Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial on Tuesday honored a Chinese diplomat for his "humanitarian courage" in helping hundreds of Jews flee Nazi-occupied Austria.
Yad Vashem posthumously awarded Ho Feng-Shan, consul-general in Vienna from 1938 to 1940, the title "Righteous Among the Nations" given to gentiles who helped Jews during the Holocaust.
"Ho ... issued hundreds and possibly thousands of visas to Jews anxious to leave Austria, part of Nazi Germany, due to the severe reign of terror they were subjected to," Yad Vashem said in a statement.
"Disregarding instructions from his superior, the Chinese ambassador in Berlin, and taking exception to fellow diplomats whose countries had severely restricted their issue to Jewish refugees, Ho issued visas to Shanghai to all requesting them," it added.
Among those saved were the parents of Israel Singer, today secretary-general of the World Jewish Congress and vice-chairman of the Yad Vashem council, who ultimately escaped to Cuba, it said.
The title of Righteous Among the Nations is awarded to non-Jews who at great peril to themselves saved the lives of Jews during World War II. A tree is planted at Yad Vashem for each of those honored.
Ho, who died in 1997, is the third Chinese national to be awarded the title – JERUSALEM (AFP)
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