Mauricio Hochschild: The Bolivian Schindler Who Saved 9,000 Jews from the Nazis

More than 70 years after the end of World War II, the Bolivian media revealed the remarkable story of the “Bolivian Schindler” — Mauricio Hochschild, a German-born immigrant and coal mining tycoon, who helped thousands of Jews escape Nazi Germany during the 1930s.

Hochschild’s efforts were uncovered through a collection of documents and photographs that detailed his central role in saving the lives of at least 9,000 Jews. These records show that, in many cases, he personally covered travel expenses and initial housing costs from his own pocket.

The revelations shocked many, as Hochschild was long remembered as a ruthless businessman, often branded the “villain” of Bolivia’s mining industry. “These documents will change much of Bolivian history and will have political consequences,” said Edgar Ramirez, director of the Bolivian Mining Corporation archives. Hochschild’s wealth had made him a highly influential figure in the nation’s politics.

From Germany to South America

Mauricio Hochschild was born in 1881 in Biblis, western Germany, and emigrated to South America in 1921. Leveraging his wide political connections in Bolivia, he persuaded President Germán Busch to issue special visas for Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution in Europe.

Hochschild convinced the president that these immigrants could strengthen Bolivia’s workforce, positioning them as a national asset rather than a burden.

Humanitarian Organizations and Jewish Resettlement

To advance his humanitarian efforts, Hochschild established two organizations:

• The Society for the Protection of Israeli Immigrants

• The Bolivian Settlement Association

The latter managed an agricultural project in Nor Yungas, where Hochschild purchased land and estates to house Jewish refugees.

Some of the immigrants later joined his business operations, and he even established schools for their children. One uncovered document included a letter from refugees requesting that Hochschild “expand the school compound because of the number of children already here and those who wish to come.”

Imprisonment and Exile

In the 1940s, new government regulations clashed with Hochschild’s humanitarian activities, and refusing to comply with the new laws, he was imprisoned. After his release, he emigrated to the United States and never returned to Bolivia.

He passed away in Paris in 1965, as the wealthy owner of a mining empire. His greatest legacy remained hidden: a Righteous Among the Nations, to whom tens of thousands owe their lives.

A Legacy Rediscovered

The story of Mauricio Hochschild reshapes both Holocaust history and Bolivian history. Once seen as a hard-nosed industrialist, he is now remembered as a man who risked his reputation, his fortune, and his freedom to save lives. His quiet heroism reveals that behind the walls of power and wealth stood a heart determined to act when it mattered most.