Leica Helped Jews Flee Nazi Germany

Did you know that Leica boss Ernst Leitz II is considered the “photographic industry equivalent of Oskar Schindler” for helping Jews flee Nazi Germany?

Leitz […] helped Jews find jobs outside Germany, securing immigration visas and paying the travel expenses of refugees bound for the United States. […] They fled Germany under the guise of Leitz employees, until they could find work overseas. Such was the Nazi reliance on Leica optics for military purposes, that officials largely turned a blind eye to Leitz’s activities.

He’s credited saving the lives of around 80 Jews while risking his life in the process.

Leica helped Jews flee Nazis: Fresh evidence uncovered [Amateur Photographer]

Image credit: Schindler’s grave by See The Holy Land