At a  time  when  millions  were murdered an indifferent world, there were some men and at times some governments who chose to act not for praise or glory, but in the name of simple human decency

In doing so they dispelled the myths that people were powerless to resist against the Nazis. Desperate Hours tells the stories of those precious few who in the face of utter darkness never lost their sight.

In telling these little known stories from Holocaust-Shoa, and World War II. the film documents this moment in time when groups of Muslims, Jews and Christians worked together to save lives.

THE AREAS EXPLORED IN THE FILM ARE:

How the Turkish diplomats for example in France, Rhodes and rest of Europe put their own lives at risk to rescue as many European Jews, Jewish descent, Jews&Turks of Turkish and non Turkish origin as possible.

How Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his country Turkey recruited and saved all the very talented elite men and women, that in February 1933 Hitler and Nazi Germany discarded for deportation to kill all of them in the Deathcamps, to revamp their Turkish sciences architecture music art, medicine, and all kind of legal education.

The movie Desperate Hours is a new documentary about Turkey's great and unique role during the Holocaust-Shoa 1933 - 1945 World War II, and  is proof that there are still so many unique stories of Turkey to be told and to be applauded.

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To bear in remembrance,- Turkish citizens, the victims
of  the Holocaust - Shoa 1933-1945 Mr. Harry Ojalvo.

We should always remember and never forget the countless innocent victims of Turkey, the Turkish citizens, former Turkish citizens and of Turkish descent Jews&Turks, the mislaying victims murdered during the Holocaust-Shoa 1933-1945 and the great live saving action of the unique Turkish Diplomats with the Diplomatic Corp of Turkey and the world wide unique helping hand of the Turkish Nation during the past and during the Holocaust-Shoa to the countless European Jews, Jewish descent and Christian refugee’ families and children, the victims.

The Exceptional Mr. Harry Ojalvo, who has been living before and during the Holocaust-Shoa and World war II. in Istanbul, Turkey for decades, he is still loved today in Turkey. (He became later a writer and the curator of World Quincentannial Foundation).

How the Yishuv, the Jews from the pre State Israel did daringly use Turkey as a base to rescue all the Jews from locales, such as the famous Pera Palace Hotel in Istanbul, the Turkey terminus of the Orient Express.

The tragic sinking of the Struma refugee ship with all the 1760 refugees on board and the odyssey  of  its lone survivor David Stollar (Simon Brod ).

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To bear in remembrance Turkish citizens, the victims of 
the Holocaust - Shoa  1933-1945 good Father Roncalli.

We should always remember and never forget the countless innocent victims of Turkey, the Turkish citizens, former Turkish citizens and of Turkish descent Jews&Turks, the mislaying victims murdered during the Holocaust-Shoa 1933-1945 and the great live saving action of the unique Turkish Diplomats with the Diplomatic Corp of Turkey and the world wide unique helping hand of the Turkish Nation during the past and during the Holocaust-Shoa to the countless European Jews, Jewish descent and Christian refugee’ families and children, the victims.

Good Father Roncalli, had been living before and during the Holocaust-Shoa and World war II. in Istanbul, Turkey for decades, he has been loved in Turkey in the past and still is today. (He later became the Pope John XXIII. and in the year 2000 he became Saint in Istanbul-Turkey).

How Monsignor Roncalli who later became the Pope John XXIII., then the Apostolic Delegate in Istanbul worked with the delegates of the Yishuv and with the Turkish Diplomats and Diplomatic Corp, and the experiences he made there and then inspired him to change all about Catholic teaching towards Jews later in Vatican in 1962.

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To bear in remembrance,- Turkish citizens, the victims
of  the Holocaust - Shoa  1933-1945  Mr. Teddy Kollek.

We should always remember and never forget the countless innocent victims of Turkey, the Turkish citizens, former Turkish citizens and of Turkish descent Jews&Turks, the mislaying victims murdered during the Holocaust-Shoa 1933-1945 and the great live saving action of the unique Turkish Diplomats with the Diplomatic Corp of Turkey and the world wide unique helping hand of the Turkish Nation during the past and during the Holocaust-Shoa to the countless European Jews, Jewish descent and Christian refugee’ families and children, the victims.

Mr Teddy Kollek, during the Holocaust-Shoa from 1933-1945 in Istanbul/Turkey, he later became the Mayor of Jerusalem/Israel 1965-1993.  Mr. Teddy Kollek during the Holocaust-Shoa 1933-1945 in Istanbul/Turkey.

How they rescued all the European Jews and Jewish descent, the victims of the Holocaust-Shoa from all European countries with Turkey.

