José Gambetta, the third Peruvian Righteous Among the Nations for saving Jews during World War II

“The Jewish Talmud – the compilation of ancient Jewish teachings and laws – tells us that ‘Whoever saves a life, saves an entire world'”, recalled the morning of this Thursday, the 12th, the ambassador of Israel in Peru, Eran Shmuel Yuvan, during the ceremony of awarding the posthumous distinction of Righteous Among the Nations to the Peruvian diplomat José Gambetta Bonatti for having saved the lives of Jews during the WWII.

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The event, organized by the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Israeli embassy, ​​took place at the Inca Garcilaso cultural center, located in downtown Lima. In addition to the Israeli ambassador, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Peru, Ignacio Higueras Hare; Holocaust survivor Hirsz Litmanowicz; and Gambetta’s great-grandnephew, Francisco Leo Luna.

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The Righteous Among the Nations title is awarded by Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center located in Israel, to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust.

To date, some 28,000 people of 50 different nationalities have received this award. To be considered a Righteous Among the Nations, Yad Vashem confirms that the applicant has directly participated in an act of salvation, has not asked for or received any type of payment or compensation in exchange for their help, has acted at personal risk, and has a history supported by testimonials or documents.

SILENT HERO

The son of Italian immigrants, born in Callao and a relative of the well-known soldier, politician, and cultural promoter Néstor Gambetta Bonatti (whose name is given to one of the avenues of our first port), José dedicated his life to serving the country from the diplomatic branch.

In 1939, when Germany led by Adolf Hitler launched its invasion of Poland, causing the outbreak of World War II, the chalaco diplomat was working at the Peruvian embassy in Warsaw.

Despite the fact that a year earlier from Torre Tagle a clear position had been established -although not official- of not supporting the Jews who escaped from the war, denying them passports and safe-conduct, Gambetta overcame his conscience over the labor orders.

He was injured during a Nazi bombardment of the Polish capital, for which he was sent to Romania as Consul General of Peru. So Gambetta decided to take with him the Jewish brothers Josef and Paul Trink, who worked as his assistants in both Warsaw and Bucharest. From said diplomatic headquarters, Gambetta himself organized evacuations of Jews who were trying to escape from the Nazis.

By 1942, relations with the Axis nations were becoming more and more complicated, leading to Gambetta being transferred again, this time to Lisbon. The diplomat decided, once again, to contravene Lima’s orders and gave the Trink brothers Peruvian service passports.

The two of them managed to leave Romania thanks to those documents, reach Switzerland and save their lives. A year later, in Torre Tagle they found out about Gambetta’s decisions, so they ordered the cancellation of the passports issued by his office and transferred him to Switzerland.

This also meant the end of Gambetta’s diplomatic career.

From left to right: Francisco Leo Luna, the Israeli ambassador, Eran Shmuel Yuvan; the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Peru, Ignacio Higueras Hare and the Holocaust survivor, Hirsz Litmanowicz. (EMBASSY OF ISRAEL IN PERU/)

IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER

“The recognition of Mr. José Gambetta as Righteous Among the Nations responds to the request of Claude, son of Josef Trink and Emmanuel, son of Paul Trink, to Yad Vashem,” Ambassador Eran Shmuel Yuvan explained during the ceremony.

“For them it was a moral obligation to honor Mr. Gambetta, because his decision saved the lives of his parents,” added the Israeli diplomat.

After going through the respective evaluation by the Committee of the Just, Yad Vashem recognized Gambetta in February 2022 and notified his family. At the home of Francisco Leo Luna, great-grandnephew of the diplomat and family member who received the distinction, the news was totally surprising.

“For our family, as well as for many of you, it has been a pleasant surprise to learn about José Gambetta’s actions,” he said during his thank-you speech. Leo Luna commented to Trade that he remembered his mother, Amanda Luna Gambetta, niece of the decorated diplomat, speaking about him on some occasions.

On the other hand, Leo Luna stressed the importance that “in these convulsive moments and plagued by sad examples of corruption, we can spread the actions of upright and just compatriots.”

“May this recognition serve the actions of José Gambetta Bonatti, as the example to follow in the face of the great adversities and challenges of life,” he added.

Source: Elcomercio