Military Hero Who Rescued Hundreds Of Children During WW2 Passes Away At 108

The second World War may feel like ancient history to some, but it’s important to remember that the heroes who made a difference during those dark years are still alive today. When they leave us, it’s our job to remember the great things that they did for the free world.

A French former resistance fighter, who saved the lives of hundreds of Jewish children during the Second World War, has sadly died at the age of 108. Born in 1910, Georges Loinger was a member of the French Resistance and fought against the Nazi occupation during the war.

He had served in the French army, but was captured and taken as a prisoner by the German forces in 1940. However, due to his appearance, his captors didn’t realize that he was Jewish.

Incredibly, Mr Loinger was able to escape from prison, going on to join a Jewish children’s aid society called the Oeuvre de Secours aux Enfants (OSE). During this time, he is believed to have helped more than 350 young children – many of whom had lost their parents during the war – escape to safety in neighboring Switzerland.

According to reports, between April 1943 and June 1944, he and other members of the group smuggled Jewish youngsters across a poorly guarded border into Switzerland.

Speaking to Tablet magazine earlier this year, he described how they were able to do this. One of his ingenious plans was to dress the children up as mourners and take them to the cemetery close to the boarder before smuggling them across.

Another approach he had was a lot more straightforward.

He said: “I threw a ball a hundred meters towards the Swiss border and told the children to run and get the ball.

“They ran after the ball and this is how they crossed the border.”

Speaking to Tribune Juive, Mr Loinger said he was able to help so many children and save so many lives because he didn’t ‘look Jewish’.

He said: “Sport made me the opposite of an anguished Jew. I walked with great naturalness. Besides, I was rather pretty and therefore well-dressed.”

The Holocaust Memorial Foundation of France said on its website that Mr Loinger, who passed away on Friday, was an ‘exceptional man’.

As a result of his heroics during the war, he was awarded the Resistance Medal and the Legion d’Honneur as well as a number of other honors.

Rest in peace, Mr. Loinger. We will always remember you as a hero.

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