The documentary film Desperate Hours is based on authoritative scholarship by many American, Israeli, Turkish, Italian historians as well as interviews with survivors and former diplomats and clergy in Israel, Italy, Turkey, Austria, France and the United States.

The infamous “Jews for Sale” the deal - the attempt in 1944 to trade one million Jews for 10,000 trucks.

Documentary film Desperate Hours the Executive producer is Prof. Dr. Michael Berenbaum.
Documentary film Desperate Hours is directed and produced by Dr. Victoria Barett.
Documentary film Desperate Hours the Executive historian is Prof. Dr. Michael Berenbaum.

Desperate Hours is a one hour documentary movie, it tells the real story of the two ancient people, the Turks&Jews and their unique paths crossing for over hundreds of years.

It focuses upon the one of many little known stories of Turkey and the Holocaust-Shoa through all the interviews with the survivors and with the former live diplomats and clergy in Israel, Turkey, Italy, United States etc. 

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Picture: the expulsion and persecution of  countless innocent victims, Turkish citizens the  former Turkish citizens and Turkish  descent Jews&Turks, European Jews, Jewish descent, their families and children from France, Nazi-Germany Nazi-Allies countries and Nazi-Occupied countries  in Europe during the Holocaust-Shoa 1933-1945 and World War II. The deportation:. Here for example in France the Vichy Government, SS, Gestapo, Nazi-Armed forces, French police, army, gendarmerie, catchers and collaborators in the streets of France after genital-check (male-check) of the countless and helpless Turkish citizens and Turkish descent Jews&Turks, European Jews and Jewish descent and their immediately deportation to the many different Deathcamps

Because of Turkey’s geographical relationship to both Europe and Palestine it had a unique situation to play a major role in the lives of many Jews during Holocaust- Shoa and World War II.

The film introduces the viewer into the great role that Turkey as a neutral country played in saving Jewish and Jewish descent lives during the Holocaust-Shoah 1933- 1945.

“Additional information„

Picture: the expulsion and persecution of  countless innocent victims, Turkish citizens the  former Turkish citizens and Turkish  descent Jews&Turks European Jews, Jewish descent, their families and children from France, Nazi-Germany Nazi-Allies countries and Nazi-Occupied countries  in Europe during the Holocaust-Shoa 1933-1945 and World War II. The deportation:. Here for example in France the Vichy Government, SS, Gestapo, Nazi-Armed forces, French police, army, gendarmerie, catchers and collaborators in the streets of France after genital-check (male-check) of the countless and helpless Turkish citizens and Turkish descent Jews&Turks, European Jews and Jewish descent and their immediately deportation to the many different Deathcamps.

Turkish citizens, former Turkish citizens, Turkish descent Jews & Turks during Holocaust-Shoa 1933-1945 and World War II. the male check in the streets of France at day and night time by the Vichy Government the French police, the Gestapo, Nazis, and finally the immediately deportation to the countless Deathcamps in Europe.

“Additional information„

Picture: the expulsion and persecution of  countless innocent victims, Turkish citizens the  former Turkish citizens and Turkish  descent Jews&Turks, European Jews, Jewish descent, their families and children from France, Nazi-Germany Nazi-Allies countries and Nazi-Occupied countries  in Europe during the Holocaust-Shoa 1933-1945 and World War II. The deportation:. Here for example in France the Vichy Government, SS, Gestapo, Nazi-Armed forces, French police, army, gendarmerie, catchers and collaborators in the streets of France after genital-check (male-check) of the countless and helpless Turkish citizens and Turkish descent Jews&Turks, European Jews and Jewish descent and their immediately deportation to the many different Deathcamps.

The President of  Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of the modern Turkish republic led his country in giving refuge to all the academic exiles from Nazi-Germany, Nazi Austria, Nazi Switzerland (Bergier Report), Nazi-Allies countrys and the Nazi-Occupied European countrys and all Turkish leaders welcomed Jewish professors and scientists, including those of Jewish origin who though being practicing Christians were defined as Jews by the Nazi racial laws (because they had two or, more) Jewish grandparents.

After and before World War I. many Turkish citizens, former Turkish citizens, and Turkish descent, Jews&Turks have been living in all European countries and were fully integrated in the culture of their countries like in France - Belgium - Italy - Austria - Bulgaria - Poland - Czechoslavakia - Monaco - Yugoslavia - Romania - Switzerland - Netherlands - Luxemburg - and Greece including the island of Crete, Cos and Rhodes etc.

