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Sandra Munguia

Jewish Refugee Research Paper

HIS 391

Professor Miller

November 22, 2016

“Wenn das Fudenblut vom Messer spritzt…” (“When Jewish Blood Spurts from the

Knife, Everything Goes Much Easier”)1 these were the words to a theme song of the Nazi Party,

that American Ambassador to Germany, William E. Dodd, warned the United States about five

years prior to World War II. He was worried for the fellow Jewish community, as Hitler was

starting to express his hatred for the Jews. The jewish themselves, knew they could not stay in

Germany, so their desire to find a safe haven grew as multiple of them started to fill out

applications for visas in places such as the United States and the Caribbean. In this paper, I will

explore and discuss the journey that the Jewish refugees, fleeing from Hitler’s Germany during

World War II, had finding their safe haven. I will also be discussing what drew the refugees to

Cuba and the US Virgin Islands specifically, and comparing their experiences, whether negative

or positive, and any influence that the United States had on those countries’ reactions to the

refugees.

Before starting to discuss the topic, I believe it is best if I mention a bit of the history that

Cuba has with Jewish Immigrants. It is believed that the Jewish population did not flourish in

Cuba until after the Spanish-American War of 1898, but these Jewish immigrants were mostly

1 Perl, William R. "Paradise Denied: The State Department, the Caribbean, and the Jews of Europe." The National Interest, no. 42 (1995): 80. http://www.jstor.org/stable/42895066.

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from the United States, who came to Cuba for commercial opportunities. It was not until the

beginning of the 20th century that the European Jews started to migrate to Cuba. At first, Cuba

was seen as a place of transit, while the immigrants waited to migrate to the United States. At the

time, Cuba’s immigration policy was lenient and thus it became an easy country to settle in, until

their legal status changed to move to the US. The reason for their leaving Eastern Europe was

because both the peoples and governments of the areas from which they came consistently and in

the worse possible ways limited their economic, personal, political and religious freedom.2 After

the world depression in 1929, Cuba became stricter with their immigration policy, but that later

changed when in 1934, after Cuba recovered from the world depression they resumed taking in

immigrants, but this time they wanted skilled workers or entrepreneurs.

This corresponds to Cuba’s first efforts at the import substitution industrialization (ISI)

process in which the Jewish immigrants played a significant role, especially in the shoe, clothing,

knitting, fabric, and hosiery industries.3 With this step, Cuba started to show their appreciation,

or need, for these immigrants, since they wanted to help stabilize their economy. They wanted to

import people who wanted to work and wanted to be successful and that is just what the

immigrants did. They started to build institutions and started to impact the island; they

introduced business and health practices to Cuba. And thus, these immigrants would pave a path

for the next wave of Jews to come.

2 Kaplan, S., Moncarz, R., & Steinberg, J. (1990). Jewish Emigrants to Cuba: 1898-1960. International Migration, 28(3), 298. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2435.1990.tb00478.x 3 Kaplan, S. et. 299.

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Comparing the Jewish refugees of World War II to the preceding Jews, they share the

same motive which was to ultimately get to the United States, or find a safe haven from the

genocide and atrocities that were occurring in the European countries.4 When trying to escape

Germany, many of the Jewish refugees looked to their fellow friends or relatives that were living

in different countries, in this case it would be in the United States or Cuba. For the refugees who

were able to make it out of Germany, their main concern was to find out how to get friends and

relatives to Cuba.5 Things only got harder as the President, Laredo Brumet, issued Decree 55,

which differentiated a tourist from an immigrant, which made it even more difficult to receive a

visa to enter Cuba.

Then came a sense of hope for the refugees to leave Germany, when word got out about

the S.S. St. Louis steamboat. This was the chance for families to be reunited and for the German

Jews to feel safe and relieved, knowing they would be out of Hitler’s reach. The boat departed on

May 13, 1939 with 907 passengers. This was a great relief-- everyone was celebrating as they

left the shore of Hamburg, but what they did not know was that just shortly before, on May 5, the

Cuban government had enacted Decree 937 rendering the landing permits worthless … both

Hamburg-Amerika and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee received warning,

neither alerted the St. Louis that the refugees would be refused admission.6 With the lack of

communication, the ship continued on, as all passengers grew more eager with anticipation to

4 Kaplan, S. et. 301. 5 Kaplan, S. et. 301. 6 Krasner, B. D. (2014, 08). VOYAGE OF FREEDOM VOYAGE OF DOOM. American History, 49, 57. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1534309175?accountid=8268

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better their lives. During the voyage, Captain Gustav Schroeder learned about the decree, but still

decided to drive to Cuba.

