Call For Foley Honour

by Justin Cohen - Wednesday 14th May 2008


Frank Foley. Pic courtesy of Yad Vashem

MPs from across the political spectrum have called for the government to consider changing the law to allow a British hero of the Holocaust to be posthumously honoured in this country.

Credited with saving an estimated 10,000 Jews, British intelligence worker Frank Foley hid Jews in his own home and used his cover job in the British Passport Control Office in Germany to enter concentration camps, presenting visas so that Jews could be freed to travel.

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Putting his own life in grave danger, his heroic deeds also included helping members of the community to obtain false papers and forged passports.

While Foley was recognised as Righteous Among the Nations in Israel in 1999, he is yet to be formerly honoured by the authorities in Britain. But now, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of his death, the Holocaust Educational Trust has launched a campaign to highlight the actions of Foley and other brave individuals, an effort which it is hoped will help bring out official honours for them.

As well as a petition on the Downing Street website which has already attracted more than 200 signatures, the drive also includes an Early day Motion, tabled by Lynda Waltho MP, which “calls on the British Government to consider changing the current statutes governing the honours system to allow a posthumous knighthood to be awarded to Frank Foley” and expresses hope “that this will pave the way for the recognition of other British rescuers… who risked their own lives and often the lives of their families to give life to others”.

Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik, one of the signitaries, told TJ: “Frank Foley’s bravery provides us with a lesson that is timeless – that we all need to find the courage to stand up and protect the innocent against those who would persecute or abuse.”

He added: “Official recognition of the incredible bravery of Frank Foley, and all the other Britons who risked so much to help save lives during the Holocaust would be a wonderful way of both promoting understanding of the history of the Holocaust but also a way of highlighting the stories of incredible personal bravery that are part of this terrible period in our history.”

HET Chief Executive Karen Pollock, who has written to Cabinet Office Minister Ed Miliband as part of the campaign, said: “We instigated this campaign, not only to continue raising awareness about the Holocaust, but also to highlight the brave actions of a small number of people who made a huge difference, saving thousands of lives.”

- To sign the petition, click on http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/UK-Rescuers/

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