Recognizing June 6, 2009, as the 70^th anniversary of the tragic date when the M.S. St. Louis, a ship carrying Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany, returned to Europe after its passengers were refused admittance to the United States.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
RESOLUTION

Recognizing June 6, 2009, as the 70^th anniversary of the tragic date when the M.S. St. Louis, a ship carrying Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany, returned to Europe after its passengers were refused admittance to the United States.

Whereas on May 13, 1939, the ocean liner M.S. St. Louis departed from Hamburg, Germany for Havana, Cuba with 937 passengers, most of whom were Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution;

Whereas the Nazi regime in Germany in the 1930’s implemented a program of violent persecution of Jews;

Whereas the Kristallnacht, or Night of Broken Glass, pogrom of November 9 through 10, 1938, signaled an increase in violent anti-semitism;

Whereas after the Cuban Government, on May 27, 1939, refused entry to all except 28 passengers on board the M.S. St. Louis, the M.S. St. Louis proceeded to the coast of south Florida in hopes that the United States would accept the refugees.

Whereas the United States refused to allow the M.S. St. Louis to dock and thereby provide a haven for the Jewish refugees;

Whereas the Immigration Act of 1924 placed strict limits on immigration;

Whereas following denial of admittance of the passengers to Cuba, the United States, and Canada, the M.S. St. Louis set sail on June 6, 1939, for return to Antwerp, Belgium with the refugees; and

Whereas 254 former passengers of the M.S. St. Louis died under Nazi rule; Now, therefore, be it resolved, That the Senate—

(1)    Recognizes that June 6, 2009, marks the 70^th anniversary of the tragic date when the M.S. St. Louis returned to Europe after its passengers were refused admittance to the United States and other countries in the Western Hemisphere;

(2)    Honors the memory of the 937 refugees aboard the M.S. St. Louis, most of whom were Jews fleeing Nazi oppression, and 254 of whom subsequently died during the Holocaust;

(3)    acknowledges the suffering of those refugees caused by the refusal of the United States, Cuban, and Canadian governments to provide them political asylum; and

(4)    recognizes the 70^th anniversary of the M.S. St. Louis tragedy as an opportunity for public officials and educators to raise awareness about an important historical event, the lessons of which are relevant to current and future generations.

A recent survey of Jewish Identification in America “raises profound questions about the future viability of one of the world’s oldest religions”.

So reads an article in one of America’s major newspapers:

What would your grandparents and great grandparents think if they read a  statement suggesting that the existence of Judaism was in question;  your ancestors who kept alive a heritage and tradition often at the risk of their own lives.

The mission of the Foundation for Jewish Continuity is to issue a challenge.
A challenge that asks us to examine our identity at its very roots and ask ourselves the following question:  How do I truly measure the value my Jewish identity?

The Foundation will connect with Jewish people from across the entire spectrum through our innovative and unique creative projects. We will reach out to the unaffiliated, the alienated, the disaffected, the culturally but not practicing, the disaffected, the reform, conservative and orthodox and we will challenge Jews everywhere to embark upon this very personal journey to within.

Our creative outreach will include theater, film and communal events such as:

• The S/S St Louis Project with history-making program on December 12-14, 2009 at the Eden Roc Hotel, Miami Beach, Florida that will commemorate the 70^th anniversary of the ill-fated voyage and honor the survivors at a special reunion and the passenger signing of the U.S. Senate Resolution 111.  The signed documents will will be housed in the U.S. National Archives “Legislative Treasures Vault” (where the most significant historical documents of Congress are preserved in perpetuity  for  public display), the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, and other significant institutions throughout the world..
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  Participating U.S. and international dignitaries will include Rev. Rosemary Schindler (niece of Oskar Schindler); Richard Hunt, director for the U.S. Center for Legislative Archives; Scott Miller, director of Curatorial Affairs of the U.S. Holocaust Museum, U.S. Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, U.S. Congressman Ron Klein, government officials from several countries, and playwright/filmmaker Robert Krakow.  Program includes the premiere of playwright/Documentarian Robert Krakow’s “The Trial of Roosevelt”, the official Resolution signing, and Menorah lighting and beachfront dedication ceremony.

