There’s another post going around with tons of people claiming that they would hide Jewish people ‘if it ever came to that’ and while I see some value in the loud public support of Jewish people, those claims annoy me so much. Because, no you probably wouldn’t. 

As a historian I can say you probably wouldn’t. Because hiding Jewish people during the Second World War was super scary and super dangerous. Because it meant giving up all privacy, it meant sharing your food in times of intense scarcity, it meant risking the lives of your children every single day for years and years, constant CONSTANT stress with no idea if it would ever end. 

Most people didn’t do it. Most said things like “well, I’m sure it’s gonna be okay. These work camps don’t sound that bad. Those terrible stories can’t be true” and “Can you hide somewhere else?”. 

If you need convincing that you would be different, let me ask you: who are you hiding now that it’s not a deadly thing to you yet?

Because let’s face it: there are a lot of undocumented refugees out there right now who will DIE if deported. You could save their lives and if you were caught, you wouldn’t be the one dying. You’re not sharing rations either. By comparison, hiding someone now is easy. So are you hiding them? Are you marrying them to get them a passport? Are you trying to block deportations?

Are you believing their word that deportation would be deadly over the judgements of the State?

Are you doing anything at all to save their lives?

No? Then I really don’t think you would hide anyone at all.