When the ship got to Havana, Cuba, everyone was filled with joy because they finally got

to their destination--their safe haven. The refugees scrambled to get their luggage and belongings

prepared for their arrival. Liesl Joseph, a passenger on the boat, describes what she remembers

what it was like arriving at Havana:

It was like a paradise . . . There were palm trees and pastel-colored houses and flowers.

The day that we were supposed to get off, the luggage had been brought up, there was a

lot of excitement and activity going on. A few people had gotten off already when

everything stopped. Everybody got a little bit upset and they asked the shore patrol that

had come aboard what was going on.7

This was the moment that the refugees began to get upset. They were desperate for

someone to save them. They wanted nothing more than to stay out from Germany, but with how

things were looking, they knew they were not going to get off the boat. They also knew there

was a chance that they were going back to Europe.

On May 30, Lawrence Berenson, who was a New York lawyer who represented the JDC,

came with hopes to help the persuade Cuba to let the refugees come on land. He meets with the

president, Mr. Bru, and negotiates a price for the resettlement of the refugees. They came up with

an agreement, that agreement being that Berenson pay $500 per person and Bru would let the 7 Krasner, B. D. (2014, 08). VOYAGE OF FREEDOM VOYAGE OF DOOM. American History, 49, 57. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1534309175?accountid=8268

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Jews settle in the Isle of Pines, an island off the coast of Cuba. The captain, since he was not

allowed to stay at the harbor, decided to coast along between Cuba and Florida. When doing this,

he noticed there were several United States boats, patrolling the perimeter, making sure that no

one attempted to jump off the boat and swim to US territory. Ultimately, Bru rejected Berenson’s

offer because he decided to lower the amount he initially agreed to pay. Thus, S.S. St. Louis was

forced to sail back to Europe where several of the refugees got deported to concentration camps,

besides the ones who were able to relocate to Great Britain.

Leisl Joseph again, describes what it was like leaving Havana, knowing she would be

going back to Europe, not knowing what her fate would be:

When the day of departure came [June 2], it probably was one of the darkest days in the

lives of everybody, and the shore patrol followed the ship to make sure nobody jumped

overboard, but in the meantime they were shouting us farewell and communications

would go on. ‘Most likely you’ll be back here in a few days and everything will be OK.’

but it didn’t happen.”8

As mentioned above, if Cuba would have allowed them to stay, many of them would

have been able to relive the times where they did not have to fear or worry. But 254 refugees

died in the hands of Hitler and the Nazi party.

8 Krasner, B. D. 58.

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Table 1: Contrast between the Jewish Immigration of the 1920s and that of the War refugees, 1937-19449

Above, is a chart comparing the Jewish Immigration of the 1920s to those of the War

refugees. It is odd that Cuba was willing to let the immigrants onto their soil, but not the War

refugees. Above it is stated that the War refugees were professional and had higher education,

yet they were prohibited to enter. One would think that the refugees would help benefit Cuba and

its community. So what was the difference? Cuba feared for its security. Being a country that

was never really been stable, they could not risk jeopardizing its country. What risks did they

face? Well, Cuba, as well as the United States, feared, that some of the refugees would be Nazi

agents trying to infiltrate the country.

After the S.S. St. Louis returned to Europe, United States President Franklin Roosevelt

had proposed an international conference with the “nations of the world” to discuss solutions for

the refugees. The conference took place on July 6, with representatives from 32 countries.

9 Kaplan,S. et. 302.

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Myron Taylor, the chief American delegate, delivered the opening address . . . Taylor

first stated his sympathies for the persecuted, and proclaimed that something must be

done for the victims of the Nazi hatred and terror. But he then said that the United States

would not adjust its immigration laws to the present situation, nor would other countries

be pressed to change their immigration laws either. 10

From reading this, it seems as though the United States called the meeting to make it

seem as though they wanted to welcome the refugees with opened arms, but ultimately did not

want to bring them to the United States. Not one country rushed to help these refugees, as there

was no reinforcement; it was more like a suggestion. If they wanted to help, they could, but

Roosevelt was not going to force anyone to.

