'Touched by God' - Escaping the Holocaust

For newlyweds Erwin and Selma Diwald, getting out of Austria wasn't a choice. It was a necessity. Their daughter, Frances "Francie" Mendelsohn, shared their fascinating story.

Despite the undertones of antisemitism and the looming threats coming from Hitler's rise in Germany, the two young Jews had lived comfortable, family- centered lives in the beautiful city of Vienna prior to their meeting at a cousin's wedding in 1936.

Bettina and Sigmund Diwald had welcomed their first child, Erwin, in 1907. Eighteen months later, a daughter, Paula, was born. Sigmund ran a successful business in which he...