The Citizen-Turned-Rescuer

 

The Citizen-Turned-Rescuer: Charles Coward – “The Count of Auschwitz”

Charles Coward (yep, that was really his last name) was a British Army sergeant-major who was captured by the Germans early in WWII and eventually ended up in a prisoner-of-war camp right next to Auschwitz.

Because of his rank and background, he was used by the Germans as a Red Cross liaison between the POWs and the Nazis. That role gave him just enough freedom to pull off something incredible.

Coward became one of the few people to smuggle Jews out of Auschwitz — and here’s how he did it:

  • He started secretly trading supplies and chocolate from the Red Cross packages with Jewish prisoners — gaining their trust and learning the inner workings of the camp.

  • He bribed guards, gathered intelligence on the atrocities taking place, and even faked being a Jewish prisoner himself for a few nights to see it with his own eyes.

  • He managed to smuggle out hundreds of names and details of Jewish prisoners and their fates, which he passed to the British and Red Cross through secret channels.

But here’s the wildest part: he allegedly smuggled at least several Jewish prisoners out by disguising them as British POWs and getting them moved out of the camp entirely. He even forged paperwork and uniforms.

After the war, Coward testified in the Nuremberg Trials, providing first-hand accounts of what he had seen. Despite being eligible for several honors, he was a humble guy and lived the rest of his life quietly in England.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Year of Sorrow (ʿĀm al-Ḥuzn)

Image
  One of the most moving and historically true stories from the life of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the Year of Sorrow (ʿĀm al-Ḥuzn) —a period of deep personal loss and immense spiritual endurance that shows both his humanity and his unwavering trust in God. 📅 The Year of Sorrow (619 CE) This year was named so because two of the most beloved and supportive people in the Prophet’s life passed away within months of each other: Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (RA) — his wife, partner, and first believer. Abu Talib — his uncle and protector. 💔 The Death of Khadijah Khadijah was not only the Prophet’s wife but also his closest confidante. She was the first person to believe in his prophethood , giving him comfort, emotional strength, and financial support during the earliest and hardest years of Islam. When she passed away after 25 years of marriage, the Prophet ﷺ was heartbroken. Her absence left a deep emotional void in his life. He once said: "She believed in me when no on...
Read more

The Judgment of Solomon

Image
  🏛️ The Judgment of Solomon During Solomon's reign as king of Israel, two women came to him with a heartbreaking dispute. Both had recently given birth, but one of the babies had died during the night. Each woman claimed the living baby as her own. They pleaded their cases before King Solomon: Woman A said, “The other woman's baby died, and while I was asleep, she switched our babies. When I woke up to nurse my son, he was dead. But when I looked closely, I saw that he wasn’t my child.” Woman B insisted, “No! The living child is mine, and the dead one is hers.” There were no witnesses. It was one woman’s word against the other’s. ⚖️ Solomon’s Surprising Judgment King Solomon paused. Then he made a startling declaration: “Bring me a sword.” When the sword was brought, he said: “Cut the living child in two and give half to each woman.” Immediately, one of the women cried out , “No, my lord! Give her the baby—just don’t kill him!” The other woman said, “He ...
Read more

Yusuf in Prison and the King's Dream

Image
  A powerful and true story about Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) , told in great detail in the Qur’an (Surah Yusuf), is his journey from slavery to rulership , centered on his time in prison and his interpretation of dreams —a pivotal moment in his life that revealed his divine gift and unwavering faith. 🕋 Yusuf in Prison and the King's Dream After being wrongfully imprisoned due to false accusations from the wife of the Egyptian official (Al-Aziz), Prophet Yusuf spent years in jail. Despite his hardship, he remained righteous, patient, and kind, gaining the respect of his fellow inmates. Two fellow prisoners had dreams and came to him for interpretation: One dreamed he was pressing wine. The other dreamed birds were eating bread from a basket on his head. Yusuf told them the meanings (one would be restored to his job; the other would be executed) — and his interpretations turned out to be accurate. Before one of them (the cupbearer) left prison, Yusuf said: "Mention ...
Read more