A gripping history that plumbs the extraordinary stories of American relief and rescue workers during World War II.Saints and Liars recounts the remarkable story of Americans who went abroad to offer relief and stayed to rescue people targeted by the Nazi regime. Deployed by US organizations to Prague, Vilna, Shanghai, Marseille, and Lisbon, they gathered necessities for refugees’ survival while trying to find them safe havens. Renowned historian Deborah Dwork tracks these rescue workers’ heroic deeds as she lays bare the moral questions they encountered and their unpredictable and constantly changing circumstances. Among the group was the first female overseas representative of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee who, sent to Shanghai, negotiated with enemy Japanese to protect the refugee community. There was also the Unitarian couple aiding undocumented people–Jews, antifascists, and artists–in Lisbon while serving as American secret agents. Drawing on a deep well of archival documents, including recently discovered letters, diaries, and memos, Dwork chronicles both the tragedies rescue workers witnessed and the amazing successes they achieved.

Saints and Liars: The Story of Americans Who Saved Refugees from the Nazis PDF

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