Witnesses of the Nanjing Massacre: The Life of John Rabe

Author: Huang Huiying
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-12-01
Features: Return the world to humanity, return humanity to oneself. In 1937, the inhuman atrocities of the Japanese army, the blood of 300,000 compatriots staining the Yangtze River red, the heart-stirring Nanjing rescue, the guardian angel of the Nanjing Massacre. At the turn of the late 19th century, in the crossroads of Europe, the city of Hamburg, Germany, a legendary hero named John Rabe was born. Return the world to humanity, return humanity to oneself. The essence of humanism, like a perpetually shining new moon, bathes and purifies countless souls, and also shapes Rabe's life philosophy. He came to China to work in 1909 and successively became the manager of Siemens branches in Beijing, Tianjin, and Nanjing. He lived in China for 30 years, interacting with all strata of Chinese society, giving him a unique perspective on Chinese society. Before the Japanese army's advance on Nanjing in 1937, he rushed back from Beidaihe to Nanjing and was pushed by some foreigners to become the chairman of the Nanjing Safety Zone. On December 13, the Japanese army conquered Nanjing and carried out a shocking and bloody massacre. The ancient city of Jinling plunged into a dark sea of terror. Rabe used his Nazi identity to shelter more than 600 Chinese civilians in his residence. In the less than 4 square kilometers of the safety zone he was responsible for, he and the ten-plus foreigners he led not only saved the lives of 250,000 Chinese people but also upheld the truth and dignity of humanity. In his rented courtyard at No. 1 Xiaofenqiao, he wrote the famous "Rabe Diary." In the spring of 1938, after returning to Germany, Rabe gave speeches exposing the frenzied atrocities of the Japanese army in Nanjing and was persecuted by the Gestapo. After World War II, Rabe again faced unfair treatment due to his Nazi background. During hisdepressed days, the people of Nanjing raised funds for him and sent him food, reigniting his courage to live. In 1950, Rabe died of a stroke in Berlin. It wasn't until more than half a century later that Rabe, like a triumphant hero, emerged from the fog of history to walk toward us. His diary was made public; the former residence in Nanjing where he lived was verified; his tombstone was placed in Nanjing; and the refugees he had saved spoke openly of their experiences. The passion of the Chinese people erupted like a volcano, pouring out to this peace warrior. Today, standing before the former residence of Rabe, we can still hear his hearty laughter and heavy sighs, see his angry gestures as he waved his arms, and observe his silhouette as he wrote frantically at his desk.