Mohammed Helmy

Mod Helmy, Friedhof Heerstraße - Mutter Erde fec,

Mohammed Helmy was an Egyptian physician recognized for his heroic efforts during World War II. Born in Khartoum in 1901 to an Egyptian father and a Sudanese mother, Helmy moved to Berlin in the 1920s to study medicine. He worked in the Robert Koch Hospital in Berlin, where he would later carry out his acts of courage.

During World War II, the Nazi regime in Germany implemented the Holocaust, a systematic persecution and murder of millions of Jews. Despite the grave risks, Helmy used his position and connections to save numerous Jewish lives. He hid several Jews in a cabin he owned in the Berlin suburb of Buch, and he also leveraged his network to provide them with false identification papers and medical certificates that exempted them from the Nazi sterilization laws and deportation.

One of the most notable individuals he saved was Anna Boros Gutman, a 21-year-old Jewish woman. Helmy hid Gutman and her family for the duration of the war, at great personal risk. His actions were a direct defiance of the Nazi laws and directives, and if caught, he would have faced severe punishment or death.

For his bravery and humanitarian efforts, Mohammed Helmy was recognized posthumously by Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Israel. In 2013, he was named Righteous Among the Nations, an honor awarded to non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis. Helmy is the first Arab to receive this prestigious recognition.

Despite the recognition, Helmy's story remained relatively unknown for many years, both in Germany and his native Egypt. In recent years, however, there has been a growing interest in his life and the courageous actions he took during one of history's darkest periods. His story is not only a testament to his personal courage and moral integrity but also serves as a powerful example of the impact one individual can have on the lives of many.

Helmy passed away in 1982 in Berlin, where he had lived most of his life. His legacy continues to inspire those who learn of his bravery and selflessness during a time of widespread hatred and violence.