We’re going to take a moment now to remember a man who lived a long life. Johan van Hulst was known for his great efforts during World War II, saving hundreds of Jewish children, but he was haunted (忧心忡忡的) by not being able to do more.
In 1940, the year Nazi Germany invaded (入侵) the Netherlands, Van Hulst headed a college in Amsterdam. The school he was running was next to a Jewish daycare center. When the Nazis took children from their parents, it was where the kids under the age of 12 went. When space ran out there, the Germans asked Johan van Hulst to house children in his school. He came up with an idea along with two people at the daycare center. If, for example, 20 children were transferred to his school, he’d only list 10 or 15, and the unregistered kids were then taken to safety. More than 600 children were saved.
Israel’s Yad Vashem, The World Holocaust Remembrance Center, in 1973 recognized Van Hulst as a “Righteous Among the Nations” — a title for non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews from the Holocaust. In 2012, Israeli Prime Minister (总理) Benjamin Netanyahu honored Van Hulst during a state visit to the Netherlands. That year, Van Hulst’s heroism was adapted into a film titled “Sussman.”
Johan van Hulst died at the age of 107. Today, Amsterdam’s National Holocaust Museum stands at the site of the college. Emile Schrijver, who directs the museum, says Johan van Hulst always spoke of what he couldn’t do. “I was never a hero. I had to live the rest of my life with the knowledge that I’d only been able to save around 600 children rather than 700, 800, 900, or 1,000 children.”
Schrijver says Johan van Hulst’s long life allowed many generations to learn by his example — that even under the worst conditions, there’s always an option to choose right over wrong.
【小题1】What did Van Hulst do for the Jewish children during World War Ⅱ?| A．He hid them in his school secretly. | B．He set up a daycare center for them. |
| C．He helped them to find their parents. | D．He managed to transport them to safety. |
| A．By awarding him a title. | B．By making a movie about him. |
| C．By arranging a state visit to his hometown. | D．By inviting him to meet with the Prime Minister. |
| A．He lived all alone in later life. | B．He had a deep love for his school. |
| C．He regretted not saving more children. | D．He called on the public to recognize other heroes. |
| A．He needs more national attention. | B．He serves as an example to everyone. |
| C．He cares very little about his own name. | D．He offers young people a chance to do right. |
