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Marion Pritchard and the Holocaust

  • Marion Pritchard was born.

    Marion Pritchard was born.
    Marion Pritchard was born on November 7th, 1920 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
  • World War ll started.

    World War ll started.
    The Dutch government surrendered to the Nazis 5 days after the Germans invaded. Millions of Jews, Gypsies, and others were slaughtered, while some Dutch people risked their lives to help the victims.
  • The concentration camps started.

    The concentration camps started.
    By the time the Germans invaded Poland in September 1939, unleashing World War II, there were six concentration camps.
  • Pritchard was arrested.

    Pritchard was arrested.
    During Pritchard's social work, she was arrested by Nazis while staying out over curfew.
  • Nazis rounded up Jew children and Marion Pritchard witnessed it,

    Nazis rounded up Jew children and Marion Pritchard witnessed it,
    In the spring of 1942, Pritchard witnessed a round-up of Jewish children, including babies and eight-year-olds, being picked up by their limbs or hair and thrown into trucks to be taken away by Nazis, along with two women who tried to intervene. The two other women attacked the soldiers and were also taken away in a truck. She described her reaction to witnessing this event: "I was shocked and in tears, and after that I knew my rescue work was more important than anything else I might be doing".
  • Saved a man and his two children from the Holocaust.

    Saved a man and his two children from the Holocaust.
    Marion Pritchard was asked by a friend to hide Fred Polak and his children. When she couldn't find a safe place, her friend let them stay at the servants quarter, 15 miles outside of Amsterdam. A couple of Nazis come to investigate the house and they hid. They left but one came pack so Pritchard shot him.
  • Pritchard saves about 150 Jews.

    Pritchard saves about 150 Jews.
    Marion Pritchard saved approximately 150 Dutch Jews throughout Would War ll.
  • Pritchard started working for the United Nations Relief.

    Pritchard started working for the United Nations Relief.
    Hoping to learn the whereabouts of Jewish friends who had survived the war, Pritchard went to work for the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration’s Displaced Persons camps in 1945.
  • The concentration camps ended.

    The concentration camps ended.
    The camps were stopped by Allied forces between 1944 and 1945. So close to when World War ll ended.
  • Adolf Hitler committed suicide.

    Adolf Hitler committed suicide.
    As troops fought their way towards the Reich Chancellery, Adolf Hitler committed suicide on April 30th, 1945.
  • World War ll ended.

    World War ll ended.
    War World ll ended in September 2nd, 1945. On 8 May 1945, the Allies accepted Germany’s surrender.
  • Marion moved to the U.S.

    Marion moved to the U.S.
    Marion Pritchard moved to the United States in 1947 and became a psychoanalyst.
  • Pritchard was recognized.

    Pritchard was recognized.
    Pritchard was recognized in 1981 by Yad Vashem, the world for Holocaust research and commemoratition in Jerusalem, an honor given to gentiles who saved Jews during the Holocaust.
  • Ms.Pritchard had a wartime stories written about her.

    Ms.Pritchard had a wartime stories written about her.
    Ms. Pritchard’s wartime story was in books like “Conscience and Courage, Rescuers of Jews During the Holocaust” by Eva Fogelman and the documentary, “The Courage to Care”.
  • Pritchard received an award.

    Pritchard received an award.
    Marion Pritchard received a Wallenburg Metal in 1996 in memory of Raout Wallenburg, the Swedish diplomat who rescued tens of thousands Jews during World War ll.
  • She began teaching.

    She began teaching.
    Pritcahrd began teaching an annual seminar at Clark University, in Worcester, Massachusetts with Deborah Dwork, the Rose professor of Holocaust history.
  • Marion Pritchard had an interview for her documentary.

    Marion Pritchard had an interview for her documentary.
    Marion Pritchard had an interview in 2002 with the filmmaker Aviva Slesin for her documentary.
  • Pritchard got a degree.

    Pritchard got a degree.
    Marion Pritchard got a 2004 honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Vermont and commemorative book from the university's Center for Holocaust Studies
  • Ms.Pritchard received a metal.

    Ms.Pritchard received a metal.
    Ms.Pritchard received the Metal of Valor at the Simon Wiesenthal Center's annual national tribute dinner in May 2009 in Beverly Hills, California.
  • Marion Pritchard dies.

    Marion Pritchard dies.
    Marion Pritchard died on December 11th, 2016 in Washington D.C. from Arteriosclerosis.