At a time when the world was consumed by darkness during World War II, one American soldier made a decision that would save nearly 200 lives.
In January 1945, inside the Nazi POW camp Stalag IX-A, Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds faced a moment that could have ended his life. A German officer demanded that all Jewish prisoners step forward. It was a death sentence.
Edmonds refused.
Instead, he ordered all 1,200 American prisoners to stand together. When the Nazi officer pointed a gun at his head and demanded he identify the Jewish soldiers, Edmonds delivered a response that would become one of the most powerful acts of moral courage in wartime history:
“We are all Jews here.”
That moment saved nearly 200 Jewish soldiers from being separated and likely sent to their deaths.
For decades, Edmonds never spoke about what happened in that camp. It wasn’t until his son, Pastor Chris Edmonds, discovered his father’s diary that the full story came to light.
In 2016, the State of Israel and Yad Vashem honored Roddie Edmonds as Righteous Among the Nations — the highest recognition given to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust.
In this powerful speech delivered at American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Chris Edmonds shares the incredible story of his father’s bravery, faith, and moral conviction — and the legacy of courage that saved generations.
Sometimes history turns on a single moment.
And sometimes, one sentence can save hundreds of lives.
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