Originally published on November 6, 2023 (Episode 341)
Introduction
Beginning in 1940, a group of Polish diplomats based in Bern, Switzerland, orchestrated a daring program of forging passports and identity documents from Latin American countries. These papers were then smuggled into Nazi-occupied Europe, where they became lifelines for Jews targeted for deportation and extermination.
Led by Aleksander Ładoś, the Polish ambassador to Switzerland, the so-called Ładoś Group operated until 1943 and may have saved as many as 10,000 people—making it one of the largest organized rescue operations of the Holocaust. In his new book The Forgers: The Forgotten Story of the Holocaust’s Most Audacious Rescue Operation (Basic Books, 2023), historian Roger Moorhouse recovers this remarkable, and too often overlooked, story of deception, diplomacy, and survival.
About the Guest
Roger Moorhouse is a visiting professor at the College of Europe in Warsaw. His books include Poland 1939: The Outbreak of World War II (winner of the Polish Foreign Ministry History Prize), Berlin at War (shortlisted for the Hessell-Tiltman Prize), and The Devils’ Alliance.
For Further Investigation
Roger Moorhouse, The Forgers: The Forgotten Story of the Holocaust’s Most Audacious Rescue Operation (Basic Books, 2023)
“Researchers unlock the mystery of Polish diplomats who rescued Jews” (Times of Israel)
Related Episodes
“Founder of Modern Poland”, the life of Józef Piłsudski, socialist, bank robber, self-taught military thinker, freedom-fighter, and dictator
“Third Reich Village”, on Oberstdorf and the rise of fascism in an Alpine community
💬 Listen & Discuss
What does the story of the Ładoś Group teach us about resistance, risk, and moral courage under dictatorship? Share your reflections in the comments, and pass this episode along to someone interested in Holocaust history, Poland, or the history of diplomacy.
