Righteous Among The Nations

Anna Maria Haas

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Haas is best remembered for her support of Josef and Sidonie Rubin-Bittman over several years during the war. Haas lived in the 9th district and was friends with Josef and Sidonie who lived in the same neighborhood. Sidonie was a relative of Martin Buber from Lemberg. After the family abandoned their flat in 1939 and gone underground to avoid deportation, they had to live in disguise, and they often had to change their hiding places. In 1944, while Josef and Sidonie hid in the cellar of a house, Sidonie gave birth to her first son Fritz. Anna-Maria visited them often in their hiding places and brought them groceries, baby food and milk.

A simplified version of the medal awarded to those who are named Righteous Among the Nations.

Although Josef lived in disguise and worked under heavy and dangerous conditions, he tried to help Hungarian Jews who had already been selected by the Gestapo for deportation to an Extermination camp. He also began a relief operation for a Jewish child camp in Ferdinandstrasse in the 2nd district. Haas also supplied him with food and medication for the children's camp.