Abstract
I start with my still-vivid experience of suffering and survival in occupied Poland during the Holocaust years. Then, the narrative shifts to the motivations and characteristics of those who risked their lives and livelihood to help others who were targets of the genocide, whether stranger or friend. Finally, I discuss ways that individuals, groups, and institutions promote altruistic behavior and compassion in the current generation of adults and youth. This is done through the lens of sociology and my lifetime of research into the nature of altruism, apology and forgiveness, caring, and selfless acts of courage. These are some of the ways suffering is reduced if not alleviated.
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The author thanks Nichole Wagner for extensive and very helpful assistance in completing this chapter.
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Oliner, S.P. (2017). Suffering During the Holocaust and Heroic Rescuers. In: Anderson, R. (eds) Alleviating World Suffering. Social Indicators Research Series, vol 67. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51391-1_17
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-51391-1_17
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