Defying the Nazis The Sharps' War
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DEFYING THE NAZIS:  The Sharps' War
​Directed by
Ken Burns  and  Artemis Joukowsky

Watch Now

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Visit
The Sharps' War 
​at PBS.ORG
​

Defying the Nazis: The Sharps' War is an account of a daring rescue mission that occurred on the precipice of World War II. It tells the story of Waitstill & Martha Sharp, a Unitarian minister and his wife from Wellesley, MA, who left their children behind in the care of their parish and boldly committed to multiple life-threatening missions in Europe. Over two dangerous years they helped to save hundreds of imperiled political dissidents and Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi occupation across Europe.

​In honor of her relentless commitment to compassion and humanitarian principles, we are pleased to announce the winner of the 2019 SHARP RESCUER PRIZE:

ANGELA MERKEL
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I am so very honored to announce the winner of the 2019 Sharp Rescuer Prize, Angela Merkel, for her bold and compassionate leadership in supporting refugees.  The SHARP RESCUER PRIZE seeks to promote humanitarian work in the example of my courageous grandparents, Martha and Waitstill Sharp, and to empower rescuers today who offer safety, hope, and opportunity to refugees. Merkel, with the courage to face history, has alleviated suffering and educated a new generation of Germans who care for the world. Merkel's empathetic leadership is a model for all of Europe and the world. The Sharp Rescuer Prize, representing the family of Martha and Waitstill Sharp, profoundly thanks you and your citizens for welcoming over two million refugees and providing a moral voice to the greatest refugee crisis since 1945. There is much more to do to address this crisis, but for this moment, please accept our gratitude.
​
Warmly, 
Artemis Joukowsky III

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​“Many literally escaped death. It goes without saying that we will help them and take in people who seek refuge with us."
Angela Merkel, 2015
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​“We all live on the very same planet…every human being has but one life and every human being is entitled to live that one life in a sustainable and meaningful way. And in order for them to be able to do so, they have to be provided opportunities. Far too many people don’t enjoy these opportunities.”
Angela Merkel, World Humanitarian Summit
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Photos: Merkel Visits Integration Projects and Sophie Scholl School. Photography. Britannica ImageQuest, Encyclopædia Britannica, 25 May 2016. 


​Visit the exhibition from the USHMM​
Americans and the Holocaust

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Martha and Waitstill Sharp are featured in the section titled "Americans Who Dared."

“I am most grateful . . . to all refugees who revealed high courage while their world fell apart. I only hope that my efforts were in some measure a return upon their faith and their goodwill.”
-Martha Sharp

Defying the Nazis Reports

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Exhibition Honoring the Sharps at Brown University Library


If you were moved by the Sharps' story, check out Artemis' Film - Cries From Syria
​
Directed by Evgeny Afineevsky, Cries from Syria is a harrowing exploration of the humanitarian crisis in Syria
​and the devastating civil war that has defined the country over the last five years.  #CriesFromSyria

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NYTIMES Learning Network Publishes "Text to Text: Comparing Jewish Refugees of the 1930s With Syrian Refugees Today" by Laura Tavares

The NY Times Learning Network has published a lesson by Laura Tavares, Senior Associate at Facing History and Ourselves, that includes clips from the film! The refugee crisis is  so relevant, and we are hopeful that the blog will alert educators to the film and to resources to be used at the Moral Courage Conference.

The lesson is published here:  https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/04/learning/lesson-plans/text-to-text-comparing-jewish-refugees-of-the-1930s-with-syrian-refugees-today.html

Our film and companion book are now available at your local independent bookstore and these sellers: 

PBS

Amazon

Barnes & Noble


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Autobiographies of Martha and Waitstill
Sharp​ 
available at the Kindle store!

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Church Mouse in the White House 
by Martha Sharp
​
Edited and introduced by Ghanda DiFiglia

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Liberation of the Human Spirit
by Waitstill Sharp
Edited and introduced by Ghanda DiFiglia
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​Defying the Nazis VR

Step inside a ship carrying child refugees who are fleeing Nazi France in order to find safety and freedom in the United States in 1940.
​
​Learn more about the VR Experience presented by Time & Life VR.

#SharpsWarPBS in the ​News 


​They risked their lives to rescue scores of people from the Nazis. Few knew their story until now.
Washington Post

Would You Hide a Jew from the Nazis?
Nicholas Kristof, NYTimes

Defying the Nazis on Charlie Rose
Charlie Rose

​Meet the American Couple Who Saved Refugees from Nazis During WWII

Newsweek

Unitarians' Long View on Activism
Boston Globe

Ken Burns Chronicles Heroes in PBS' 'Defying the Nazis'
USA Today


Defying the Nazis: The Sharps' War
PBS - Pressroom

How Ken Burns Polished a 'Diamond in the Rough'
The Wrap

Beacon Preps for PBS Tie-In
Publishers Weekly

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USHMM Special Preview


Exhibition Featuring Documents of Martha and Waitstill Sharp

A HYMN FOR THE BRAVE : the Sharps and Humanitarian Work in World War II is an exhibition featuring professional documents and personal records from the Martha and Waitstill Sharp Collection and the Robert Cloutman and Elisabeth Anthony Dexter papers, on view in Brown University’s John Hay Library from September 19 – December 23, 2016. 
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Visit The Sharps' War at PBS

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