President Ma Ying-jeou will issue a posthumous award honoring the work of diplomat Ho Feng-shan who helped save many Austrian Jews. The award is part of a series of government events commemorating the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII.
Ho was the Republic of China’s Consul-General in Vienna as Nazi persecution of Jews intensified. He disobeyed orders from his superiors, issuing nearly 2000 visas to Jews who had no other way to flee Austria. It is believed that a demerit in his file is linked to his rescue of Austrian Jews. In 2000, Israel’s official memorial to victims of the Holocaust, Yad Vashem, awarded him the title "Righteous among the Nations.”
Ho’s daughter is expected to come to Taiwan in early September to receive the award.