This video, which includes testimony from several Holocaust survivors, challenges us to reflect on one of the central questions about the Holocaust. How was it possible? Many people turned on their Jewish neighbors during the Holocaust. Though they may once have been friends, they failed to stand up for Jews against Nazi persecution, betrayed them, or benefited from their misfortune. The Holocaust would not have been possible without support from authorities in countries occupied by or allied with Nazi Germany. How did centuries of antisemitism factor into their choices? Why did some ordinary people choose the opposite course—to help Jews despite the risks?
