CONGRESSIONAL JOINT RESOLUTION TO ISSUE
COMMEMORATIVE STAMP HONORING HIRAM BINGHAM IV WWII
DIPLOMATIC HOLOCAUST HERO -'SALEM'S SCHINDLER'
JOINT RESOLUTION proposed to be introduced by Member of
Congress________________________:
"WHEREAS -- Hiram Bingham IV (who died in Salem, Connecticut
in 1988) is an American diplomatic hero, America's own
"Schindler," who saved between 2500 and 5000 refugees as they
fled Hitler's occupied Europe from Marseilles, France;
Hiram Bingham IV organized clandestine rescue efforts,
against his superiors' policies, and harbored many refugees at
his diplomatic residence in Marseilles, France where he was
stationed as U. S. Consul from 1939-1941;
Hiram Bingham IV placed humanity above career in rescuing
thousands of famous and ordinary refugees from the Holocaust.
Hiram Bingham IV helped some of the most notable intellectuals
and artists to escape, including Marc Chagall, painter; Leon
Feuchtwanger, author; Golo Mann, historian, son of Thomas Mann;
and Dr. and Mrs. Otto Meyerhof, Nobel Prize winning physicist,
and their son Walter. "Harry" rescued Mr. Feuchtwanger from an
internment camp by driving to the camp's "authorized" swimming
hole and telling Feuchtwanger to get in the car and put on
women's clothes as they sped away. He later hid Feuchtwanger at
his diplomatic residence, keeping Feuchtwanger dressed at all
times as Harry's "mother-in-law" from Waycross, Georgia;
America can be proud of her native son, Salem's 'Schindler,'
whose story is now unfolding, fifty years later. He is
recognized as one of eleven righteous diplomats who saved
200,000 from the Holocaust, which amounts to one million
descendants of survivors today. He is the only American
diplomat to be so recognized at Israel's 50th Anniversary
exhibit of the eleven righteous diplomats at the Yad Vashem
National Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem;
Hiram Bingham IV courageously followed his conscience by
writing visas and affidavits of eligibility for passage and
organizing refugees' escapes from Europe, yet many people in
the world have still not learned of this courageous man;
Hiram Bingham IV is uniquely qualified for the honor of a
commemorative postage stamp bearing his likeness since his
heroism involves historical federal government service that is
heartwarming to all Americans;
Hiram Bingham IV's WWII activities have been featured at
Holocaust museums: On April 24, 1998, an exhibit opened at the
Yad Vashem, Israel's National Holocaust Museum, featuring the
eleven righteous diplomats including Hiram Bingham IV. In 1998,
he has been featured by exhibits at the Simon Weisenthal Center
in Los Angeles and at the American Jewish Heritage Museum in
New York City, and in memorabilia at the Holocaust Museum in
Washington, DC;
Hiram Bingham IV, the only United States Diplomat who has
been officially honored by the State of Israel as a "righteous
diplomat," is being increasingly so recognized by the American
government for his role in saving thousands of refugees from
the Holocaust. He will be honored at the United Nations in New
York in an exhibit of the select few righteous diplomats,
opening in an extensive public ceremony on April 3, 2000;
and
Since Hiram Bingham IV placed humanity above his personal
career in saving the lives of so many ordinary and famous
refugees during Europe's darkest hour, the time for issuance of
a United States commemorative stamp in his honor is long
overdue.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: That Congress urges the
Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee and United States Postmaster
General to issue a commemorative stamp in honor of Hiram
Bingham IV, America's diplomat Holocaust hero. Since Hiram
Bingham IV was born on July 17, 1903 in Cambridge,
Massachusetts, it is the sense of Congress that such a
deserving commemorative stamp should be issued on or before the
one hundredth anniversary of his birth, July 17, 2003. "
Editor's Note:
Congressional Resolution proposed by Robert Kim Bingham, Esq.,
resident of Salem, Connecticut, son of Hiram Bingham IV.
Readers may write their U. S. Senators or U. S. Representatives
urging sponsorship of the HBIV stamp bipartisan resolution.
