John heinrich detlef rabe november 23, 1882 january 5, 1950 was a german businessman and nazi party member who is best known for his efforts to stop the atrocities of the japanese army during the nanking occupation and his work to. The forgotten holocaust of world war ii is a bestselling 1997 nonfiction book written by iris chang about the 19371938 nanking massacre, the massacre and atrocities committed by the imperial japanese army after it captured nanjing, then capital of china, during the second sinojapanese war. It is also the moving and aweinspiring record of one mans conscience, courage, and generosity in the face of appalling human brutality. Parts of krogers report were published for the first time in. John rabe and his diary are the most important testimonial and eyewitness of the rape of nanking. One diary was that of john rabe, a german nazi party member who was the leader of the nanking safety zone, a demilitarized zone in nanjing that rabe and other westerners set up to protect chinese. As the head of the safety zone committee, he saved many lives and helped countless. He quickly organized a protected zone that, against great. Ive now had a better look at these guards and discovered that they did not stop and interrogate a single japanese soldier. It was iris chang, in 1996, who tracked down the descendants of john rabe in germany and discovered that john rabe left behind a 2000 pages of his diary. John rabe was the siemens factory manager in the city when the japanese army began its rampage in december 1937. The diaries of john rabe, alfred a knopf, new york, 1998. May contain limited notes, underlining or highlighting that does affect the text.
The nanking safety zone, which he helped to establish, sheltered approximately 200,000 chinese people. The diaries of john rabe new ed by rabe, john isbn. Yale divinity school library has a large collection of the documents relating to the nanking atrocities. Until the recent emergence of john rabe s diaries, few people knew. And thanks to him and others like him, we have accounts of what happened in nanjing at that time despite the japanese armys attempt to destroy the evidence. He is the author of several books about east asia, including the bestselling china seen from the inside. The japanese language literature is even more impressive. Nanjing acts quickly to help grandson of hero chinadaily. The diaries of john rabe is written by a german businessman who lived in nanjing at the time of the nanking massacre in 19371938. May 03, 2011 john rabe s house in nanjing is a museum now. He worked there as a businessman for the next three decades. Historical opera diaries of john rabe debuts in e chinas. Germanborn john rabe first came to china in 1908, when he was twentysix years. Contact the yale divinity library for more information about these documents.
The diaries of john rabe ppt 11172018 this video is unavailable. The diaries of john rabe 9780375701979 by rabe, john and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at. John rabe, diary, 17 december, 1937 in this diary entry, john rabe writes about the what he sees from the comfort of his home. For online information about other random house, inc. He is remembered as a great humanitarian despite remaining a loyal member of the nazi party. John rabes nanjing diaries testifying and contesting war. It documents the looting, raping, and killing of civilians in what became known as the rape of nanking. Dec 15, 2017 it took the famous chinese composer tang jianping and his team one year and five days to put the opera on stage. The diaries of john rabe reprint by rabe j, wickett e isbn. One man, a mild 55yearold german named john rabe who ran the local siemens factory, refused on the grounds that it would show a bad example to his chinese workers. Composer tang jianping thus combines the desire that the audience in this drama learns the brilliance of humanity. Jan 18, 2012 these diaries led me to conclude that john rabe was the oskar schindler of china. He spent two and a half years as a mercantile apprentice and subsequently worked at a continue reading biography. This was a time when little was known of the nanking massacre, as john rabe s diary as well as further books on the subject had not been published yet.
The opera 170 days in nanking the journals of john rabe is a touching piece of chinese contemporary history. According to tang, he has collected all available historical materials of john rabe his books, letters, video footage and other artwork to revive a vivid image of rabe for his great love of humanity. John heinrich detlef rabe 23 november 1882 5 january 1950 was a german businessman and nazi party member who is best known for his efforts to stop the atrocities of the japanese army during the nanking occupation and his work to protect and help the chinese civilians during the event. In november 1937, the japanese imperial army took nanking nanjing, the capital of china and home to 1. Excerpts from the diary of john rabe,1 a witness to the nanjing massacre, 1937 germanborn john rabe first came to china in 1908, when he was twentysix years old. Spine creases, wear to binding and pages from reading. Born in 1882 in hamburg, germany, rabe first came to shanghai in 1908. The diaries of john rabe from the worlds largest community of readers. The diary that is at the heart of the good man of nanking. Ebscohost serves thousands of libraries with premium essays, articles and other content including the good man of nanking. Accessories such as cd, codes, toys, may not be included. Possible ex library copy, thatll have the markings and stickers associated from the library. The remarkable deeds of rabe can be found in his diary, first published in 1997 and now available in several languages.
It is a contemporary journal of the person who was responsible for the maintenance of the safety zone. Until the recent emergence of john rabe s diaries, few. In december 1937, the japanese army conquered and occupied the chinese city of nanking. It was now all too obvious what they were going to do. He began working for the chinese branch of the siemens company in 1911 and 20 years later in 1931 transferred to nanjing and served as. By reading through this diary of a german national, a nazi party member, people should wonder where in the hell a socalled massacre of 300,000 chinese people took place. A germanchinese film by florian gellenberger, john rabe, tells the story of the massacre using excerpts from rabe s diary entries. This was a time when little was known of the nanking massacre, as john rabes diary as well as further books on the subject had not been published yet. The good man of nanking is a crucial document for understanding one of world war iis most horrific incidents of genocide, one which the japanese have steadfastly refused to acknowledge. John rabe was a significant thread throughout her book bc he lived every day of the occupation, and saved thousands of lives through his efforts. The diaries of john rabe covers a six month period from september, 1937when the japanese. Hitler and the nanking massacre exposed in rabes diary. This project was sponsored by the japan icu foundation. The john rabe story in 1937, john rabe a native of germany and a member of the nazi party helped to save the lives of thousands of chinese civilians during the.