“Additional information„

Picture: the expulsion and persecution of  countless innocent victims, Turkish citizens the  former Turkish citizens and Turkish  descent Jews&Turks, European Jews, Jewish descent, their families and children from France, Nazi-Germany Nazi-Allies countries and Nazi-Occupied countries  in Europe during the Holocaust-Shoa 1933-1945 and World War II. The deportation:. Here for example in France the Vichy Government, SS, Gestapo, Nazi-Armed forces, French police, army, gendarmerie, catchers and collaborators in the streets of France after genital-check (male-check) of the countless and helpless Turkish citizens and Turkish descent Jews&Turks, European Jews and Jewish descent and their immediately deportation to the many different Deathcamps.

The Turkish government welcomed the German and all other European professionals whose political views were at odds with the Nazi ideology in Nazi Germany, Nazi Austria, Nazi Switzerland (Bergier Report), etc, and all scientists dismissed by Hitler’s government.

Huge numbers of all kind of scholars were integrated in the Turkish educational system already since 1931. Additionally the Turkish Republic’s constitution does not discriminate any citizens, humans and persons because of their religion, the Jews and Jewish descent and Christians from Europe received equal rights and were fully protected under the Turkish law.

“Additional information„

Picture: the expulsion and persecution of  countless innocent victims, Turkish citizens the  former Turkish citizens and Turkish  descent Jews&Turks, European Jews, Jewish descent, their families and children from France, Nazi-Germany Nazi-Allies countries and Nazi-Occupied countries  in Europe during the Holocaust-Shoa 1933-1945 and World War II. The deportation:. Here for example in France the Vichy Government, SS, Gestapo, Nazi-Armed forces, French police, army, gendarmerie, catchers and collaborators in the streets of France after genital-check (male-check) of the countless and helpless Turkish citizens and Turkish descent Jews&Turks, European Jews and Jewish descent and their immediately deportation to the many different Deathcamps.

Additionally came between 1933 and 1945 all kind of Jews and Jewish descent, Professors, Doctors, Artists, Physics, Lawyers, Teachers, Musicians, Businessmen, Designers, Chemists, Economists, Linguists, Architects,  Art Directors, Dentists, Historians, Political Scientists, as Philologists, Roman Theatre, Mathematicians, Paintesr, Medicines, Biologist, all kind of Scientisst and Scholars came from Nazi - Germany, Nazi - Allies countries and from Nazi - Occupied European countries and people found a safe haven from the darkness of  Nazi-Germany, Nazi-Allies countries and Nazi-Occupied countries of Europe in those days in an ancient land, the two ancient peoples.

Although all kind of Christian Professors, Scholars, children, families and refugees came from Nazi-Germany, Nazi-Allies countries and Nazi-Occupied European countries from 1933'til 1945 and they all found a save haven in Turkey too.

“Additional information„

Picture: the expulsion and persecution of  countless innocent victims, Turkish citizens the  former Turkish citizens and Turkish  descent Jews&Turks, European Jews, Jewish descent, their families and children from France, Nazi-Germany Nazi-Allies countries and Nazi-Occupied countries  in Europe during the Holocaust-Shoa 1933-1945 and World War II. The deportation:. Here for example in France the Vichy Government, SS, Gestapo, Nazi-Armed forces, French police, army, gendarmerie, catchers and collaborators in the streets of France after genital-check (male-check) of the countless and helpless Turkish citizens and Turkish descent Jews&Turks, European Jews and Jewish descent and their immediately deportation to the many different Deathcamps.

 

“Additional information„
  Picture: The Deathcamp entrance in
Auschwitz/Poland.

The innocent countless Turkish citizens, former Turkish citizens and Turkish descent, Jews&Turks, were murdered during the Holocoust-Shoa 1933-1945 and World War II. in Nazi-Germany, Nazi-Allies countries and Nazi-Occupied countries in Europe, for example in France.

During the Holocaust-Shoa 1933-1945 the citizens of Turkey, Jewish&Turkish men, adolescents and children, our citizens and relatives have suffered (a Male check) genital-control in the streets of France for 24 hours- through the French Vichy Government,  Gendarmerie, Police, French-Army, Collaborators, SS, Gestapo and Nazi- Armed forces.

The „Genital Control (Male Check) if Circumcissed“ then immediately shot, or the quick deportation  from the streets of France with identity papers or „without identity papers“ they were sent to many Deathcamps for ethnic cleansing and mass murdering.

To bear in remembrance the innocent Turkish citizens, former Turkish citizens and Turkish descent, Jews&Turks the victims of the Holocaust-Shoa.

Between 1933 and end of May 1945 the unique great old European Jewish&Turkish society, the multi cultural community of Jews&Turks including their elderly people, families, children were all wiped out in the gas chambers of Europe the Deathcamps.