• “The False Witness: The Trial of Adolf Hitler”, December 14, 2009 at the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Florida:  The original play by playwright/Documentarian Robert Krakow provides for a provocative exploration of the assault on Jewish identity.

• “The Portrait of Adele” (Documentary Film), written and produced by playwright/Documentarian Robert Krakow, is a dramatic story of the Holocaust Era Restitution featuring the detective work at the National Archives which led to the return of the Klimt paintings from the Austrian National Gallery.

NOW 70 YEARS LATER…

THE NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR JEWISH CONTINUITY INVITES YOU
TO MEET THE SURVIVING PASSENGERS OF THAT FATEFUL VOYAGE, HEAR THEIR STORIES, AND BE PART OF AN INTERNATIONAL HISTORY-MAKING WATERSHED EVENT IN JEWISH HISTORY

THE 70th ANNIVERSARY OF THE SS ST. LOUIS VOYAGE, PASSENGER REUNION
AND COMMEMORATIVE EVENT

Sunday, December 13, 2009 – Eden Roc Hotel, Miami, Florida

10:30 a.m.
Registration and Debut and Tours of a special United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Archival Exhibition on the SS St. Louis Voyage

11:30 a.m.
Brunch and Program Begins, Introductions of SS St. Louis Passengers and Dignitaries. Preview of Passenger J film.

Premiere of The Trial of Franklin D. Roosevelt, an original play by Robert Krakow (trustee of the passenger-signed U.S. Senate Resolution 111 documents) for which you, the audience, serves as the jury.

Official Passenger Resolution Signing and Presentation to United States National Archives “Legislative Treasures Vault”, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Oskar Schindler Family Archives, and other significant institutions around the world for preservation and public display.

Menorah Lighting With SS St. Louis Passengers and Beachfront SS St. Louis Commemoration Ceremony

CHAIRPERSONS

SS ST. LOUIS PASSENGERS:
HERBERT KARLINER | LIESL LOEB | COL. PHIL FREUND, U.S. ARMY (Retired)

ROBERT KRAKOW, PLAYWRIGHT/FILMMAKER

HOWARD AND PAMELA KAYE, NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR JEWISH CONTINUITY

Distinguished Guests, Speakers & Presenters Include

SS St. Louis Passengers

Rosemary Schindler, Niece of Oskar Schindler (Schindler’s List) and Trustee of Schindler’s Ark Archives
Richard Hunt, Director for The U.S. Center for Legislative Archives (National Archives)
Scott Miller, Director of Curatorial Affairs of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
The Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, United States Congresswoman-Florida
The Honorable Ron Klein, United States Congressman-Florida

COUVERT: $350 per person-limited reserved seating; $250 per person-general seating

Reserved:  $3,500 (premium seating) or $2,500 per table of ten

(Kashrut Dietary Laws Observed)

_____________________________

THE 70th ANNIVERSARY OF THE SS ST. LOUIS VOYAGE,PASSENGER REUNION,
AND COMMEMORATIVE EVENT

Join us to witness the:

• Historic ceremonial passenger signing of U.S. Senate Resolution 111 acknowledging the U.S. government’s watershed decision that changed the world forever.
• Presentation of the signed document to director of the U.S. National Archives “Legislative Treasures Vault”,  which houses the most significant original documents of Congress,  (including the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence) for preservation and  public display.
• Presentation of signed U.S. Senate Resolution 111 documents to United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. and representatives from other prominent institutions for preservation and display around the world.
• Remarks by Rev. Rosemary Schindler, niece of Oscar Schindler (Schindler’s List), who was been instrumental in securing the United States Senate Resolution and will be accepting a passenger-signed United States Senate Resolution 111 for inclusion in the Oskar Schindler Family Archives.
• Presentation of the Passengers’ Distinguished Service Award to The Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, United States Congresswoman-Florida and ranking member of the House  Foreign Affairs Committee, for her efforts on behalf of Israel and the restitution of  Holocaust Era assets.
• Presentation of the Passengers’ Appreciation Award to The Honorable Ron Klein, U.S. Congressman- Florida, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, will be honored for his efforts in authoring and spearheading the passage of the Florida State Holocaust Education Act that mandated the teaching of the lessons of the Holocaust in all of the state’s public schools.
• Debut of the original play “The Trial of Franklin D. Roosevelt” for which the audience will serve as the jury. The play was written by distinguished playwright/filmmaker Robert Krakow, who serves as the Trustee for St. Louis passenger-signed United States Senate Resolution 111, and Vice President of The National Foundation for Jewish Continuity.
• And participate in a special Hanukkah Menorah Lighting with the SS St. Louis passengers, dignitaries, and fellow attendees followed by a concluding beachfront dedication ceremony.

