Some Jews changed their identities to save their lives. Others hid, escaped, or resisted. A Jew’s fate often depended upon actions of non-Jews: rescuers, collaborators, and bystanders.

Hiding assumed many forms: Some families, particularly children, were hidden by non-Jews, whereas other individuals assumed different identities, using false documentation to pass as Christians. Some successfully eluded deportation. In ghettos near woods, Jews escaped to hide or form partisan fighting units in the forests. Some Jews were protected by non-Jews and survived; many were betrayed and killed. Most bystanders watched without intervening, but some crossed the lines to either rescue Jews or help annihilate them.