​Every year the State of Israel is giving a special award to those who saved Jewish lives during the second world War.

On the 17th of January the Embassy of Israel was honored to present 'righteous Among the Nations' awards to 7 courageous Slovaks who saved the life of Jews during the Second world War.

The president, Speaker of the National council, ministers, Members of the National Council, ambassadors and other dignitaries participated in the event.

When hearing these stories, you have to remind yourself of the time in which they were taking place. Dark and relentless evil was ruling the world. Human life was insignificant for the Nazi regime and the action taken by our courageous honorees was punishable by death, and in most cases brought about the death of all their family.

Those people hide the survivors in their houses and barns moving them form one site to another, feeding and bathing them so they could remain alive throwout the war.

What makes the righteous Among the Nations so unique is the fact that even in the darkest of times, they were still deeply connected to their own humanity.

Especially now, when anti-Semitic voices are heard again in Europe, it is important to remember the horrors of the holocaust and tell the stories of the brave few who saved Jewish life in spite of tremendous danger.

 Zvi A. Vapni

Ambassador of the state of Israel to the Slovak Republic.