Ho Feng-Shan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ho Feng-Shan
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Ho Feng-Shan
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| Born | 10 September 1901 Yiyang, Hunan, China
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| Died | 28 September 1997 (aged 96) San Francisco, California, United States
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| Nationality |   United States |
| Occupation | Diplomat |
| Political party | Kuomintang |
Ho Feng-Shan (traditional Chinese: 何鳳山; simplified Chinese: 何凤山; pinyin: Hé Fèngshān 10 September 1901 – 28 September 1997) was a brave Chinese diplomat. He worked for the Republic of China. During World War II, he was the top diplomat in Vienna, Austria. He took a big risk to save many Jewish people.
Ho Feng-Shan gave them special papers called visas. These visas helped Jewish people escape danger. He did this even though his bosses told him not to. Because of his actions, thousands of lives were saved. He was honored for his bravery after he passed away. In 2000, an Israeli group called Yad Vashem gave him the title "Righteous Among the Nations."
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ho Feng-Shan was born on 10 September 1901. His hometown was Yiyang, in Hunan Province, China. When he was only seven years old, his father died.
Ho was a very dedicated student. He worked hard and was able to attend the Yali School. This school was in the capital city of Changsha. Later, he studied at Yale-in-China University. In 1929, he went to Germany to study at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. He earned his doctorate degree in political economics in 1932.
A Diplomat's Courage in World War II
In 1935, Ho Feng-Shan began his career as a diplomat. He worked for the Foreign Ministry of the Republic of China. His first job was in Turkey. In 1937, he moved to Vienna, Austria. He became the First Secretary at the Chinese office there.
Helping Jews Escape Danger
In 1938, Nazi Germany took control of Austria. This event was called the Anschluss. The Chinese office in Vienna became a consulate. Ho Feng-Shan was made the Consul-General. This meant he was the main diplomat there.
After a terrible event called Kristallnacht in 1938, Jewish people in Austria faced great danger. There were almost 200,000 Jewish people in Austria. Their only way to be safe was to leave Europe. To leave, they needed proof they were moving. This was usually a visa from another country.
It was very hard to get a visa. In 1938, many countries met at the Évian Conference. Out of 32 countries, 31 refused to take Jewish immigrants. Only the Dominican Republic offered to help.
Ho Feng-Shan decided to act. He went against the orders of his boss, the Chinese ambassador in Berlin. Ho started giving visas to Jewish people. These visas allowed them to travel to Shanghai, China. At that time, parts of Shanghai were still controlled by the Republic of China.
Visas for Freedom
Even though a visa wasn't strictly needed to enter Shanghai, it was essential for Jews to leave Austria. Ho issued many visas for humanitarian reasons. In just the first three months as Consul-General, he gave out 1,200 visas.
Many Jewish families used these visas to go to Shanghai. From there, most traveled to places like Hong Kong and Australia. Ho continued to issue visas until May 1940. That's when he was told to return to China.
We don't know the exact number of visas Ho gave out. We know he issued the 200th visa in June 1938. He signed the 1906th visa on 27 October 1938. It is believed that he saved thousands of lives through his brave actions.
After the War
After the war, Ho Feng-Shan continued his diplomatic career. He served as an ambassador for the Republic of China (Taiwan) in several countries. These included Egypt, Mexico, Bolivia, and Colombia.
He retired in 1973 and moved to San Francisco, California. There, he wrote his life story called My Forty Years as a Diplomat. This book was published in 1990. His son, Monto Ho, later made a shorter English version of the book.
In 2015, President Ma Ying-jeou of Taiwan honored Dr. Ho. He presented a special certificate of appreciation to Ho's daughter. Representatives from Israel were also there.
Later Life and Legacy
Ho Feng-Shan passed away on 28 September 1997. He was 96 years old. He died in San Francisco, California. He was survived by his son, Monto Ho, and his daughter, Manli Ho.
Awards and Recognition
During his lifetime, Ho's brave actions in Vienna were not widely known. In fact, he even received a negative mark in his work file for not following orders.
However, his heroism was finally recognized after his death. In 2001, the Israeli organization Yad Vashem honored him. They gave him the title "Righteous Among the Nations." This award is given to non-Jewish people who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust. In 2004, he was also honored by Boys Town Jerusalem.
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Images for kids
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Memorial plaque dedicated to Ho Feng Shan at the Jewish Refugees Museum in Shanghai.
See also
In Spanish: Ho Feng-Shan para niños
