Jews from Ukraine: Yura Lifshits. How a Kiev resident stopped a train heading to Auschwitz with just one pistol and saved more than a hundred prisoners
In our section “Jews from Ukraine,” we will tell the story of the heroic act of Yuri Lifshits, a Kyiv native who stopped the “death train” heading to Auschwitz and saved over 100 Jews. His story is an example of heroism and courage that continues to inspire people to fight against injustice.
On April 19, 1943, an event took place in the Belgian Resistance that became a true act of heroism and a symbol of resistance to the Nazi regime.
It was the day when Yuri Lifshits, along with two companions — Robert Mestriaux and Jean Francklemont — attacked a train carrying over 1600 Jews from the transit camp Mechelen to Auschwitz. Using minimal resources — one pistol and breaking tools — they managed to stop the train and free the prisoners. This heroic act became the first and only case of a mass escape from the “death train” during World War II.
Details of the operation: "Attack on the 20th convoy"
On April 19, 1943, Yuri Lifshits, armed with only a pistol, organized the attack on the 20th convoy that was transporting prisoners to Auschwitz. Lifshits and his two companions — Robert Mestriaux and Jean Francklemont — managed to stop the train with the help of their tools and pistol…
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