Heroes of the Resistance: Why We Resist

On 19th of April 1943, armed with only a pistol and a lamp, 3 Belgian resistance fighters stopped a train destined for Auschwitz. Outgunned, they nevertheless were able to fend off the Nazi guards, and their heroism rescued 233 prisoners from almost certain death.

The history books remember the War of 1939-1945 as one of a clash between nations, but World War 2 was also fought from below. We remember the heroism of those who resisted even when they were occupied or ruled by imposibly cruel regimes.

Resistance in Europe took many forms,  sabotage, espionage and armed uprising, but also non-compliance, industrial action and protest. Sometimes resistance was simply the courage and insistence on survival in the face of the Nazi plan to exterminate it's enemies..

 Nick Lowles and Jemma Levene discuss their favourite stories from the new report, and tell us why they resonate with them today.