Irene Gut-Opdyke | Holocaust Rescuer | Women’s History Month | USC Shoah Foundation

What a brave courageous woman. My Polish Grandmother would tell me horror stories about the war in her hometown of Gostyn Poland. She once told me that after the Germans invaded the Soviet Union, and the whole of Poland was now under German occupation, the town where she fled to when the war started was L'wov, so she had to flee. She told me about an encounter with some Wehrmacht soldiers on her journey, there were 5 of them and she thought well this is it Im dead the Germans have caught me however, she remembers one of the soldiers was tall young and very handsome and was of a higher rank then the rest of them, so this soldier ordered the other 4 to keep patrol while he sorted things out with my grandmother. She told me that he said, look I'm not going to hurt you or turn you over to the Gestapo, I want to help you you've got no part in this awful war, I hate our Fürer for all of this. Long story short he helped her escape to Switzerland, but before she was helped to escape, she asked the soldier if he could help get her parents and two younger brothers to safety, she gave him their names and address he said to her I can't promise you, but I will do everything I can. After the war this soldier purposely searched for my grandmother, he found her on the Swiss Austrian border and with tears in his eyes, he said to her I tried to save your mother and father but was only able to help her 2 brothers. That soldier became my Grandfather and his harrowing account of how he rescued my great uncle's needs to be in a book. Out of his own money, and thankfully his intuition to trust the right people got them to safety.

This woman is so courageous, loving, compassionate and CLEVER as a fox. Giving herself to the Major in exchange for the lives if her Jewish friends...yes, small price to pay. But a price nonetheless and she paid willingly. This thoughtful woman even remembered to thank the camera man for his hard work. I thank him and the interviewer for bringing this story to us. This is one of my favs from USC Shoah fndtn.

This is the face of a true hero, the most beautiful person in the world. Her complete selflessness is beyond comprehension and such an incredibly brave person.

If the USC Shoah foundation ever contacts me, I'd be so delighted to give my grandmother's story.

This is a very good interview. Do not let the low sound dissuade you. I tried headphones, both wire and wireless, and in my vehicle. Nothing worked until I connected YouTube to my TV and turned the volume up on my TV. Worked very well. It is worth listening to!

Yes, the many stories of these interviews are so inspiring and precious. But, like the other comments nearly all of the audio is too low. A remastering of these interviews would help significantly. The video, however, is fine. Thanks.

What an amazing beautiful woman, on the inside & out! I love her closeness to G-d & her compassion for others. ❤❤❤

Sound isn’t loud enough

I put subtitles on, so can read anything, I can’t hear. The microphone is closest to the interviewer, hence us hearing the interviewer loudest.

The audio is very low

The sound wasn’t loud enough you have to turn the volume up to hear both the person they are interviewing & the interviewer. 😂

video is hard to hear but great interview

Please give me the movie irena's vow I've been looking for it

The interviewer hers an incredible story of heroism, ingenuity, and self-sacrifice. Irena Gut Opdyke is a hero of historic proportions. And the interviewer says nothing about any of that, but when Irena is close to the end of her account, all the interviewer wants to ask is "Let me ask you something. You told me that you were raised not knowing that there is anti-Semitism in Poland. When you went back to Poland now, did you see that there is anti-Semitism? " Talk about an obsession and totally missing the point.

Can't hear anything please do something

Why is the sound so bad on these videos?

USC Shoah Foundation should fix the sound on this video. That can be done That they don't do it is a disgrace.

Volume is horrible,audio.

Bad sound

Wspaniała kobieta.