In Search of Refuge: Jews and US Consuls in Nazi Germany, 1933-1941Against the background of antisemitism among the general American public, and specifically in the U.S. State Department, focuses on the role of American consuls in Europe, concluding that their own latent and overt antisemitism was largely responsible for their withholding visas to the U.S. from Jews more than from non-Jews, regardless of the formers' immeasurably more difficult position in Germany. Thus, antisemitism is linked to the restrictive U.S. immigration policy during the 1930s and early 1940s. One of the prime examples of such consuls was George Messersmith (Consul-General in Berlin and later Assistant Secretary of State), who American Jews wrongly considered to favor Jewish immigration. While some consuls were apparently carrying out the will of their superiors, they were also doing what they believed was right for America. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
Nazi AntiJewish Policy and Jewish Emigration | 9 |
Antisemitism The American Scene | 18 |
Copyright | |
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21 November admission admitted affidavits AFSC Archives aliens Ambassador American consuls American Jewish Committee American Jewish Joint anti-Jewish antisemitic attitude become a public Berlin Breckinridge Long clause Consul Geist Consul-General consular officers consuls in Germany Cyrus Adler December Delaware Archives Diary Distribution Committee Archives documents Dodd emigration entry Europe European February Folder Foreign Service German Jewish German Jews granted Hodgdon Hull Immigration Act Immigration and Naturalization immigration laws immigration policy immigration visas instructions issue January Jewish applicants Jewish immigrants Jewish Joint Distribution Jewish refugees Jews in Germany Joint Distribution Committee July June Kristallnacht Library of Congress Long Papers Manuscript Div March Max Kohler Memorandum Messersmith Papers Nazi Germany non-immigrant November Nuremberg laws passports Pelley persecution persons political refugees President professors public charge Refugee Service refused regard Richard Breitman Under-Secretary University of Delaware Vice-Consul Vienna Visa Division Washington William Dudley Pelley Yivo Archives York