They Were Not Silent
Encyclopedia
They Were Not Silent is a documentary
about the Jewish Labor Committee
's anti-Nazi movement in America
before, during and after World War II
. The film features rare archival footage and photographs along with interviews with labor veterans, Holocaust survivors and scholars. It explores how international
Jewry worked to help Jews and non-Jews in Germany
, Poland, and elsewhere in Europe
.
The JLC's role has changed over the years. A trade unionist who has focused on JLC history, Kenneth Burt, says he hopes that the documentary will encourage new interest in the organization.
, were preoccupied with their own concerns. Many had an isolationist attitude towards foreign affairs. But many Jewish trade-unionists took notice of the troubling goings-on in Germany, and established the Jewish Labor Committee
in New York City
in early 1934 to respond to the rise of Nazism. Many of its members were Jewish immigrants who still spoke Yiddish and remained intensely connected to the Eastern European countries from which they or their parents had emigrated. These concerned individuals united to fight against Nazi anti-Semitism
for their friends and relatives across the ocean, as well as other potential victims of the Nazis.
“When Hitler came to power most people had one of two feelings,” explains one member of the JLC. Most Americans were either apathetic to German politics because of domestic issues, or they thought that “Hitler was a clown—he’s going to take over power and everyone is going to see he’s a blooming idiot.’”
The founding president of the JLC, B.C. Vladeck, was celebrated as a passionate orator who could rally a crowd with his enthusiasm. As Hitler ascended to power, Vladeck told audiences, “A great silence is descending upon Europe—a silence, like a sinister shroud of death. The instruments of torture that Hitler has prepared for the Jews have been turned on the labor unionists.”
As the JLC grew in size and influence it worked tirelessly to challenge Nazi power. Even before the war began, Jewish leaders worked to send an anti-Nazi message to the American public, especially but not only the American trade union movement, and organized boycotts against German-made goods. United in the struggle, mothers and little old ladies held giant cardboard signs to picket stores selling products that were produced under the Third Reich.
In 1936, the organization petitioned against the United States' participation in the upcoming Olympic games
in Germany. When the campaign failed and American athletes traveled across the ocean to compete, the JLC organized the “Counter-Olympics” at Randall's Island
in New York City. Amateur athletes from across the country participated and, perhaps more importantly, the event received extensive nationwide press coverage.
The JLC also were able to help a number of Jews and non-Jews to escape from Europe
, and aided a number of anti-Nazi the underground resistance movements there. At the same time that apathetic, isolationist and anti-war Americans were saying things like "Let the Germans fight their battle, they mean nothing to us", the JLC was busy arranging for aid to get those who would eventually be part of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
.
Even after the Holocaust was over, the JLC continued to help displaced Jews, sending aid to survivors in refugee camps across the globe, and helping relocate people to the U.S., Canada, Israel and Australia.
The enormous loss of life and destruction of Jewish communities throughout Europe during the Holocaust that came despite the JLC's best efforts left many members of the JLC feeing dejected. One of the academics interviewed in the movie laments in retrospect that it was “too little, too late”, but takes some solace from the fact that “nonetheless, it was an expression of fraternity and solidarity”.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about the Jewish Labor Committee
Jewish Labor Committee
The Jewish Labor Committee is an American secular Jewish organization dedicated to promoting labor union interests in Jewish communities, and Jewish interests within unions. The organization is headquartered in New York City, with local/regional offices in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago...
's anti-Nazi movement in America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
before, during and after 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...
. The film features rare archival footage and photographs along with interviews with labor veterans, Holocaust survivors and scholars. It explores how international
International
----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries...
Jewry worked to help Jews and non-Jews in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Poland, and elsewhere in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
The JLC's role has changed over the years. A trade unionist who has focused on JLC history, Kenneth Burt, says he hopes that the documentary will encourage new interest in the organization.
Summary
As Hitler was coming to power in Germany in the 1930s, most Americans, struggling with the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, were preoccupied with their own concerns. Many had an isolationist attitude towards foreign affairs. But many Jewish trade-unionists took notice of the troubling goings-on in Germany, and established the Jewish Labor Committee
Jewish Labor Committee
The Jewish Labor Committee is an American secular Jewish organization dedicated to promoting labor union interests in Jewish communities, and Jewish interests within unions. The organization is headquartered in New York City, with local/regional offices in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in early 1934 to respond to the rise of Nazism. Many of its members were Jewish immigrants who still spoke Yiddish and remained intensely connected to the Eastern European countries from which they or their parents had emigrated. These concerned individuals united to fight against Nazi anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
for their friends and relatives across the ocean, as well as other potential victims of the Nazis.
