Most students have at least some knowledge about the Holocaust and the oppressive regime of Nazi Germany, and many tales are circulated about the brave men and women who protected those who were persecuted and took a stand for freedom. However, few know the story of Varian Fry, a New Yorker whose life and work in fighting tyranny are celebrated in an exhibit now on display at the Paul Meek Library.

The exhibit, “Assignment: Rescue, The Story of Varian Fry and the Emergency Rescue Committee”, relates Fry’s experiences through photographs and excerpts from his memoirs. Fry left his home in New York City in 1940 to go to France and assist those who were fleeing Nazi control. He worked as a representative of the private group The Emergency Rescue Committee in Marseilles, France for thirteen months, organizing the escape of over 2,000 refugees. These included many prominent intellectuals and artists, such as Surrealist painters Andre Breton and Max Ernst. Fry faced many difficulties in his mission, including continual threats to his safety.

He was constantly under surveillance by the French government and even the U.S. consulate, which eventually forced him to return to New York in 1941.

Fry was an unlikely hero, who made a difference simply by being willing to help others in need and stand up for an issue in which he believed. “I told the Committee ‘I’m not right for the job’,” he wrote. “All I know about being a secret agent, or trying to outsmart the Gestapo, is what I’ve seen in the movies. But if you can’t find anyone else, I’ll go.” Fry was an extraordinary person, and his story is especially unique because he sought to help those in Europe while most Americans chose to turn a blind eye to the oppression of Hitler’s regime.

More than just telling an inspiring story, “Assignment: Rescue” raises important issues to be considered today. As evidenced by Fry’s decisions, some choices in life are difficult and unclear. “Life is complex,” said Richard Saunders, exhibit curator. “It’s not always a simple good versus evil.” This is a constant theme of the exhibit as Fry was forced to pit his beliefs against Nazi and French laws, and even resist his own countrymen as the U.S. consulate worked against him. As one admires his courage, Fry’s story also calls for some introspection. “I want people to say, not ‘I could do that’,” said Saunders, “but, ‘I wonder if I could do that?’.”

Assignment: Rescue” will be on display through the Special Collections area of the library through October 8th. It is a free exhibit that is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.