This project was led by one dedicated student who wanted to locate and document all the memorial plaques and monuments which honour individuals who risked their lives to save Jewish people in Budapest during the Holocaust. Their research focused on two international diplomats, a business owner and a Scottish missionary. Between them, they saved many thousands of lives.

Students learned about the lives of these four very different but equally extraordinary individuals and visited four historic locations across Budapest to see how they have been honoured. They learnt about the symbolic importance of remembrance and monuments, as well as the personal impact of each of these rescuers’ legacy in Budapest.

The student’s research and filming culminated in a short documentary designed to capture the essence of these memorials with poignant visuals and narration. They wanted to provide an immersive experience by presenting each monument visually, with a narrative voiceover sharing the biographical story of each of the four individuals.

This film was made to create an accessible resource for others to learn about these heroes of Budapest, the lives they saved and the ideals they stood for. As well as commemorating these heroes and shedding light on their courageous actions, the film makes their legacy accessible to new generations and urges this new generation to continue honoring ‘humanity’s defenders’.