Harbor from the Holocaust | Educational Clips and Discussion Guide
Feng Shan Ho: The Chinese “Schindler”
Feng Shan Ho was a Chinese diplomat who saved thousands of Jews. He was responsible for the Chinese consulate in Vienna and signed what is estimated to be thousands of passports that would allow Jews to leave Nazi-occupied countries. He was fired from his post as a consequence.
Lucie Hartwich: Shanghailander & School Principal
Lucie Hartwich, a former Shanghai refugee during World War II, experienced the Kristallnacht in Germany. She fled to Shanghai and worked at the Kadoorie School, also known as the “Jewish Youth Federation of Shanghai,” which was built for refugees from Germany and Austria.
Claus Hirsch: Shanghailander & “The Joint” Volunteer
Claus Hirsch, a former Shanghai refugee during World War II, talks about giving back to the Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) whose efforts had saved him and his family during his time as a refugee.
The Music of Harbor from the Holocaust
Music plays a pivotal role in Harbor from the Holocaust. Chad Cannon, composer for the documentary, shares his experience working on the project. Also featured are musicians Beibei Monter and Niv Ashkenazi.
Duet: Violinist Niv Ashkenazi and Guzheng Player Beibei Monter
Listen to a duet with violinist Niv Ashkenazi and guzheng player Beibei Monter. Ashkenazi performs on a “violin of hope”—a violin that survived the Holocaust and was restored. Monter collaborated with “Harbor” composer Chad Cannon on the Disney production, “Mulan.”
Harbor from the Holocaust Documentary Discussion Guide
A collection of photos from Shanghai where Jewish refugees were taking refuge during WWII. For more information, check out the discussion guide in the support materials.
All fleeing Jews needed was a stamp on their passport to leave Nazi-occupied countries. Documentation was very important during this time, both as an identifier and as a source of escape. How do our documentation and identification practices persist today?
Translation of Shanghai Refugee Documents – A detailed translation and explanation of these Shanghai refugee documents. This can be used in a world language (Chinese as a second language) class or for a world history class.
- Documentation was very important during this time, both as an identifier and as a source of escape. How do our documentation and identification practices persist today?
- What are your thoughts when you see these documents?
- Thinking about the families and individuals who couldn’t escape Nazi-occupied countries simply because they didn’t have a stamp in their passports, what thoughts do you have?
- How does this time period reflect today’s refugee and immigrant circumstances?
About
Harbor from the Holocaust explores the extraordinary relationship of these Jews and their adopted city of Shanghai, even through the bitter years of Japanese occupation 1937-1945 and the Chinese civil war that followed. It was a relationship that produced some exceptional artists, statesmen and authors, as well as ‘ordinary’ people who survived to carry on their Jewish religion and traditions that would have otherwise been consigned to oblivion.
Credits: WQED
Additional Credits
Photos and Videos Credit:
American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee Archives
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
USHMM Gift of: Lisa von Haam Humphrey
Stan Baker
Robert F. Kan and Betsy Klein
Peter Gessner
Gasul Family
USHMM courtesy: Filmoteka Narodowa
National Archives
Library of Congress
Bettie Carlson
Daniel Weih
Claus Hirsch
Doris Fogel
Bert Reiner
Horst Eisfelder
Ilana Diamond
This program was made possible, in part, by:
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting
The National Endowment for the Humanities
The Philip Chosky Charitable & Educational Foundation
The Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh
And by contributions to PBS stations from Viewers
Standards
- 8.1.6.A – Compare and contrast events over time and how continuity and change over time influenced those events.
- 8.1.6.B – Differentiate between fact and opinion, multiple points of view, and primary and secondary sources to explain historical events.
- 8.1.6.C – Explain how continuity and change have impacted historical events.
- 8.1.6.D – Analyze historical data from a variety of sources.
- 8.1.9.A – Compare patterns of continuity and change over time, applying context of events.
- 8.1.9.B – Compare the interpretation of historical events and sources, considering the use of fact versus opinion, multiple perspectives, and cause and effect relationships.
- 8.1.9.C – Construct research on a historical topic using a thesis statement and appropriate primary and secondary sources.
- 8.1.12.A – Evaluate patterns of continuity and change over time, applying context of events.
- 8.1.12.B – Evaluate the interpretation of historical events and sources, considering use of fact versus opinion, multiple perspectives, and cause and effect relationships.
- 8.1.12.C – Evaluate historical interpretation of events and sources, identifying how historians develop interpretations.
- 8.3.6.A – Explain the social, political, cultural, and economic contributions of individuals and groups to United States history.
- 8.3.6.C – Explain how continuity and change have influenced United States history.
- 8.3.6.D – Explain conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations in United States history.
- 8.3.9.A – Analyze the role of individuals and groups in United States history from 1787 to 1914.
- 8.3.9.C – Analyze how continuity and change have influenced United States history.
- 8.3.9.D – Analyze conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations in United States history.
- 8.4.6.A – Explain the social, political, cultural, and economic contributions of individuals and groups in world history.
- 8.4.6.C – Explain how continuity and change have influenced world history.
- 8.4.6.D – Explain conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations in world history.
- 8.4.9.A – Analyze the role of individuals and groups in world history from 1450 to the present.
- 8.4.9.C – Analyze how continuity and change have influenced world history.
- 8.4.9.D – Analyze conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations that impacted world history.
- 8.4.12.A – Evaluate the role of individuals and groups in world history from 1450 to the present.
- 8.4.12.C – Evaluate how continuity and change have influenced world history.
- 8.4.12.D – Evaluate conflict and cooperation among groups and organizations over time.
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