Hero's daughter: Speak out or evil wins
Irene Gut Opdyke made a choice. As a young Polish housekeeper working for a German military officer during World War II, Opdyke risked her life to save 12 Jews from the Holocaust. She hid them under her Nazi boss' nose - in his own villa.
Irene Gut Opdyke made a choice.
As a young Polish housekeeper working for a German military officer during World War II, Opdyke risked her life to save 12 Jews from the Holocaust. She hid them under her Nazi boss' nose - in his own villa.
She was a hero.
Jeannie Smith, Opdyke's daughter, used that story on Thursday at the Pennsylvania Convention Center to inspire more than 500 students to take a stand against bullying, prejudice and hatred in the 52 city, suburban, and rural high schools that they attend.
"We have an opportunity, we have a choice, every single day," Smith said at the 10th annual Anti-Defamation League Youth Leadership Conference.
Opdyke's boss, Major Eduard Rugemer, eventually discovered what she was doing. He agreed to keep her secret - but forced her to become his mistress in exchange. It wasn't until Smith was 14 that her mother shared her experience during the Holocaust.
"I remember her looking at us and saying, 'All these years that I've kept silent, I've allowed evil, I've allowed the enemy to win,'" Smith said. "Because when we don't speak out about what hate can do, history will continue to repeat itself."
Opdyke's book "In My Hand" is used in classrooms. Her life story was performed on Broadway in "Irena's Vow." Scriptwriters are working on a feature-length film.
In an interview Thursday, Smith said her message is fitting for high-school students because Opdyke was only 18 when the war broke out. She said it is particularly important in today's political environment to high school students to embrace diversity and stand up to hate.
"The truth of the matter is, if you live a life of love with an attitude of forgiveness, your life gets big, not small," Smith told the students. "If mom were here today, this little tiny woman - after hugging you to near death - would look at each one of you and say,'One person can make a difference.'"
The Youth Leadership Conference was held during what the state Legislature has designed "No Place for Hate" week in Pennsylvania. The students, selected from public, private, charter and parochial schools from the tri-state area, participated in workshops prior to the keynote speech.
"It's a group of kids that don't know each other from vastly diverse backgrounds coming together to learn ADL's message about why diversity is of value and not something to be afraid of," said Lisa Friedlander, project director of the ADL's No Place for Hate program.
Friedlander said the workshops encourage students how to challenge bullying and biases. Afterwards, they meet with classmates to discuss how to make positive change in their schools.
"We're not saying that bullying leads to genocide," she said. "But we're saying it starts somewhere."
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