadway play recounting the story of Irena Gut, a Polish nurse who, at the risk of her life, saved twelve Jews during World War II in German-occupied Poland.-Production history:...
, opened on Broadway
Broadway (New York City)
Broadway is a prominent avenue in New York City, United States, which runs through the full length of the borough of Manhattan and continues northward through the Bronx borough before terminating in Westchester County, New York. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to...
on 29 March 2009 to mixed reviews. It was written by Dan Gordon
Dan Gordon (screenwriter)
-Career:Dan Gordon graduated from UCLA as a film and television major, and went on to write screenplays including Passenger 57 , Wyatt Earp , Murder in the First , The Assignment and The Hurricane , as well as several novels.His play, Irena's Vow, premiered at the Baruch Performing Arts Center,...
and starred Tovah Feldshuh
Tovah Feldshuh
Tovah Feldshuh is an American actress, singer and playwright.-Early life:Terri Sue Feldshuh was born to a Jewish family in New York City, the daughter of Lillian and Sidney Feldshuh, who was a lawyer. She was raised in Scarsdale, New York, an affluent community in Westchester County and graduated...
as Irena Gut. It had earlier premiered off-Broadway at the Baruch Performing Arts Center in New York City. After failing to find an audience, the play closed on 28 June 2009
See also
- Irena's VowIrena's VowIrena's Vow is a Broadway play recounting the story of Irena Gut, a Polish nurse who, at the risk of her life, saved twelve Jews during World War II in German-occupied Poland.-Production history:...
- List of Poles
- Witold PileckiWitold PileckiWitold Pilecki was a soldier of the Second Polish Republic, the founder of the Secret Polish Army resistance group and a member of the Home Army...
- Polish Righteous among the NationsPolish Righteous among the NationsPolish citizens have the world's highest count of individuals awarded medals of Righteous among the Nations, given by the State of Israel to non-Jews who saved Jews from extermination during the Holocaust...
- Rescue of Jews by Poles during the HolocaustRescue of Jews by Poles during the HolocaustPolish Jews were the primary victims of the German Nazi-organized Holocaust. Throughout the German occupation of Poland, many Polish Gentiles risked their own lives—and the lives of their families—to rescue Jews from the Nazis. Grouped by nationality, Poles represent the biggest number of people...
- List of individuals and groups assisting Jews during the Holocaust