Very early in life I learned about discrimination. I loved to play soccer and it came a time when the boys would just kick me because I was a Jew. Once, on a beautiful winter day, a German boy ask me to share our sled with him, and my little sister and I was more than happy to play with everyone. At the bottom of the hill, the German boy started to hit my little sister for no reason whatsoever and I got so mad I fought with him to avenge his insults, and hurting her. At night, the Gestapo came to pick-up my father and put him in jail because his son hit an Arian boy. When my father came back from prison, he spanked me so hard that I will never forget it for the rest of my life.

On Nov. 9, 1938, my father came down from the apartment to find our store vandalized and all the front windows broken to pieces. When we heard that the synagogue was burning, my father and I ran to it and we saw the S.A (brown trouper) burning all the prayer books and our Torah. My father tried to save the Torah, but he was pushed back by the S.A. We went back home and somebody came running saying that the Gestapo was picking up Jewish families. When the Gestapo arrived at home they only took my father and all the men of the town. The next day, my mother sent me to Gleiweftz, a town 12 kilometers away where our other relatives lived, to find out that they were all taken as well. I was 12 years old then. I went to the prison where they were and brought food and blankets. Each one of them had messages for me to give to their families, and it was very difficult for me to remember them all perfectly. The next day they were all sent to the camp of Buchenwald. My mother was frantic. We had to close the store, clean up all the mess on the floor and put wood panel to close the front window. We no longer were allowed to go to school, go to the movie theater and we were even kicked around just walking on the same sidewalk as the Arian people.

The only way we could get my father out of Buchenwald was to produce visa or permits to leave Germany. We were on the American quota, but the waiting period was much too long, but no other countries wanted to give us visas. My mother finally bought Permits for Shanghai. After 3 weeks, my father came home unrecognizable. In Jan. 1939 we heard that we could obtain permits for Cuba, and that seemed better and closer to the United States. So we bought 4 round trip tickets to Cuba with Permits at a very high price and finally left with all our belongings to Hamburg. On May 13, 1939 we finally set sail on the luxurious ship to freedom. We were about 8 members of our family. The Gestapo had told our parents how much they had to sell their business and our house…. It was so hard for my family to leave their home, their ancestral place and go to a strange country. But for me, it was another thing: I used to read a lot of books about America from Karl May and I was taken by a sense of adventure and discovery. We had a wonderful trip on the St Louis. The food was very good, we had very nice accommodations and only then did my father find the courage to tell us about his experiences at the camp. One of his brothers was sent in 1938 in Dachau and never came back. Very young, I already knew what it meant to go to a camp.

As we arrived in Cuba we found out that we could not land, and the nightmare started again. No more fun on board: panic, telegrams etc. were the current events of the day. We tried the American coast, but were not allowed to enter. For the fist time I saw the coast of Florida and I was so impressed by the beauty of the beaches, the palm trees, that I told myself, at 12 and a half, that I had to come back there some day. We sent a plea to Mrs. Roosevelt to allow only the children to enter the US, but it came to dead ears… We had to return to Europe knowing fully well what it meant. At the end, finally the happy news came that Belgium, France,  Holland and England would accept us. We disembarked in Antwerp to change ships. My parents, the 4 children and one uncle went to France. The rest went to England.

