‘We are all Jews here’

 Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds Righteous Among the Nations

By Jerry Klinger

KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — The historical marker for Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds, telling an important story to be remembered and to learn from, especially during our time of political, social and historical dislocations, was finally installed November 15. The siting had been delayed for nearly a year by the Covid Pandemic.  Some things are so important they are worth waiting for.

During World War II, in a Nazi Prisoner Of War camp for 1275 American G.I.’s captured during the Battle of the Bulge, Sgt. Edmonds was the highest-ranking non-com. Edmonds was ordered by the Nazi commandant, Major Siegmann, to assemble all the Jewish American prisoners the next morning for indentification.

Sgt. Edmonds knew what that meant. The Nazis were singling out American Jewish prisoners for “special treatment.” They were most likely being selected for death.

The next morning, Sgt. Edmonds ordered all 1275 men to assemble for the Nazi roll call. Siegmann ordered Edmonds to single out the Jews. He refused.

Siegmann put a pistol to Edmonds’ head and threatened to kill him if he did not comply to separate out the Jews.

Edmonds, with cold, pure courage, told the American educated Commandant, “We are all Jews here.” He told him the war would be over soon. If he killed him, Siegmann would be tried as a War Criminal.

Siegmann put the pistol down and backed away. The evil that Siegmann was a part of had been faced down. Edmonds had saved an estimated 200 Jewish P.O.W. lives.

In 2015, Master Sgt. Roddy Edmonds was recognized, posthumously, by Yad Vashem as a Righteous Among the Nations. He is the only American G.I. to be so recognized for risking his life to save Jews.

The historical marker is located in downtown Knoxville, Edmonds’ hometown. It was conceived, funded, and fabricated by the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation. The marker came about because Jews and Christians came together as Americans to make it happen.

Special thanks and appreciation go to Charles (Chip) Rayman, President of the Knoxville Jewish Alliance; Pastor Chris Edmonds, who is the son of Roddy Edmonds; the Mayor of Knoxville and the leadership of Knox county and the community, without whom it would not have happened.

Sgt. Edmonds is an American story. So was the interfaith cooperation to have it erected.

The text reads:

Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds
(1919-1985)

Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds (1919-1985) of Knoxville served in the US Army during World War II. He was taken prisoner by the Germans at the Battle of the Bulge. Edmonds was held prisoner at Stalag IXA POW camp near Ziegenhain, Germany. In January 1945, the Germans announced that all Jewish POWs in the camp were to report the following morning. As the highest-ranking non-commissioned officer, he ordered more than 1,275 American captives to fall out with him and fearlessly pronounced, “We are all Jews here.” He would not waver, even with a pistol to his head, to identify any prisoners by religion, preventing over 200 Jewish soldiers from being singled out for Nazi persecution and possible death. The Nazi commander backed down. For his defense of Jewish servicemen at the POW camp, Edmonds, an Evangelical Christian, was recognized as a Righteous Among the Nations, Israel’s highest award for non-Jews who risked their own lives to save Jews during the Holocaust.

Knox County
City of Knoxville, TN., Roddie Edmonds Family,
Knoxville Jewish Alliance
Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation

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Jerry Klinger is the President of the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation.
www.JASHP.org