HEROES: The Unforgettable Pastor

In the dark early days of World War II, the Hungarian village of Balatonboglar became a haven for hapless victims of the crushing Nazi advance—50,000 Polish soldiers and civilians, fleeing the Nazis and Soviets, and later, some 2,200 French soldiers who escaped from Nazi prison camps after the Battle of France. All found a firm, resourceful friend in the pastor of Balatonboglar, a Father Bela Varga, whose Church of the Sacred Cross became the center of refugee relief. Many of the refugees got away to fight again. Others, especially imperiled Jews, got forged documents from Father Varga that enabled...

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