Knoxville in Knox County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds

(1919-1985)

Photographed by Jerry Klinger

1. Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds Marker

Inscription.

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.

Erected 2020 by Knox County, City of Knoxville, TN., Roddie Edmonds Family, Knoxville Jewish Alliance and Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation.

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Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Religion & Religious Structures • War, World II. In addition, it is included in the The Holocaust series list.

Location. 35° 57.809′ N, 83° 55.107′ W. Marker is in Knoxville, Tennessee, in Knox County. It is on Market Street north of West Church Avenue, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 600 Market Street, Knoxville TN 37902, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in East Tennessee.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Burn Memorial (within shouting

Photographed by Tom Bosse, July 24, 2021

2. Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds Marker

distance of this marker); Knoxville's Old Custom House / Fiddlin' Bob Taylor (within shouting distance of this marker); Roger Hoffman Howell (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Millstone from mill owned by William and Sarah Bowman (about 300 feet away); Gen. John Sevier, 1745-1815 (about 300 feet away); Lloyd Branson (about 300 feet away); Journal Arcade Building (about 400 feet away); The Everly Brothers (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Knoxville.

Regarding Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds. Master Sgt. Edmonds is the only American G.I. recognized by the Israel National Holocaust Memorial, Yad Vashem as a "Righteous Gentile". Sgt. Edmonds risked his life to save over 200 fellow soldiers who were Jewish from Nazi persecution and possible murder.

Also see . . . “Staring back into the raging face of evil.”. March 2, 2026, President Donald Trump presented the Congressional Medal of Honor to Pastor Chris Edmonds and his family on behalf of his father, Master Sergeant Roddie Edmonds, for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty.”

The
Photographed by J. Makali Bruton, July 4, 2021

3. Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds Marker
next morning, every American POW was assembled and awaited the Nazi Major. The Nazi was enraged, President Trump shared. He stood in front of Sergeant Edmonds, screaming louder and louder, “They can not all be Jews.”

Edmonds stared back into “the raging face of evil and fearlessly said, ‘We are all Jews here.”

(Submitted on March 6, 2026, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida.)

Additional keywords. Jewish History

Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tom Bosse, July 24, 2021

4. Master Sgt. Roddie Edmonds

Credits. This page was last revised on March 7, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 17, 2020, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,454 times since then and 424 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on November 17, 2020, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida. 2. submitted on July 24, 2021, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. 3. submitted on July 25, 2021, by J. Makali Bruton of Washington, District of Columbia. 4. submitted on July 24, 2021, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.