27. The Man Who Refused to Go Along With the Crowd
Among those who lacked the means to help Jews through any means other than moral example was August Landmesser, a German shipyard worker from Hamburg. He is best known for appearing in a photograph in which he conspicuously stood out from the crowd by refusing to perform the Nazi salute. It happened in 1936, at the launch of a new ship. A crowd can be seen raising their hand in the infamous gesture, except for Landmesser. He stood – and stood out from the crowd – with his arms crossed.
As seen below, August Landmesser’s actions then and afterward probably did not save a single Jew. He nonetheless set a moral example of a man who did what was within his power to do. He was willing to give it all up, including his life, rather than go with the crowd, and go along with evil.