Museum exhibits 'Legacy of the Bielski Brothers' through Nov. 13

Aug. 12—FAYETTEVILLE — The U.S. Army Airborne and Special Operations Museum will exhibit "Courage and Compassion: The Legacy of the Bielski Brothers" through November.

This original, award-winning exhibition showcases the heroic efforts of three brothers who helped save more than 1,200 people while living in the forest during World War II.

The story behind the exhibit

Operating in Western Belorussia (Belarus) between 1942 and 1944, the Bielski partisan group was one of the most significant Jewish resistance efforts against Nazi Germany during World War II, according to the museum. As portrayed in the popular film "Defiance," the three brothers, Tuvia, Asael, and Zus Bielski, took refuge from the Nazis in the forests surrounding Novogrudok, Belarus. In the forest, they formed a community of men, women, and children.

Through the brothers' leadership, the group survived starvation, harsh winters, and the threat of the Nazis and their collaborators.

While its members did fight against the Germans and their collaborators, the Bielski group leaders emphasized providing a safe haven for Jews, particularly women, children and th elderly that managed to flee into the forests.

For more than two years the brothers commanded their partisan unit in the Belorussian forests. Under the protection of the Bielski group, more than 1,200 Jews survived the war, one of the most successful rescue efforts during the Holocaust.

Their acts of rescue during extremely dangerous times stands as a monument to courage and compassion. The Bielski brothers may be called Upstanders, individuals willing to put their own lives in danger on behalf of others. This exhibition tells their story.

"Courage and Compassion: The Legacy of the Bielski Brothers" is on loan from The Florida Holocaust Museum and is on display in the ASOM's temporary gallery through Nov. 13.