The Evian Conference
A Nation Without a Country
There were seemingly ways of escape. The Third
Reich did not take over Germany over night: while the Reich was
clearly Anti-Semitic, the Jews in Germany and Europe saw no
immediate danger in the early 1930's which would cause them to flee
their country to refuge in another. As 1933 dawned though, with the
Reich gaining power not only in the electorate but also in
parliament, and as Hitler consolidated the offices of Chancellor
& President, new laws began to form which the German people
before, coming out of a weakened Republic, would not have thought
possible. (See Civil
Liberties in the Shoah) Laws which restricted the Jews right to
basic freedoms came rapidly in succession. There were laws which
restricted small privileges, such as forbidding Jews from riding
public transportation except for work; laws which forbade Jews in
public places such as parks and schools; and even more serious legal
pogroms which removed Jews from public offices and the denial of
access to the courts.
While Jewish persons with stable finances were able to see the winds change, poor Jews often could not afford to expatriate; expatriation and emigration meant leaving property, often without sale, leaving family and friends, for all seldom went at once, and leaving a lifetime of vocation, career, and all the things men hold important. In the beginning of the Third Reich, those most likely to leave were people of means and people in the public eye: some that fled as their posts were taken away include: musicians such as Bruno Walter, Schoenberg & colleagues, psychiatrists: Sigmund and Anna Freud, the artist Klee, and many others from the arts and social sciences. (See Arts & the Shoah)
The Reich & Emigration
Even if one could afford the money, leaving Germany was not made easy. In order to leave Germany, one had to obtain papers from the local police departments, clearing their records; but the police were members of the Nazi Party, and while not all were Anti-Semitic or even in favor of the Reich, most were, and visas and passports and their supporting documents were often denied.Few countries had open immigration for the the Jews; or for any. Israel, which had previously mandated 25,000 legal Jewish immigrations a year, under new limitations made it difficult or impossible to make it the target of an aliyah. (See "The Balfour Agreement") The United States, one would imagine would have been the most welcoming country to receive Jewish immigrants seeking refuge, but this was far from the case. Anti-Semitism was rampant in the US; many of German Heritage considered Hitler a great man and saw nothing wrong with what he was doing. The German Bunds, or Fellowship-Organizations in the U.S. often included many influential people who were in or could sway politics. Indeed while FDR and some others spoke tolerantly of the Jews, very little was done even when we knew of the extent of the Third Reich's "final solution". The legislature of the time had constant debates regarding when and whether to allow immigration of any kind with an impending World War, and Jewish immigration was even less popular with congressman. Reasons for concern with Jewish immigration were the following:
During WWII and before, anti-semitism was rampant in the U.S. While incidents are not often reported in textbooks, violent incidents against Jews actually increased during the war. This was unfortunately no less true among law-makers, who simply did not want to see more Jewish-U.S Citizens.
Isolationism:
Many Senators and Representatives did not want to enter the War at all: they saw it as a battle of imperialism between two nations we had acceptable foreign relations with: Britain and Germany. Before the war and early in the war, there was a great desire on the part of many to stay out of the war unless directly attacked (which came with Pearl Harbor). To provide refuge to the Jews in the U.s. would have thrown down the gauntlet to enter the war. Many desired that we 'raise the drawbridge' and cease all immigration.
Views of Communism
As in Europe, especially in Germany, Communism was seen as synonymous for some with the Jewish Community. Since some founders of communism had Jewish backgrounds, e.g. Marx ties were drawn often erroneously equating "bolshevism" with Judaism, hence a reluctance on the side of the less discerning to allow Jewish immigration.
Politics
Even those who would have allowed refuge for Jews during the war did not because of intensive prevailing politics of anti-semitism: Jewish immigration did not increase support or votes, or support from other Congressman . Politicians like to be re-elected.
One Congressman, Claude Pepper from Florida did stand firmly and lobby for opening our borders to Jewish refugees escaping the Nazi regime. Even early he made pleas in Congress to rapidly and widely open Jewish immigration to our country. Some even discussed the setting aside of land in the west for a makeshift homeland.* His views though, went unheeded. He became a requited prophet in Congress far too late: by the time the extent of what Hitler had done and had intended, millions of Jews were already dead, and we were already at war because of an attack on Pearl Harbor.
The Conference of Life & Death
The issues discussed above were not peculiar to the United States: almost every nation closed their borders to escaping German and Polish Jews. Every nation confronted the same problems: anti-semitism, resources, politics and entry into the war. To welcome refugees escaping tyranny, one has to take on the possibility that tyranny will come to their doors. Few were willing to risk that possibility for a people who have not been welcome in most nations for centuries.Myron Taylor Represents the United States
Normally when there is a very important meeting in the
world, either the President or Vice President or one of his
immediate representatives attends. Often, an Ambassador or other
diplomat represents the United States at meetings of a critical
nature. During the Roosevelt administration, though, FDR often sent
a friend of his, a businessman named Myron Taylor. Myron Taylor had
formerly been the CEO of US Steel, and was not in the diplomatic
service. He later served as a liason with the Vatican during WWII,
even obtaining an honorary citizenship in Rome for the President.
His negotiations and representation of the Executive branch during
WWII was very controversial, because often, when a non-diplomat is
informally sent, it indicates to other countries a 'slight' or a
statement as to whether or not they were imporatant enough to merit
official representation. There were also some concern at the idea of
a President sending a friend instead of an appointed official.
How sincere the US was in finding solutions for Jewish immigration, is currently under debate by scholars. At the same time of the Evian conference, the US had eminent relations with the Vatican, including the apostolic delegate in the US, Cicagniano, who lobbied endlessly not to grant the Jews a homeland, as they saw the Vatican's right pre-emptive over the Jews in Palestine. (see Pius XII.... ) Since Myron Taylor was forefront in both relations and negotiation, and since he hailed from a large corporate interest which was still doing business in the region of Auschwitz (Silesian Steel Mills), his objectivity is called into question. By the end of the conference, little had been accomplished. A few areas agreed to limited immigration such as Costa Rico, Singapore and Hong Kong, and a few other minor locations. The United States would go on to accept around 965 immigrants to a segregated 'camp' in Oswego , NY, which hardly aided at all considering the millions of lives at stake.
Further, the US turned away the St. Louis, a ship which had docked in Havana bay seeking political asylum for several hundred refugees trying to escape the concentration camps. We did not open our ports, either, even though the return to Europe meant and was met by death for all. ......
OUTSIDE LINKS
References & Notes
1dkfjdklfdjfldf;lfdddfdfdff;fdf;1in PROGRESS
1dkfjdklfdjfldf;lfdddfdfdff;fdf;
1dkfjdklfdjfldf;lfdddfdfdff;fdf;
1dkfjdklfdjfldf;lfdddfdfdff;fdf;
1dkfjdklfdjfldf;lfdddfdfdff;fdf;
1dkfjdklfdjfldf;lfdddfdfdff;fdf;
© 2000 Elizabeth Kirkley Best PhD: Shoah Education Project Web