'Official companion to the Ken Burns film' premiering September 20, 2016, on PBS tells the little-known story of the Sharps, an otherwise ordinary couple whose faith and commitment to social justice inspired them to undertake dangerous rescue and relief missions across war-torn Europe, saving the lives of countless refugees, political dissidents, and Jews on the eve of World War II. In 1939, the Reverend Waitstill Sharp, a young Unitarian minister, and his wife, Martha, a social worker, accepted a mission from the American Unitarian Association : they were to leave their home and young children in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and travel to Prague, Czechoslovakia, to help address the mounting refugee crisis. Seventeen ministers had been asked to undertake this mission and had declined; Rev. Sharp was the first to accept the call for volunteers in Europe. Armed with only $40,000, Waitstill and Martha quickly learned the art of spy craft and undertook dangerous rescue and relief missions across war-torn Europe, saving refugees, political dissidents, and Jews on the eve of World War II. After narrowly avoiding the Gestapo themselves, the Sharps returned to Europe in 1940 as representatives of the newly formed Unitarian Service Committee and continued their relief efforts in Vichy France. A fascinating portrait of resistance as told through the story of one courageous couple, Defying the Nazis offers a rare glimpse at high-stakes international relief efforts during WWII and tells the remarkable true story of a couple whose faith and commitment to social justice inspired them to risk their lives to save countless others. -- Provided by publisher.

Library has in its collection the companion DVD by Ken Burns with the following call# : 940.5318 D

The eighteenth choice -- Learning the ropes -- Witnesses to history -- The dying republic -- Einmarsch : the invasion of Czechoslovakia -- Under the swastika -- Changing the rules -- Helping the Kulturträgers -- Money talks -- Last days in the Protectorate -- The first choice -- In Lisbon -- Helping hands -- Reunion in Cerbère -- Dividing forces -- The Emergency Rescue Committee -- The milk arrives -- Refugees' odyssey -- Escape from Marseille -- The Children's Journey -- The home front -- The family -- Back to Europe -- A run for Congress -- Palestine -- Civil rights and Chicago -- Divergent paths.