Doctors treat Jewish partisans at a field hospital.
Source: U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

During the Nazi occupation of much of Europe, many Jewish men, women and children struggled to survive by hiding. Some were able, more often than not with the help of non-Jews, to obtain false papers and places of refuge. In the process, survival entailed assuming a new “Christian” identity. Especially in the more remote reaches of Eastern Europe, they were able to hide in groups comprising immediate and extended families, or with acquaintances and strangers. Sometimes, they formed or made contact with partisan groups. This workshop will examine the totality of the “hiding” experience, from seeking the aid of non-Jews to the impact on gender roles. It will show how this topic can be meaningfully brought into the classroom, especially by using written and oral testimonies of survival.