Tuvia Bielski (1906–1987) was the leader of the partisan group the Bielski partisans who were situated in the Naliboków forest in pre-war Poland (now western part of Belarus) during World War II.
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During World War II, he was the leader of a Jewish group of refugees. He saved more than 1,200 Jewish people by camping in forests. Although always hunted by Nazis, their numbers continued to grow. In their camp, they built a school, a hospital and a nursery. They lived in the forests for more than 2 years. His brother, Asael Bielski joined the Russian Army, but was killed in action and never lived to see the child he fathered with Chaya, one of the Jewish refugees. As leader of the Bielski partisans, Tuvia's aim was not to attack railroads and roads that the German Nazis were using as supply routes, although there were some attacks, but to save the Jews who were under persecution from the Nazis during the Holocaust.
After the war he was awarded a high ranking job in the Israel Defense Forces for his great acts of leadership but he declined, setting up a small trucking firm with his brother Zus in New York City for 30 years until his death in 1987. Tuvia married with Lilka, another one of Jewish escapers. They remained married for the rest of their lives. The Bielskis never sought recognition for what they did.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuvia_Bielski
Movie : Defiance (2008)
