Extraordinary Photos From History Explained

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Die Edeljude

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This is a photo of Dr. Edoard Bloch, the physician who treated Adolf Hitler’s mother for cancer, and who received his special protection. Hitler was very close to his mother, and was not shy about showing his heartfelt gratitude to the doctor upon her death for everything he had done to help treat her. In 1938 after some political reshuffling of the Nazi party in Austria, Bloch’s medical practice was closed. He ended up writing a letter to Hitler asking for help, and then was put under special protection by the Gestapo. Hiter was known to have told Nazi officials, “Dr. Bloch is an “Edeljude” — a noble Jew. If all Jews were like him, there would be no Jewish question.” Bloch was the only Jewish man in Linz with this status, and soon became one of the few Jewish families left in town. Bloch and his wife Lilli were allowed to remain in their home without disturbance for nearly three years while the country around them was being upheaved by Nazi rhetoric. Bloch was even known to put up displaced Jews in his house in Linz from time to time. Eventually, Bloch asked Hitler if he could join his daughter in New York, and when Hitler agreed, he was allowed to emigrate and went to live in the Bronx.