Honoring Bravery during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Polish-born Leo Melamed was only eight years old when he landed in Kobe, Japan. After traversing Siberia by train, it was a paradise. In August 1940, Japanese diplomat Chiune Sugihara had issued Leo’s family a visa that helped them escape Soviet occupation and the Nazi threat.

Following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps in the United States. Even as their family members were imprisoned, some joined the American military and helped liberate Nazi camps. Learn about these unexpected rescuers and the impact one man’s lifesaving act has had on Leo 80 years since he survived the Holocaust.

Speaker
Leo Melamed, Holocaust survivor and author, Man of the Futures: The Story of Leo Melamed and the Birth of Modern Finance

Commentary
Nobuki Sugihara, son of Japanese diplomat Chiune Sugihara

Moderator
Dr. Edna Friedberg, Historian, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Watch live at facebook.com/holocaustmuseum. You do not need a Facebook account to view their program. After the live broadcast, the recording will be available to watch on demand on the USHMM's Facebook page.