Besa: Muslims Who Saved Jews in World War II

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Overview

Besa is a code of honor deeply rooted in Albanian culture and incorporated in the faith of Albanian Muslims. It dictates a moral behavior so absolute that nonadherence brings shame and dishonor on oneself and one's family. Simply stated, it demands that one take responsibility for the lives of others in their time of need. In Albania and Kosovo, Muslims sheltered, at grave risk to themselves and their families, not only the Jews of their cities and villages, but thousands of Jews fleeing the Nazis from other European countries.

Over a five-year period, photographer Norman H. Gershman sought out, photographed, and collected these powerful and moving ...
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More About This Book

Overview

Besa is a code of honor deeply rooted in Albanian culture and incorporated in the faith of Albanian Muslims. It dictates a moral behavior so absolute that nonadherence brings shame and dishonor on oneself and one's family. Simply stated, it demands that one take responsibility for the lives of others in their time of need. In Albania and Kosovo, Muslims sheltered, at grave risk to themselves and their families, not only the Jews of their cities and villages, but thousands of Jews fleeing the Nazis from other European countries.

Over a five-year period, photographer Norman H. Gershman sought out, photographed, and collected these powerful and moving stories of heroism in Besa: Muslims Who Saved Jews in World War II. The book reveals a hidden period in history, slowly emerging after the fall of an isolationist communist regime, and shows the compassionate side of ordinary people in saving Jews. They acted within their true Muslim faith.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
Long-time fine art photographer Gershman spent five years collecting the stories of Albanian Muslims who harbored Jewish refugees during WWII as part of the Islamic tradition of Besa, or sanctuary, and his record provides a clear and powerful push back against a popular image more recently shaped by violent extremists. Each new page offers a portrait and a brief anecdote on the origins of the family, the people they helped, and the bonds that formed between the Albanian and Jewish families. Gershman's portraits are skillful and expressive, capturing warmth and pride but also the weight of the 60 years that have passed since the War. The subjects' resonant voices-"I did nothing special. All Hebrews are our brothers"-share tales of kindnesses and unexpected lives conceived in the midst of catastrophe and destruction. A haunting look at the power of love, compassion and generosity to unite faiths and deliver genuine salvation, this illustrated oral history will fascinate. 66 b&w photos.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Association of Jewish Libraries Newsletter
Besa will grace any coffee table as well as any library with an adult Holocaust (or Islamic) collection. Its coverage of a neglected subject-the role of non-Christian communities during that era- vitally presents a more nuanced view of the Muslim world.
More Reviews (6) Fewer Reviews
Jewish Exponent
Looking at these carefully rendered portraits... and the scrupulous attention to detail, the profundity of the photographer's experience is driven home repeatedly. Examining his work and reading the testimony of his subjects, whose stories were suppressed during the long postwar years...you can sense the profundity as if it were almost palpable.
MultiCultural Review
highly recommended
The Jerusalem Post
Each individual story of rescue in Besa testified to the heroism of the Albanian Muslim people, from the family of the former King Zog, his son King Leka I and his Queen Geraldine, to the milk vendor, Marika, shown as holding a milk bottle for the well-hidden Jewish child. Yad Vashem recognized many Albanian Muslims as Righteous Gentiles and many grateful Israeli survivors have renewed their ties with their rescuers. BESA shows how both Muslims and Jews can overcome their conflicts and live together.
The Jewish Week
"Besa" - the word for the Albanian code of honor that, with Koranic teachings, motivated the Albanians to endanger their lives for their neighbors and for strangers six decades ago - is the first major book in English that presents the stories of Albania's heroic Muslims....
By telling their stories, he (the author) says, he is thanking them "on behalf of the Jewish community."
The Washington Post
Norman Gershman, a photographer and historian who traveled throughout Albania documenting the accounts of Muslim families who protected Jews...recalled that "What BESA says is that if some one knocks on your door you have an absolute obligation - no matter who that person is - to save their lives." The stories of righteous Muslims in Gershman's book reveal that they understood Besa as an expression of the Qur'anic teachings of mercy, hospitality, and protecting the weak....Each portrait of a righteous person in this book is moving.
The Barnes & Noble Review
Each crinkle in the well-lined faces that stare out from the crisp black-and-white photos in Norman H. Gershman's Besa: Muslims Who Saved Jews in World War II seems to tell a story. The Albanian Muslims standing proud before Gershman's lens have endured much: Nazi occupation, Communist rule. But look into their eyes and you see heart-melting kindness, righteous determination, joy. Gershman, a fine-arts photographer, traveled to Albania and Kosovo to photograph Muslims who rescued Jews during World War II and to hear and share their stories. These Albanian Muslims -- some devout, some secular -- risked their lives to save not only Jews who lived in their country but also those escaping persecution elsewhere. They took them into their homes, lived with them as family, protected them at their own great peril. Though some now have been honored by Israel's Yad Vashem as Righteous Among the Nations, none have sought reward or glory for their heroism. Each acted according to Besa, a code of honor integral to Albanian Muslim culture, requiring a person to help anyone in need. "God granted us the privilege of saving Jews," says Hamdi Mece, whose family sheltered 12 Jews. "To save a life is God's gift." Beqir Qoqja, 91, who hid a Jewish friend, insists he did "nothing special": "All Jews are our brothers." In these tumultuous times, where rifts and rivalries, intolerance and war, explode around us, these stories of compassion and commonality feel like a vital step toward healing the world. --Amy Reiter

