Grüninger’s Documents

Grüninger worked as a Swiss border guard tasked with denying desperate Jewish refugees entry into Switzerland.

He witnessed atrocities, humiliation and torture of the Jews during his stay. He was touched by their plight and had sleepless nights thinking how could he save at least few of them form this torture.

Quietly, he began to defy his superiors. Grüninger falsified 3,600 documents which allowed Jews to enter Switzerland safely.

Though he was found out, fired, and arrested, Grüninger never regretted what he did. “I’d rather break the rules than send these poor, miserable people back to Germany,” he said.