Posted on 09/27/2012 4:20:25 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
You wrote what you wrote. “The restrictive immigration policy went into effect within a few months of Germany invading Poland... a little late to be thinking about going to Palestine.” Your meaning may remain known only to you.
Your meaning may remain known only to you.
I see you are not familiar with the British White Paper of 1939. Now we are getting somewhere.
The British White Paper of 1939 limited immigration to Palestine at ~10,000 per year... regardless of from where they were coming. Starting approx 6/39, Eichmann could have sold 100K passes per month for German Jews to leave for Palestine but the British wouldn't have let more than 10K per year in.
By 9/30, Germany, France, England and Russia were at war making it late for anyone to be thinking about getting out of Europe.
“By 9/30, Germany, France, England and Russia were at war making it late for anyone to be thinking about getting out of Europe. “ And THAT is where you are going wrong. The onset of the war had nothing to do with ‘making it too late’.
You are now attempting to say things I never said. I've never said the onset of hostilities made it "too late" for emmigration to Palestine and I think you know that.
Any reasonable person should understand that once hostilities begin, it becomes late to escape the theater of conflict due to the hazards of doing so increasing exponentially.
I have never read a history of the St. Louis that explains why they didnt go to the Dominican.CougarGA7 responded with:
We followed that pretty closely a few years back. Quite the saga.
I did read Homer's St. Louis thread after he directed me to it the other day and my question remains as to why the St. Louis did not sail for the Dominican Republic? Based on the articles and links Homer posted, the $500 per passenger bond required by the Dominican Republic did not appear to be a problem. Was it that the passengers themselves preferred returning to Europe rather than going to the Dominican Republic?
Thanks for your clarification.
“It becomes late”
“making it late”
“a little late”
Doesn’t mean that it’s too late. I think I understand what you are saying now.
They may have believed they would still be able to persuade the American or Canadian authorities to let them in. I read somewhere the captain had a fallback plan to run aground in Florida to let them run for it, but the Coast Guard shadowed him so he couldn't do it. By the time they knew for sure America was not an option they may have only had enough food and fuel for the return to Europe.
Another possibility is I read many thought if they could get into Cuba they could find a way to get to America and they may not have planned on a long term stay. The Dominican may not have afforded the same opportunity.
As I said, just my speculation.
I'm not sure at what point the decision was made return to Europe but here are a few approximate water distances via Google Earth's ruler tool.
Havana - Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic = 1,700 miles
Havana - Portsmouth, England = 4,700 miles
New York - Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic = 1,900 miles
New York - Portsmouth, England = 3,600 miles
The point is that if you go to the Dominican and get the same treatment you got in Havana, you don’t have enough food and fuel for the return trip to Europe.
OK.
I suspect more written record as to why the passengers/captain did not take up the Dominican Republic on it's offer of sanctuary exists, it's just that for whatever reason, historians have not gone down that path.
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