Ivan Beltrami

We owe many lives to Ivan Beltrami, the man that has risked his life multiple times and even taking others to save lives. His knowledge of right from wrong has led him to the path of a hero.. Born in Marseilles, France, he was drafted into the army in 1941. He later joined the private rebellion and helped restore faith to the Jews. A hero must possess courage and generosity, something that Beltrami has excess amounts of. Beltrami is a hero because he hid Jews in his house, founded an anti-Nazi organization, and went on assassination missions to eradicate important members in the Nazi party.

Ivan Beltrami 1944 (http://www.malkadrucker.com/ ())

Beltrami was a hero for his unselfish acts and knowledge of what is right and wrong. Beltrami had been hiding Jews in his house in Marseilles, France. "Although Marseilles had become dangerous for Jews, Beltrami continued to shelter the two Jews"(The Righteous Among The Nations). He continued to risk his life even though his chances of living were extremely low. This shows that Beltrami lacks selfishness and does what is right even if it means his own death. Beltrami's motivation came from what he knew was purely right and justified. "Beltrami never demanded any payment for his rescue work; he was motivated solely by sincere human principles"(The Righteous Among The Nations). Beltrami did not consent to fear created by the Nazi party and went through many obstacles to do what was right. This resistance to fear proves that he is a hero and cares more about doing what is purely right and less about wealth and fame. Beltrami deserves to be called a hero for his hard work and determination to make the world a better place during the Holocaust.

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Beltrami has done many risky maneuvers like assassinating important members in the Nazi-party and on top of that joining a resistance network. 1942 was the year that Beltrami joined a resistance for the first time in his life. "In May 1943, the underground activities of Francis Beltrami, Ivan's brother, were discovered and he was sent to Buchenwald. After the capture of Francis, German security forces began to monitor Ivan, who also worked in the Resistance, and, as a result, Bernard and David had to leave the apartment."(The Righteous Among The Nations). Ivan and Francis both had to sacrifice what they loved and cared for to make the world a better place. Ivan had to give up his security by being monitored by the gestapo and Francis had to give up his freedom by being tortured in a camp. Ivan also had to kill the people who were the most dangerous and lethal to his plan and the Jews. "He killed people himself and he doesn't regret it. I can imagine especially what happened to your brother. When his brother was taken to the hospital by the Gestapo, they threw him on the floor and his back was all bruises."(Oral History Interview with Ivan Beltrami). He does not regret it because Beltrami was aware that the people that he killed also killed many Jews and tortured his brother. This is another example of how Beltrami will go through every obstacle that stands in his way to do what is right. Beltrami has sacrificed a lot of what he loved and cared for to try and end the Holocaust, which makes him a well deserved hero. Once again Beltrami is a hero because he possesses courage and selflessness. He has sacrificed his safety and everything he cared for to save the Jews and end antisemitism. Beltrami stood up to the unfairness and took matters into his own hands. He was aware that by trying to make the world a better place, he was lowering his chances of survival, and increasing the Jews' chances.

Works Cited

"The Righteous Among The Nations." Yad Vashem The World's Holocaust Remembrance   Center. Yad Vashem, 2016. Web. 29 Apr. 2016.         <http://db.yadvashem.org/righteous/family.html?language=en&itemId=404276>.

"Oral History Interview with Ivan Beltrami." - USHMM Collections Search. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, n.d. Web. 05 May 2016. <http://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn506487>.

Shapiro, Susan. "A Few Good Men and Women." The New York Times. The New York Times, 06 June 1992. Web. 05 May 2016. <http://www.nytimes.com/1992/06/07/books/in-short-nonfiction-a-few-good-men-and-women.html>.