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Born in the small town of Stankevich, four children were born who would later become essential to save many lives during the Holocaust.

Their story begins when their town was invaded and they fled to the woods where they had spent a lot of their childhood.

In the spring of 1942, the brothers gathered 30 of their surviving relatives and a few friends

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With the help of some non-Jewish friends, the brothers began collecting guns to protect themselves

They would constantly send out scouts to search the roads for any Jewish runaways and offer them safe-haven.

Many Jewish Partisans in the woods joined the Bielskis

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Tuvia believed it was his duty to help save the lives of fellow Jews

The brothers encouraged Jews in surrounding Ghettos to escape and join them. They also sent guides to help lead them to the forest.

By the end of 1942, over 300 people were in the Bielski camp.

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The young men within the group was tasked with helping provide for the runaways. They'd obtain their food from local peasants, sometimes stealing it.

They would also seek out and kill Nazi Collaborators

As the group's size increased, so did their need for shelter from harsh, winter weather.

They dug out shelters called zemlyankas, the dirt walls enabled the containment of heat

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Germany deployed a massive manhunt against Russia (even though Germany was the ones who betrayed them) Polish and Jewish parts of the Region.

They deployed more than 20,000 military personnel and SS and police officials. And offered a reward of 100,000 Reichmarks for information leading to Tuvia Bielski’s capture.

The group feared in part that the local peasants from whom they obtained food might betray them.

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As much as the brothers relocated and tried to stay one step ahead of the Nazis. they were unsuccessful. At this point they were watching over 800 Jews.

In the Summer of 1943, their camp was attacked by Nazis and had to escape into a dense forest.

They began their new camp, which turned out even better than the last.

The camp had a large kitchen, a bathhouse, a blacksmith forge, a small horse-powered mill, a bakery, a tailor shop staffed by 18 men, a school for some 60 children, a gunsmith shop, a synagogue, and even a jail.

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Tuvia Bielski never wavered in his determination to accept and protect all Jewish refugees, regardless of age or gender.

The Bielskis never turned anyone away, permitting the creation of a mobile family “camp”—in effect, a Jewish community in the forest.

The group organized the skilled workers among the Jewish refugees into workshops, which employed at least 200 people, including cobblers, tailors, carpenters, leather workers, and blacksmiths.

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Eventually, the group teamed up with the soviets and one of the brothers went to war alongside them and died in battle.

After the war was over, they kept fighting for Jews in other countries.

They saved many lives and helped create a safe haven and hope for many.

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Tuvia , “I would rather save one old Jewish woman than kill 10 Nazi soldiers.”

This was when he began to feel the need to rescue fellow Jews