Stories Survive: The Kraus Family

In the spring of 1939, Gilbert and Eleanor Kraus, a Jewish couple from Philadelphia, embarked on a risky and unlikely mission. Traveling into the heart of Nazi Germany, they rescued 50 Jewish children from Vienna and brought them to the United States—the largest group of unaccompanied minors brought to the USA in the lead-up to World War II. Most of the children were reunited with their parents after the war.

Decades after this incredible rescue, Gilbert and Eleanor’s grandson Peter Kraus, along with his wife Jill, discovered this incredible history through a manuscript compiled by Eleanor before she died. The couple embarked upon an investigation that led to the creation of 50 Children: The Rescue Mission of Mr. and Mrs. Kraus which premiered on HBO in 2023 for Yom HaShoah.

Peter and Jill have shared their incredible family story with thousands of individuals across the country to inspire everyone to give back and make a difference. On January 16, they will join us at the Museum of Jewish Heritage to share how they discovered the story, what it has meant to them to be a Kraus, and how the legacy has changed their own sense of personal responsibility.