RhetTech
Abstract
This Fall in my Composition & Rhetoric course, we learned about the Albanian Muslims and how during World War II there was no discrimination against Jews in Albania. We covered the Besa Muslims which was something new to me that I thought was both important and historic. In my paper, I make the argument that their willingness to sacrifice, put themselves in danger, and save people of a different religion was selfless, heroic, and remarkable for a country with hardly any Jewish population. My paper tells the stories of two specific Albanian Muslims who helped shelter and assist their Jewish neighbors, and how these people are now recognized by the State of Israel as among The Righteous of the Nations for their bravery and selflessness. The fact that Albania was the only country in that part of the world to have more Jews than fewer after the war ended needs to be more widely known and appreciated. The lessons shared are crucial for peace in today's world that is so filled with conflict.
Recommended Citation
Freeman, Chloe
(2023)
"The Besa Code of Honor: Albanian Muslims Who
Saved the Jewish People During World War II,"
RhetTech: Vol. 5, Article 11.
Available at:
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/rhettech/vol5/iss1/11
