December 07, 2003
Remembrance day

Today is the 62nd anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, but Parade magazine chose to remember a less-publicized atrocity on American waters – the rejection of the SS St. Louis and its 937 Jewish passengers. The refugee ship was denied entry by the U.S. government in June 1939 as it sailed off the southeastern coastline of Florida. It was forced to return to Europe, where about a third of the passengers died in the Holocaust.

The Parade cover story is about the detective work of Sarah Ogilvie and Scott Miller to find survivors of the doomed ship; they have learned the fates of 935 of the 937. The article, written by Lyric Wallwork Winik, says the team found the Jews in the unlikeliest places. One passenger was drafted into the U.S. Army at the start of the Korean War, taken prisoner by the Chinese and was the first American POW exchanged in 1953. They even found a family that was related to singer Billy Joel.

At least 460 passengers eventually found their way to America, but to some the rejection by our government remains a bitter memory. "Nearly all the survivors have been relatively successful here," says Ruth Mandel in the article, "but there's a blank spot in their hearts, a sense of being double-crossed." Herbert Karliner, whose parents and two sisters died at Auschwitz, says, "We couldn't understand why a big country like the U.S. wouldn't let in 937 people." In recent years, Christian and government leaders in the United States and Canada have met with survivors to express remorse for their silence more than 60 years ago. Some healing has occurred, but a group of American Christians – believing that God still requires repentance from our nation – says it isn't enough. It hopes to persuade Congress to release an official apology to the St. Louis Jews.

Addendum – Liesl Loeb, a surviving passenger, wrote me that she is pleased the Parade article put the St. Louis saga, in a sense, on America's doorstep. "The St. Louis episode directly links the U.S. to the Holocaust," she added. "No wonder the Statue of Liberty turned its head in shame."

Posted by Jeff King at December 7, 2003 11:09 AM . . .

Dear Jeff,

Thank you about the reference to Parade Magazine. Unfortunately I don't subscribe to a paper that includes it in it's edition. I also was interviewed by the lady who wrote this article.

To update you a little, a year ago a local Cincinnati TV group followed me to Holland where we revisited my old haunts; the house my mother, I, and my grandmother lived in in Amsterdam,Westerbork, Friesland, the home where I was hidden. There I held a Gathering of all of the children, grand children, and Great grandchildren of the couple who hid me, Johannes and Sjoukje Dijkstra. Few, if any, knew how and why I was hidden by their ancestors, as little was to be known about me in order to protect me. We also went to Auschwitz-Birkenau where my mother was killed after she was found. The film is called"Finding Family"and received very good reviews.It will be distributed to local schools in Cincinnati.

'm writing you from Frieland where I'm spending a couple of months.

Thanks again for alerting me to this latest article about the St. Louis.

By the way I have contacted both my Senators, Congressmen, etc. asking them whether they know of any legislation that acnowledges responsibility for the USA participation in the Holocaust by doing nothing to help when it could. And if there is none, would they be interested in taking the initiative in doing so. Thus far I have heard from Senator DeWine whose letter is a typical "thank you"for your interest in the work that hw is doing; nothing relevant to my Questions. Andc so it goes on and on......

Hope that you are well,

Henry
Posted by: Henry Blumenstein at December 9, 2003 07:32 AM