50 Children: One Ordinary American Couple's Extraordinary Rescue Mission into the Heart of Nazi Germany

Steven Pressman

apr 2014 · Harper Collins

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“A classic tale of American initiative . . . A rich and rewarding read. . . . paints a moving picture of the rescue” of Jewish children from Nazi-occupied Austria (Wall Street Journal).

In early 1939, America’s rigid immigration laws made it virtually impossible for European Jews to seek safe haven in the United States. As deep-seated anti-Semitism and isolationism gripped much of the country, neither President Roosevelt nor Congress rallied to their aid.

Yet one brave Jewish couple from Philadelphia refused to silently stand by. Risking their own safety, Gilbert Kraus, a successful lawyer, and his stylish wife, Eleanor, traveled to Nazi-controlled Vienna and Berlin to save fifty Jewish children. Steven Pressman brought the Kraus’s rescue mission to life in his acclaimed HBO documentary, 50 Children. In this book, he expands upon the story related in the hour-long film, offering additional historical detail and context to offer a rich, full portrait of this ordinary couple and their extraordinary actions.

Drawing from Eleanor Kraus’s unpublished memoir, rare historical documents, and interviews with more than a dozen of the surviving children, and illustrated with period photographs, archival materials, and memorabilia, 50 Children is a remarkable tale of personal courage and triumphant heroism that offers a fresh, unique insight into a critical period of history.

“Astonishing. . . . With a careful eye to detail and dialogue, Pressman vividly re-creates this epic rescue.” —Kirkus Reviews

“[A] stirring account of determination against overwhelming odds. . . . [I]nspirational.” —Publishers Weekly

“Well-crafted.” —Booklist

“Deeply affecting.” —Jewish Book Council

“It can be challenging to create suspense in a tale for which the ending is known. Pressman does a good job.” —New York Journal of Books

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Steven Pressman was a magazine and newspaper journalist for more than thirty years. He is the author of Outrageous Betrayal: The Dark Journey of Werner Erhard from est to Exile, and the writer, director, and producer of the HBO documentary film 50 Children: The Rescue Mission of Mr. and Mrs. Kraus.