Historian lauds Muslims for saving Jews from Nazis

DUBAI: Historian and researcher Jonathan Matthews expressed his gratitude to the Muslim communities, particularly those from the subcontinent, including present-day Pakistan, who fought alongside the British army during World War II and played a significant role in defeating Adolf Hitler and the Nazi army. Matthews made these remarks during a virtual conference organised by the interfaith body “Sharaka” formed after the Abrahamic Accords.

He also recognised the efforts of Muslim communities who worked to prevent the massacre of Jews during the Second World War.

Matthews further acknowledged the Turkish Muslims who saved countless human lives and praised Karachi for providing shelter to thousands of Jews during the war.

Speaking to journalists and intellectuals in the region, Matthews, who is also the head of the photo archive of Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial center in Jerusalem, narrated the personality of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and the emergence of popular authoritarian leaders during times of crisis in democratic societies.

According to Matthews, even in present times, a democratic system can be at risk of becoming a dictatorship due to severe economic conditions, political crises and the fabrication of imaginary fears among the masses.

Matthews outlined that broken societies often seek a saviour when faced with severe problems. He narrated the tactics of popular leaders, such as calling opponents the worst enemies, demanding harsh punishments, and gaining popularity among the people before seizing power through voting and crushing everything in their path. However, he also said that such leaders often do not have solutions to public problems after coming to power.

Matthews emphasised that if leaders like Hitler gained power, they resorted to wars and conflicts instead of providing solutions. These leaders blamed their opponents and even those who died in an incident. He regretfully said that Europe has already witnessed such a leader in the form of dictator Adolf Hitler. Recalling the story of Hitler’s atrocities, Matthews explained how society was made to fear certain groups, such as Jews and other ideological opponents, who were blamed for public problems, leading to their massacre with unfortunate public support. He said that the world now recognises this tragedy as the Holocaust.