HURRIYET- Columnist Tufan Turenc writes on the documentary recently reported on by CNN entitled 'Desperate Hours' detailing the help given by Turks during World War II. A summary of his column is as follows:
In 1933 when the Nazis came to power and Hitler assumed Germany's leadership, democrats in Germany and particularly German citizens of Jewish descent were greatly troubled. Scholars were frightened. Mustafa Kemal, who was closely following the developments in Germany, felt the coming of the tragedy Hitler was going to inflict upon the world. Without losing any time, he gave instructions that scholars of Jewish descent be invited to our shores. More than 200 academics came to Turkey, which welcomed them with open arms. The Turkish Republic, which faced many problems at the time, appointed these academics to universities with high salaries. Through the efforts of these gifted visitors, the quality of education in Turkey got an immediate boost. After their long stay in Turkey and with the end of Hitler's reich, these academics returned to their countries. However, none of them forgot Turkey's noble gesture, and they saw our country as their second homeland. At the beginning of the 1940s, Turkish diplomats prevented the taking of thousands of Jews to concentration camps through the exertion of great efforts. This exemplary action of the Turkish Republic and its diplomats was revealed in a documentary recently prepared by Jews living the US. This striking documentary was just promoted in CNN International. At a time when we are being suffocated with publications and programs slandering Turks and Turkey with countless lies, such a documentary makes one proud. This documentary should be a lesson in humanity to those who are trying to use history to wreak revenge and foster hostility.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION