Giorgio Perlasca

When I think of a hero, I think of someone who's caring, modest, and courageous. This person should be able to keep on persevering even when there seems to be no hope left.  The first individual I think of who meets all of these characteristics is Giorgio Perlasca. Giorgio Perlasca was born in January 31, 1910 in Como, Italy, and grew up in Masera . During his time in Budapest, he got arrested by Hungarian officials, only to escape using a forged medical pass. He immediately joined a rescue effort started by Ángel Sanz Briz, which involved helping Jews escape the bounds of Auschwitz, a Nazi concentration camp. When the Hungarian government realized that this rescue effort was taking place, Budapest went into chaos. Although many people would have vacated Budapest immediately for their own safety, Giorgio remained behind in order to help protect the Jews. Without concern for his own well-being, Giorgio Perlasca went out of his way to help others to escape the turmoil that was brought upon by the Italian Fascist government.  He brought with him to the table the essential characteristics of a hero who is caring, modest and courageous.

Giorgio showed his characteristic of caring even during the face of absolute danger. He was pivotal when organizing the safe escape of the Jews. He worked with Ángel Sanz Briz to carry on the attempt for liberation of the Jews, which involved securing the secret release of thousands of them. "Giorgio (now using the Spanish name 'Jorge') chose stay and help Ángel continue the rescue effort." (Kile, J. "Giorgio Perlasca The Heroic Imposter."). Having seen what was happening, Giorgio could not ignore the fact that thousands of Jews were being transported and detained at Auschwitz. Thus, he aided in acquiring the required resources to help the Jews escape the clutches of the Nazis. Over time, the Hungarian government started to notice that the Jews were being sheltered inside the houses of Spanish officials who were a part of the rescue effort. As homes were being raided, Budapest went into chaos. While this was happening Ángel and other officials evacuated from Budapest, but not Giorgio. "He [Ángel] left behind a note to Giorgio begging him to follow by using his newly neutral citizenship to escape. Knowing that without protection, many Jews would be killed, Giorgio decided to stay."  Instead of using his neutral citizenship to leave, Giorgio chose to stay behind, knowing that without some type of defense, many Jews would be killed. His choice to stay and have the chance to save lives, instead of fleeing to Switzerland with Ángel and the other officials, shows how caring he is in the cause he is participating in.

Giorgio Perlasca portrayed courage by not being afraid to stand up to higher authority. He kept on seeking opportunities to save other people's lives, even if it meant having to deal with someone who had significant control over others. "A German soldier runs over and pulls his revolver, gesturing to the man to put the boys back in line. The man refuses." (Conti, Gregory. "A Most Unlikely Hero.") Perlasca kept his ground, even when a gun was pointed at him. He stared down the barrel of this gun and proved his courage by facing danger head on. "Perlasca had named himself Spanish consul, without any authorization whatsoever." (Conti, Gregory. "A Most Unlikely Hero.") Giorgio decided to be his own leader, so he pretended to be a Spanish diplomat. In this way, he was his own leader, and because of this decision, he would be in charge of the taskforce, which allowed him to save thousands of Hungarian Jews from death in the gas chambers. Although there was always the risk that his real identity would be exposed, he was unrelenting nevertheless. He proved that his heroic actions would not be hindered.

After World War II, Giorgio returned to Italy, and all of his heroic actions remained silent for nearly 40 years; keeping to his characteristic of modesty. Eventually in 1987, a group of Hungarian holocaust survivors found him, and started telling others of his heroic actions. "Perlasca was then a seventy-seven-year-old man living a modest life in Padua." (Conti, Gregory. "A Most Unlikely Hero.") Perlasca told nobody, not even his own wife, of what daring activities he had done.  "Perlasca says his activities were 'just the result of events.'" (Nighswander, Marcy. "Giorgio Perlasca.") Giorgio shows how self-reserved he is, by mentioning all of his heroic actions as merely doings that partially led to the saving of many lives. He did not ask for anything in return for his heroic actions, but did them for the sake of helping others which proves his character as a hero, but a modest one at that.

Giorgio Perlasca was truly a hero to those all around him. Not only has he saved thousands of lives, but he also inspired many people to do courageous acts for others. A Jewish doctor once wrote, "On this occasion we want to express the affection and gratitude of the several thousand Jews who survived, thanks to your protection. There are not enough words to praise the tenderness with which you fed us and with which you cared for the old and the sick among us. You encouraged us when we were close to despair, and your name will never be omitted from our prayers. May the Almighty grant you your reward." Whether he will be remembered as the Italian Wallenberg, or as the greatest imposter in the world, many will recall him as a bold hero whose actions will never be forgotten.

Works Cited

Conti, Gregory. "A Most Unlikely Hero." EBSCOhost. EBSCOhost, 1 Jan. 2013. Web. 
     4 Dec. 2013.

Kile, J. "Giorgio Perlasca The Heroic Imposter ." Moral Heroes. Titan Graphics, 
     n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2013.

Knelman, Martin. "Mary Siklos Recalls the Man Who Saved Her Mother from Nazi 
     Death Camps Community Honours Italian Schindler." Toronto Star 10 Apr. 
     2004, News: A01+. EBSCO Host. Web. 9 Dec. 2013. 

London, Daily Telegraph. "Great Obituaries from This Week in the past." 
     Points of View Reference Center. EBSCOhost, n.d. Web. 9 Dec. 2013. 

Nighswander, Marcy. "Giorgio Perlasca." Middle Search Plus. EBSCOhost, n.d. Web. 
     9 Dec. 2013.