Fact Check: Wyden's family fled Nazi Germany, fearing the Gestapo's 'knock on the door.'

Fact Check: "Wyden's family fled Nazi Germany, fearing the Gestapo's 'knock on the door.'"

What We Know

Senator Ron Wyden's family indeed fled Nazi Germany due to the persecution they faced as Jews. His father, Peter Wyden, and mother, Edith Rosenow, both emigrated to the United States in the 1930s. According to a recent article, Peter Wyden described their greatest fear as the Gestapo's "knock on the door," which symbolizes the imminent threat of arrest and persecution faced by Jewish families during the Nazi regime (source-2). This fear was not unfounded, as many Jewish families were subjected to brutal crackdowns by the Gestapo during this period.

The Wyden family fled Germany in 1937, with Peter and his parents escaping the oppressive environment, while Edith left in 1936 (source-2). The phrase "knock on the door" has become a poignant reminder of the terror experienced by Jews during the Holocaust, as it often preceded arrests and deportations to concentration camps (source-1).

Analysis

The claim that Wyden's family fled Nazi Germany fearing the Gestapo's "knock on the door" is supported by multiple credible sources. The article from The Forward explicitly states that the Wyden family fled due to their fear of persecution, highlighting the Gestapo's "knock on the door" as a significant fear that shaped their decision to emigrate (source-2).

Moreover, the expression itself is commonly referenced in historical contexts to describe the terror that Jewish families lived under during the Nazi regime. It reflects a broader historical understanding of the dangers faced by Jews in Germany, which is corroborated by various academic sources discussing the psychological impact of such threats (source-1, source-4).

The sources used in this analysis are reliable, with The Forward being a well-respected Jewish news organization and the academic references providing historical context. The consistency across these sources strengthens the credibility of the claim.

Conclusion

Verdict: True
The claim that Wyden's family fled Nazi Germany fearing the Gestapo's "knock on the door" is accurate. Both historical accounts and personal narratives from Wyden's family confirm that their emigration was driven by the very real fear of persecution that many Jewish families faced during the rise of the Nazi regime.

Sources

1. Striving for Accountability in the Aftermath of the Holocaust. Link
2. Ron Wyden's parents fled Nazism; now he's fighting ... Link
3. The Forward. Link
4. The Jewish Response to the Third Reich: Grassroots. Link
5. Between Dignity and Despair: Jewish Life in Nazi Germany. Link
6. Patterns of Cooperation, Collaboration and Betrayal: Jews, ... Link
7. Honecker, Margot (1927—). Link
8. Generation Exodus: The Fate of Young Jewish Refugees ... Link