The book contains the diaries that rabe kept during the nanking massacre, writing from his personal experience and observation of the events that took place. He fukui kiyoshi of the japanese embassy also informs me that our zone has now been surrounded by japanese guards, who will see to it that no prowling soldiers are allowed into the zone. It is also the moving and aweinspiring record of one mans conscience, courage. The good man of nanking is a crucial document for understanding one of world war iis most horrific incidents of genocide, one which the japanese have steadfastly. Rabe s trials were not over when he returned to wartime germany. John rabe, having lived and worked as a siemens representative in china for many years by the time japan occupied. The diary format provides a forum for the extraordinary power and immediacy of john rabe s words, including his gallows humor, placing the reader there in nanking as the bombs explode and the japanese soldiers begin their massacres. Rabe, who saved the lives of thousands of chinese during world war ii. Like a lot of diaries, you sometimes get the humdrum, but the insights into this kind, determined man is worth those. The nazi leader who, in 1937, became the oskar schindler of china. The diaries of john rabe is a collection of the personal journals of john rabe, a german businessman who lived in nanjing at the time of the nanking massacre in 19371938.
The diaries of john rabe is a true account of this awful part of chinese history, and of the efforts made by a few good people from the international community living in nanjing to defend and save the lives of as many residents of nanjing as possible. John heinrich detlev rabe november 23, 1882 january 5, 1950 was a german businessman who is best known for his efforts to stop the atrocities of the japanese army during the nanking occupation and his work to protect and help the chinese civilians during the event. In 1937, as the invading japanese army closed on nanking, then the capital of china, all foreigners were ordered to evacuate. All materials were scanned from holdings at the yale divinity library special collections. John rabe started his famous nanjing diaries on 21 september 1937, approximately twelve weeks before nanjing fell to the japanese. Hitler and the nanking massacre exposed in rabes diary furuso koichi, freelance journalist overlooked evidence the socalled nanking massacre was something that the chiang kaishek administration manufactured using foreigners. Dec 12, 1996 the businessman, john rabe, kept a 1,200page diary that provides a rare thirdparty account of the atrocities.
Diaries of a man who is justly called the oskar schindler of china. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The businessman, john rabe, kept a 1,200page diary that provides a rare thirdparty account of the atrocities. In it, he writes of digging foxholes in his backyard to shelter 650 chinese and of. In 1937, he was among the small group of western missionaries, doctors, and businessmen who established the. On september 22, 1937, john rabe picked up his pen with the same determination that the japanese soldiers advancing on nanking picked up their rifles, and began to record their terrible atrocities. Residence of john rabe, author of rabe s diary opened xinhua updated.
The nanking safety zone, which he helped to establish, sheltered approximately 200,000 chinese people from slaughter during. Eyewitnessofnanking1937 john rabe who ran the local siemens factory, refused on the grounds that it would show a bad example to his chinese workers. The diaries of john rabe john rabe, author, erwin wickert, editor, john e. Residence of john rabe, author of rabes diary opened. No sooner am i back in my office at committee headquarters, than my boy arrives with bad news the japanese have returned and now have 1,300 refugees tied up.
Until the recent emergence of john rabes diaries, few people knew abouth the. The book contains the diaries that rabe kept during the nanking massacre. The good man of nanking is a crucial document for understan. New research on the nanjing incident uschina institute. After thomas rabe the grandson of john rabe, who was dubbed the schindler of chinareached out for help from germany during the coronavirus outbreak, many people in. He began working for the chinese branch of the siemens company in 1911 and 20 years later in 1931 transferred to nanjing and served as director of the siemens branch office with his wife. Erwin wickert, noted scholar and german ambassador to china from 1976 to 1980, first met rabe in 1936 in nanking. John rabe s diary provides the concrete details of the atrocity in nanjing around the winter of 1937. The diaries of john rabe book online at best prices in india on. Over the next few months, diary entries written by john rabe in nanjing in 193738 and documents collected by him as part of his diary will be introduced on this blog.
It is also the moving and aweinspiring record of one mans cons. The diaries of john rabe by john rabe online at alibris. The diaries of john rabe 1998 is a crucial piece of evidence. Due to his fathers early death, rabe had to leave school after receiving his secondary education. John heinrich detlev rabe november 23, 1882 january 5, 1950 was a german businessman who is best known for his efforts to stop the atrocities of the japanese army during the nanking occupation and his work to protect and help the chinese civilians during. Erwin wickert the personal journals of german businessman john rabe describe the 1937 japanese siege of nanking and his efforts to protect the chinese from the massacre that followed. It tells the firsthand experience of john rabe in nanking, and his efforts to maintain order and peace before and during the japanese. Introducing diary entries john rabes nanjing diaries. Watch queue queue john rabe was a german businessman, living and working in nanking when the japanese invaded and conquered the city in 1937. No sooner am i back in my office at committee headquarters, than my boy arrives with bad news the japanese.