There was one country that was eager to help, though. That country was the U.S. Virgin

Islands. The United States had bought the chain of islands off of Denmark in 1917. They were

still a new community and were lacking human resources. The islands had a small population

that primarily consisted of poor and uneducated people, wild life, and an abundance of natural

resources. It lack only sufficient numbers of scientists, engineers, teachers, doctors, skilled

workers, and businessmen needed to develop it.11 Thus, this explains the desperation to obtain

these professional, educated refugees. With these kind of people, they knew they could better

their community, culturally and economically. So, the Virgin Islands sent out their resolution:

10 Perl, W. (1995). Paradise Denied: The State Department, the Caribbean, and the Jews of Europe. The National Interest, (42), 79. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/42895066 11 Perl, W. (1995). Paradise Denied: The State Department, the Caribbean, and the Jews of Europe. The National Interest, (42), 80. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/42895066

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WHEREAS, world conditions have created large refugee groups

WHEREAS, such groups eventually will migrate to places of safety and,

WHEREAS, the Virgin Islands of the United States being a place of safety can offer

surcease from misfortune.

NOW THEREFOR, be it resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the Virgin Islands of the

United States in session assembled that it made known to refugee peoples of the world

that when and if existing barriers are moved that they shall find surcease from misfortune

in the Virgin Islands of the United States.

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of the Resolution be forwarded to the

President of the United States, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Labor, the

Secretary of the Interior, and members of the press.12

This was the resolution that the Virgin Islands sent the United States, but what the United

States said, was not what they were expecting. When they heard back from the Secretary of

State, they denounced the resolution as ‘incompatible with existing law”.13 A year later though,

the US allowed for the Virgin Islands to accept a decree that allowed for two thousand families

to move to the Islands. There were many restrictive rules and harsh strictures. Refugees who

were looking to relocate also needed to have a good conduct report from German Police, to

ensure that they were not Nazi agents or spies.

Other Caribbean places such as Haiti. Haiti was also interested in helping to assist the

Jewish refugees, for the same reasons. Stenio Vincent, the president of Haiti, also realized that

the refugees would in fact be of great value to his island. As soon as he moved to rescue one

12 Perl, W. 80. 13 Chronological Account of Inter- Departmental Negotiations on Admission of Alien Visitors into the Virgin Islands”, National Archives Territorial Government, Virgin Islands, 1940, paragraph 7.

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hundred refugee families, the United States decided to chime in. Yet another sort of U.S.

intervention in its affairs—not an intervention in support of democracy and human right, nor to

safeguard a U.S. interest as most Americans would understand it, but an intervention with no

purpose other than to block the escape of the helpless and persecuted victims of Hitler’s

tyranny.14 The United States had full control of the refugee situation, no matter where it was:

Cuba, Virgin Islands, or Haiti. But something interesting happened when President Stenio was

accused of undermining American security. He replied to the United States with this statement:

I made the following points: One, all refugees from Germany are at most only anti-Hitler

. . . . Therefore, we regard these refugees as suspects and cannot view with approval their

migration from place to place. I added that since my Government is spending in excess of

twelve billion dollars for defense of the United States and Western Hemisphere, it would

be unreasonable to expect that we would view without concern the uncontrolled

movement of alien suspects.15

With this statement, Stenio was assuring the United States that he knew that they were at

war with Nazi Germany, and that Germany is the enemy, but that these refugees are not the

enemy. They are looking for a safe haven, they are trying to protect themselves and their

families. He did not understand how Jewish refugees in the Caribbean would have such an

impact on the United States itself. But regardless of the fight he would put up, the refugees

would never be permitted to have Haiti as its safe haven.

14 Perl, W. 83. 15 Perl, W. 83.

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Conclusion

Throughout the war and Hitler’s Final Solution, Jewish refugees were desperate to find a

way out of Germany, in hopes of finding a safe haven and hoping to start a life without fear.

Many of the refugees believed that they were going to successfully escape Germany, but with the

United States influencing voluntary countries, it was less than likely that they would find their

safe haven. Cuba did not want to help the Jewish refugees thinking they were undesirable

immigrants. They also did not find it comforting that the United States would not take in any of

the refugees, making them think even worse; they thought that the refugees were possibly Nazi

agents or spies. When they sent the ship away, U.S. Coast Guard surrounded the perimeter of

Florida and followed the steam boat to make sure that no refugees were to jump out and walk on

U.S. soil.

When it came to the Virgin Islands and Haiti, the United States stepped in again and

made sure that there was no helping the refugees. One reason why the United States refused for

the Caribbean to help out the refugees was because these refugees were well educated people and

they did not want these nations to develop. Another reason that the United States possibly did not

want the refugees retreating to the West was because they wanted Europe to stay stable. They

wanted to make sure that just in case Russia tried to do anything, that Europe would be strong

and stable enough to hold them back.

In the end though, many of these Jewish refugees died in the holocaust, the in hands of

Hitler and the Nazi party. They were executed, robbed of their possessions and families, and had

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nowhere to hide. The treatment of these refugees was terrible, as the power nations did nothing

to help protect them.