Tags: Chiune Sugihara

Chiune Sugihara: Unsung Hero of the Holocaust

A largely unknown hero of the Holocaust, Chiune Sugihara saved the lives of over 6,000 Jews in Lithuania. At the beginning of WWII, Chiune Sugihara served as Vice-Consul for Japan in Kovno, Lithuania. In 1940, Sugihara became aware of the dangers facing the Jewish population of Lithuania and, going against regulations set out by the Japanese government, he began to issue transit visas to Jewish refugees so that they could escape Europe and travel to Japan. In doing so, he risked not only his career, but also his life and the lives of his family.