“When Hitler came to power most people had one of two feelings,” explains one member of the JLC. Most Americans were either apathetic to German politics because of domestic issues, or they thought that “Hitler was a clown—he’s going to take over power and everyone is going to see he’s a blooming idiot.’”
The founding president of the JLC, B.C. Vladeck, was celebrated as a passionate orator who could rally a crowd with his enthusiasm. As Hitler ascended to power, Vladeck told audiences, “A great silence is descending upon Europe—a silence, like a sinister shroud of death. The instruments of torture that Hitler has prepared for the Jews have been turned on the labor unionists.”
As the JLC grew in size and influence it worked tirelessly to challenge Nazi power. Even before the war began, Jewish leaders worked to send an anti-Nazi message to the American public, especially but not only the American trade union movement, and organized boycotts against German-made goods. United in the struggle, mothers and little old ladies held giant cardboard signs to picket stores selling products that were produced under the Third Reich.
In 1936, the organization petitioned against the United States' participation in the upcoming Olympic games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
in Germany. When the campaign failed and American athletes traveled across the ocean to compete, the JLC organized the “Counter-Olympics” at Randall's Island
Randall's Island
Randall's Island is situated in the East River in New York City, part of the borough of Manhattan. It is separated from Manhattan island on the west by the river's main channel, from Queens on the east by the Hell Gate, and from the Bronx on the north by the Bronx Kill. It is joined to Wards...
in New York City. Amateur athletes from across the country participated and, perhaps more importantly, the event received extensive nationwide press coverage.
The JLC also were able to help a number of Jews and non-Jews to escape from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and aided a number of anti-Nazi the underground resistance movements there. At the same time that apathetic, isolationist and anti-war Americans were saying things like "Let the Germans fight their battle, they mean nothing to us", the JLC was busy arranging for aid to get those who would eventually be part of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
Warsaw Ghetto Uprising
The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was the Jewish resistance that arose within the Warsaw Ghetto in German occupied Poland during World War II, and which opposed Nazi Germany's effort to transport the remaining ghetto population to Treblinka extermination camp....
.
Even after the Holocaust was over, the JLC continued to help displaced Jews, sending aid to survivors in refugee camps across the globe, and helping relocate people to the U.S., Canada, Israel and Australia.
The enormous loss of life and destruction of Jewish communities throughout Europe during the Holocaust that came despite the JLC's best efforts left many members of the JLC feeing dejected. One of the academics interviewed in the movie laments in retrospect that it was “too little, too late”, but takes some solace from the fact that “nonetheless, it was an expression of fraternity and solidarity”.
See also
- General Jewish Labor UnionGeneral Jewish Labor UnionThe General Jewish Labour Bund of Lithuania, Poland and Russia , generally called The Bund or the Jewish Labour Bund, was a secular Jewish socialist party in the Russian Empire, active between 1897 and 1920. Remnants of the party remain active in the diaspora as well as in Israel...
- TsukunftTsukunftTsukunft or Cukunft or Zukunft was the youth organization of the General Jewish Labor Union . It was founded in the year 1910 and in the year 1916 it was officially called Yugnt-Bund Tsukunft. Their newspaper was the Yugnt veker. In 1921 Tsukunft suffered a split, in which a pro-Communist group...
- YevsektsiyaYevsektsiyaYevsektsiya , , the abbreviation of the phrase "Еврейская секция" was the Jewish section of the Soviet Communist party. Yevsektsiya was established to popularize Marxism and encourage loyalty to the Soviet regime among Russian Jews. The founding conference of Yevsektsiya took place on October 20,...
- Jewish Labor CommitteeJewish Labor CommitteeThe Jewish Labor Committee is an American secular Jewish organization dedicated to promoting labor union interests in Jewish communities, and Jewish interests within unions. The organization is headquartered in New York City, with local/regional offices in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago...