THISPAGE, FROMTOP: HENRYWESTHEIMPHOTOGRAPHY/ALAMY; THOMASPLESSER
CHINA
anumberon it:more than200,000people
were savedbyRabe. This astonishing sta-
tistic reflects his twomain achievements
in thosedarkdays.Hehelpedcarveoutan
international safety zone, whereChinese
civilians could find shelter, nearwhat is
nowNanjingUniversity.Andhepersonally
interceded, complained andhectored the
Japanese,usinghisstatusasaNaziocial,
into leaving the safety zonemore or less
intact.When victims reported atrocities
and attacks in the zone, itwas Rabewho
brought complaints to the Japanesemili-
tary leaders and international organiza-
tion.AtonepointheevenchasedJapanese
soldiersoutofhisyard.
Rabedied in 1950 inBerlin, but his leg-
acy is honored inNanjing. At theNanjing
MassacreMemorialHall, which is amas-
siveand imposingmuseum, there isasculp-
ture of Rabe and significant exhibition
spacededicated tohim (and toAmericans
likeMinnieVautrinandJohnMagee,who
also risked their lives to saveChineseand
bringwordof the atrocities to theoutside
world). But I found the quiet, leafyRabe
house an ideal spot for reflection on this
painfulhistoryandon themiracleof kind-
ness ina timeofwar.
inChina. Butwhat the people ofNanjing
willneverforgetishowRabeusedthatparty
aliation—whichmaywell havebeenout
of political necessity, not fervor— to save
countless civilians inNanjing during the
Japaneseoccupation inWorldWarII.
“Countless” livessaved isperhapsnotan
accuratedescription.TheChinesedidput
shoeswet from the rain arehungby their
lacestodry, there isanextraordinarypiece
ofhistory.
TheJohnRabeandInternationalSafety
ZoneMemorialHall celebrates the lifeof a
manwhowasalongtimeresidentofNanjing,
aSiemenscorporaterepresentativeinChina
and,inthe1930s,amemberoftheNaziParty
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DECEMBER 01, 2011
AA.COM/AMERICANWAY
