M.S. St. Louis
Many have come to feel that the certain stories circulating about German atrocities during World War I were propaganda. But with the advent of Hitler to power, there was direct evidence of German brutality against the Jews. The treatment accorded Jews, and opponents of the Nazi regime by Hitler and his followers amazed the rest of the civilized world. Day after day and week after week, the press carried stories of kidnappings, beatings, and assassinations. The victory of the National Socialists in the elections of March 5, 1933, was followed by an outbreak of anti-Semitism never paralleled in modern times.
When God’s people fall into the hands of their enemy, and none found to help: the adversaries saw them and did mock at their destruction. On the docks of Hamburg, Germany, hundreds began to board the transatlantic Ocean liner M.S. St. Louis. Most of the male passengers carried suitcases, while the women held the hands of the children. On May 13, 1939, Captain Gustav Schroeder, with a crew of two-hundred-and-thirty-one men and nine-hundred and thirty-seven passengers, prepared his ship to cast off, then steam for the port in Havana, Cuba. Cuba was a popular stopover for refugees hoping to immigrate to the United States.
Those who had purchased Cuban visas in Germany planned to live there while waiting for entry into America. After their long voyage to Cuba, only twenty-eight of the nine-hundred and thirty-seven passengers were allowed to enter; all others had their visas revoked. After one week, the passengers became increasingly desperate, so they formed a committee. They went to see the President of Cuba, Federico Laredo Bru, pleading with him for sanctuary. But the President was indifferent, even hostile, so the committee returned to the ship. Captain Schroeder would then set sail for Florida.
When they arrived, they found little sympathy from State Department officials. They were then informed, ‘You must wait your turn to qualify for and obtain immigration visas before you are admitted into the country. The year before, in 1938, President Roosevelt had considered a rescue plan but dropped the idea because he felt it would have been a political time bomb.’
A New York Times writer wrote, ‘There seems to be no help for them now. The vessel St. Louis will soon be home with her cargo of despair.’
Canada’s Prime minister also refused to aid the now weary and desperate people. He said, ‘If these Jews were to find a home in Canada, they would be followed by other shiploads --- the line must be drawn somewhere.’
Without another choice, the captain returned to Europe after being rejected by Cuba, America, and Canada. However, he entertained no thought of heading back to any German harbor. Stalling on his return, Schroeder slowly steamed his vessel across the Ocean. The captain refused to return his passengers to Europe until he could find a safe port.
Captain Gustav Schroeder was an intelligent but sympatric man, so he developed a contingency plan. He planned to wreck the St. Louis near the English coast, forcing the British authorities to act. Before he put that plan into action, he did find a solution. The passengers would be allowed to disembark in Antwerp. Also, Belgium, Great Britain, and France agreed with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee to take in a limited number of refugees.
The free world’s refusal to take these refugees off St. Louis was a death sentence for 254 passengers. They were all eventually caught and sent to concentration camps. On March 11, 1993, because of the heroic deeds of Captain Gustav Schroeder, he was acknowledged by the State of Israel as a ‘Righteous Man’ among Nations. This title was Israel’s way of honoring any non-Jew who had risked their own lives to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis.”
Many have come to feel that the certain stories circulating about German atrocities during World War I were propaganda. But with the advent of Hitler to power, there was direct evidence of German brutality against the Jews. The treatment accorded Jews, and opponents of the Nazi regime by Hitler and his followers amazed the rest of the civilized world. Day after day and week after week, the press carried stories of kidnappings, beatings, and assassinations. The victory of the National Socialists in the elections of March 5, 1933, was followed by an outbreak of anti-Semitism never paralleled in modern times.
When God’s people fall into the hands of their enemy, and none found to help: the adversaries saw them and did mock at their destruction. On the docks of Hamburg, Germany, hundreds began to board the transatlantic Ocean liner M.S. St. Louis. Most of the male passengers carried suitcases, while the women held the hands of the children. On May 13, 1939, Captain Gustav Schroeder, with a crew of two-hundred-and-thirty-one men and nine-hundred and thirty-seven passengers, prepared his ship to cast off, then steam for the port in Havana, Cuba. Cuba was a popular stopover for refugees hoping to immigrate to the United States.
Those who had purchased Cuban visas in Germany planned to live there while waiting for entry into America. After their long voyage to Cuba, only twenty-eight of the nine-hundred and thirty-seven passengers were allowed to enter; all others had their visas revoked. After one week, the passengers became increasingly desperate, so they formed a committee. They went to see the President of Cuba, Federico Laredo Bru, pleading with him for sanctuary. But the President was indifferent, even hostile, so the committee returned to the ship. Captain Schroeder would then set sail for Florida.
When they arrived, they found little sympathy from State Department officials. They were then informed, ‘You must wait your turn to qualify for and obtain immigration visas before you are admitted into the country. The year before, in 1938, President Roosevelt had considered a rescue plan but dropped the idea because he felt it would have been a political time bomb.’
A New York Times writer wrote, ‘There seems to be no help for them now. The vessel St. Louis will soon be home with her cargo of despair.’
Canada’s Prime minister also refused to aid the now weary and desperate people. He said, ‘If these Jews were to find a home in Canada, they would be followed by other shiploads --- the line must be drawn somewhere.’
Without another choice, the captain returned to Europe after being rejected by Cuba, America, and Canada. However, he entertained no thought of heading back to any German harbor. Stalling on his return, Schroeder slowly steamed his vessel across the Ocean. The captain refused to return his passengers to Europe until he could find a safe port.
Captain Gustav Schroeder was an intelligent but sympatric man, so he developed a contingency plan. He planned to wreck the St. Louis near the English coast, forcing the British authorities to act. Before he put that plan into action, he did find a solution. The passengers would be allowed to disembark in Antwerp. Also, Belgium, Great Britain, and France agreed with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee to take in a limited number of refugees.
The free world’s refusal to take these refugees off St. Louis was a death sentence for 254 passengers. They were all eventually caught and sent to concentration camps. On March 11, 1993, because of the heroic deeds of Captain Gustav Schroeder, he was acknowledged by the State of Israel as a ‘Righteous Man’ among Nations. This title was Israel’s way of honoring any non-Jew who had risked their own lives to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis.”
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