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780815609346
  • Publisher: Syracuse University Press
  • Publication date: 1/1/2009
  • Pages: 160
  • Sales rank: 460,138
  • Product dimensions: 11.30 (w) x 11.20 (h) x 0.70 (d)

Meet the Author

Norman H. Gershman is a fine art photographer whose work is represented in museums throughout the world. His photographs have been featured in exhibits by Yad Vashem in Israel and the United Nations in New York. The stories in Besa will be the subject of a full-length documentary, God's House.

Table of Contents

Foreword Mordecai Paldiel Paldiel, Mordecai

Introduction Akbar Ahmed Ahmed, Akbar

Family of Destan and Lime Balla 2

Baba Haxhi Dede Reshat Bardhi 4

Family of King Zog of Albania 6

Family of Njazi and Liza Pilku 8

Family of Njazi Mefail Bicaku and His Son Njazi 10

Family of Hysen Marika 12

Family of Jani Koca 14

Family of Islam Proseku 16

Domi Family 18

Family of Halil Frasheri 20

Family of Toli Dodi 22

Family of Ali Ohri 24

Family of Sulo Muzhaka 26

Family of Ali and Nadire Binxhiu 28

Family of Qani Civeja 30

Family of Destan Kormaku 32

Family of Besim and Higmete Zyma 34

Family of Hajdar Kika and His Son Petrit 36

Family of Tef Pogu 38

Family of Yshref and Emine Frasheri and Their Son Mehmet 40

Family of Osman and Nazlie Alla 42

Family of Eshref and Emine Shpuza 44

Family of Ali and Ragip Kraja 46

Family of Ismail Gjata 48

Kasapi Family 50

Family of Sulejman and Zenepe Mece 52

Families of Lilo Xhimitiku and Taqi Simsia 54

Kurti Family 56

Family of Besim and Aishe Kadiu and Their Daughter Merushe 58

Kuqi Family 60

Family of Nuro Hoxha 62

Family of Muhedin Haxhiu 64

Family of Hasan Kalaja 66

Family of Rifat Hoxha 68

Family of Kasem Jakup Kocerri 70

Family of Xhevat and Aferdita Gjergjani 72

Family of Vesel and Fatime Veseli 74

Family of Mesut and Drita Salillari 76

Family of Xhaferr Skenderi 78

Family of Abaz and Zade Sinani 80

Family of Ali and Nadia Kazazi 82

Family of Islam Trimi 84

Family of Shaqir and Qamile Borici and Their Daughter Bahrije 86

Family of Ismail Golemi 88

Family of Hamid and Xhemal Veseli 90

Family of Vehbi Hasan Hoti 92

Family of Ali Sheqer Pashkaj 94

Family of BeqirQoqja 96

Rezniqi Family 98

Family of Hasan Reme Xerxa 100

Family of Ramadan and Isa Nuza 102

Family of Mullah Shabani 104

Family of Basri Hasani 106

Family of Sadik Behluli and Son Ruzhdi 108

Family of Sejdi Sylejmani 110

Family of Jusuf Sadik Mimonaj 112

Family of Hysni Domi 114

Family of Pjeter Jankovic 116

Afterword: On and Off the Road in Albania and Kosovo 119

Customer Reviews

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Sort by: Showing all of 3 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted August 23, 2009

    A touching and set of true stories about every-day Balkan people who saved Jews during the Holocaust.

    Until business took me to the Balkans (2003-2010) I had no idea of the fact that all the Jews of Albania were protected during WW2 and that many were protected in other parts of the Balkans, as well. This book of true vignettes illustrates once again that good people of any religion will always know right from wrong and will do the right thing in the face of oppression, to protect their neighbors. I only wish that a bit more information was given about each case and that references for readers unfamiliar with the Balkans were a bit more clear.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 23, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted August 30, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

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