Speech #990184744

When the Germans reached Paris he tried to reach England to join the Allied armies but was unsuccessful. He stayed in Lyons which was in the nonoccupied zone of France under the regime of the government of Vichy. As many refugees. especially Jewish people. arrived from Holland in the free zone of France. John started to help them. and little by little he developed an escape line from Holland through Belgium and France to the free countries of Switzerland and Spain. More than 1.000 people. among them Jewish people. Allied airmen. Catholic priests. and political refugees. were helped through this line to safety. John Weidner was arrested several times during his activities and was successful in escaping each time. but a high price was put on his head and he was one of the most wanted men of the Gestapo. He worked in close cooperation with Dr. W.A. Visser t Hooft. general secretary of the World Council of Churches. in order to help the refugees and bring messages from Geneva to World Council memberchurches of the occupied countries. This courier line also helped bring news from the Allied command to the underground of the occupied countries and vice versa. More than 300 people were used in this organization. called DutchParis.