“It seems that only Franco’s Spain did not turn Jewish refugees over to the Germans.”
Sweden was neutral like Spain and similarly didn’t turn over its Jewish population; in fact, Raoul Wallenberg saved many Jews with Swedish passports.
Italy never turned over their Jewish population to the Nazis; when Germany occupied Italy (as they switched sides) the Nazis then deported the Jews to the camps. The Italians themselves hadn’t allowed it when they controlled their country. Hungary did the same, IIRC; the Jews were rounded up later when Germany took control of their country (1943?)
Finland fought alongside Germany (only against the USSR) and they refused to hand over their Jewish population.
There were plenty of good Gentiles that stood up to Nazism; just not enough.
Glad you mentioned Raoul Wallenberg’s heroic actions in saving many Swedish Jews.
A friend of mine testified before Congress on Wallenberg’s fate since he was in a Siberian slave labor camp with those who saw Wallenberg in one of the camps after WW2.
There is a great film about how a city/town in southern Italy saved their Jewish population by turning them into Catholic family members. Sy Rotner made a film on this about 20 years ago but I do not remember the name of it.
Word was that the Bishop of that region ordered his parishioners to help save the Jews which they did. Unofficial word was that the order came from the Pope.
Great film and great act of courage.
And the other countries you listed did heroic things too. Unfortunately the Hungarian fascists under Horthy (Iron Cross units or something like that) were terrible but George Soros didn’t mind helping the Germans/fascists rob his own people. He’s the top living KAPO in the world.
You also need to mention the Bulgarians and the Danes who saved their Jews.
My opinion about the people who acquiesed with the Germans is that we can't be too judgemental - we could have easily done the same in their place -- read "hanns and Rudolf" - it talks about Rudolf who was theAuschwitz camp director who came up with the idea of gas chambers. The account is chilling - he was not a monster, he just took one little step towards evil, then another, then another - each time the step was justified by what had happened before
It is the slippery slope to hell. horrifying in the pscyhologic analysis -- these were NOT monsters, not demons, but human beings like us -- we need to constantly be on our guard not to slip even a little bit, or if we do, to correct ourselves immediately.