Hannah Senesh, a young poet known for her bravery during WWII, was born 105 years ago today on July 17, 1921. On a secret mission, she parachuted into Nazi-occupied Europe to help rescue Hungarian Jews before they could be deported to the gas chambers at Auschwitz.
At just 22 years old, Hannah volunteered as a Jewish paratrooper serving with the British Army and parachuted into Yugoslavia in March 1944. There, she joined local partisan groups in the fight against the Nazis. Three months later, in June, she fearlessly crossed the border into Nazi-occupied Hungary, where she was captured, arrested, and tortured for several months. Despite her suffering, she never wavered in her loyalty to her people and her mission. Hannah was executed on November 7, 1944.
“There are stars whose radiance is visible on Earth though they have long been extinct. There are people whose brilliance continues to light the world even though they are no longer among the living. These lights are particularly bright when the night is dark. They light the way for humankind.” – Hannah Senesh
