Mohammed Helmy

Mohammed Helmy
Born Mohammed Helmy
1901
Died 1982 (aged 80–81)
Nationality Egyptian
Occupation Physician
Employer Robert Koch Institute
Known for Saving lives of Jews during World War II
Home town Khartoum, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
Spouse(s) Emmy
Awards Righteous Among the Nations

Dr Mohammed Helmy (Arabic: محمد حلمي‎, Hebrew: מוחמד חילמי‎; July 25, 1901, Khartoum - January 10, 1982, Berlin) was an Egyptian doctor who saved several Jews from Nazi persecution in Berlin during the Holocaust. He has been recognized as Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem.[1] He was the first Arab to be recognized as such.[2] Relatives of Helmy were sought by Yad Vashem to present them with the honour awarded to Helmy; they were, however, not interested in accepting the award, citing hostile relations between Israel and Egypt.[3] Eventually, four years after he was recognized as the first Arab Righteous Among the Nations, film director Taliya Finkel who made a movie about Helmy, located the son of his nephew, Nasser Kotby.[4] Kotbi agreed to receive the certificate from the Israeli ambassador to Berlin, but at a ceremony in the German Foreign Ministry,[5] not in the Israeli Embassy, due to the family's difficulty in receiving the honor directly from an Israeli institution.[6][7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Rescued by an Egyptian in Berlin". Yad Vashem. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  2. ↑ "Yad Vashem names Egyptian first Arab Righteous Among the Nations". Haaretz. 30 September 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  3. ↑ "Family of WW2 Arab hero reject Israeli honor". i24 News. 20 October 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  4. ↑ ברלין: הערבי הראשון יקבל את אות חסיד אומות העולם, October 25, 2017
  5. ↑ "Israel honours first recognised Arab Holocaust saviour". BBC News Online. BBC. 27 October 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  6. ↑ משפחתו של חסיד אומות העולם הערבי הראשון הסכימה לקבל תעודה מיד ושם, Haaretz, October 22, 2017
  7. ↑ "Egyptian doctor honoured for saving Jewish lives during the Holocaust". www.thejc.com. The Jewish Chronicle. 27 October 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
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