Arriving in France my parents and my oldest sister were sent to a small village in Mirabeau (Vienne). My younger sister, brother and I were sent to a Jewish home for children (organization O.S.E.) in Montmorency. That’s where I started to learn French. Our director was Mr. Pasternack, a refugee and a psychologist from Vienna. A few weeks later I was sent to “La Toureile”, another home. That’s where I had my Bar Mitzvah… We were all a bunch of boys together, without our parents there, and it was very sad… I remember the beautiful party my parents had for my brother, surrounded with all our family from everywhere. We all got a Talis, a prayer book and each a little present such as a hammer, a saw, etc. It was very funny!!

On my birthday that year, Sept. 3, 1939, I received another bad news: The declaration of World War II. Not a very nice gift for a 13-year-old boy. Toureile reminds me of my first experience with the bombardments. We used to sleep in the cellar and the smaller children were all crying so hard. The OSE had to evacuate all the children to central France in “Chateau de Chaumont in Creuse. Since my French was not good, they sent me to work in the village as a baker helper. To go to work I had to walk 3 kilometers at 4 a.m. each way summer and winter. The work was hard, and after baking, I had to cut wood. I stayed there for 2 1/2 years,  I also enjoyed playing soccer with the children of the village and the home. Our parents came to Chateau de Chaumont to visit us once in 1940. Since the accommodations and the conditions were not good, my parents decided to take back with them my younger sister. This good loving hearted gesture cost her life.

I received once, 2 weeks vacation, and decided to visit my parents and 2 sisters who were then living in the occupied zone of France. I walked 30 kilometers through the fields; had a peasant help me cross the border.

They were all so happy to see me, but of course my mother did not like the idea of me sleeping in the field etc.  On my way back to the home my mother gave me some money and told me to promise her that I would stay in a hotel to sleep. I did. The hotel owner called the French police because I had no papers. I ended up in prison and the Jewish rep. had to clear me and had to pay a fine!  I got “Hell” from everyone. After that I had to stay permanently at my boss’s house Mrs. Mme Mousselon. I slept in the attic. In August 26, 1942 the French police came to pick me up as well as all the Jews they could find, and took us to a French camp in Boussac (Creuse). That’s where I met a lot of Jewish children from different homes.

The Law, at the time was that they could not hold and deport children over the age of 16. I was one week short of my 16th birthday! They released me. I then was sent to another home “Le Magelier” (Creuse) and worked in agriculture. In this place we had to keep guard at night to check if the police was coming to pick us up. It was always a group of three; usually the older boys. One would stand at the road near the village the other one at the gate of this huge chateau and the 3rd one at the door of the chateau. Signals would be given. One time one of the boys fell asleep and almost cost us all our lives. Thank G-d the boy at the door saw the patrol coming, and we ran out in the woods. We always slept all dresses up with a small package for a 2-day supply.

Unfortunately many of the younger ones did not have time to escape and they all got taken by the French police and sent to concentration camps. This was in February 1943, the Jewish underground furnished us with false papers. Because of my strong German accent, I was to be from Alsace … My name was Paul Braun from Mutzick. The Underground tried to send us to Spain, but we could not enter. We were turn down at the border. Another attempt was made to send us to Switzerland, but we were again refused at the border: the reason this time was that we were children over 16! It was time to hide us somewhere in France, still with our alias names. I was sent at Treve (Rhone), 1/2 half a hour from the large city of Lyon.  lt is 1943. There I really slaved planting grapes in rocky hills and work in the fields from sun rise to dawn, 7-days-a-week except for Sunday morning Mass. The underground was doing a lot of action in these areas, blowing bridges, train etc. and we had a lot of police going around. Once, they came to my place and asked for my papers. He got very excited when he saw I was from Mutzick. He was an old WW 1 (World War I) soldier who was stationed there. He started to ask me questions about the city which I had never seen, I was SO scared but I managed to get through it.

Toward the end of the war I came to find out that the Germans were looking for me: Since Alsace was now German, and they ran out of soldiers, they were looking for all the boys from Alsace.

As soon as the American troops marched in Lyon, I left my job and joined the French Forces. At least that’s what I wanted to do. I went to the Captain and explained my situation, my real name etc. but they refused to accept me. The captain explained to me that they were lots of Germans doing the same things to avoid prison and that they could not take any chances. I then rejoined the Jewish organization OSE and went to Paris. I stayed Rue Rollin with many a young people until I left for the United States. I found out that my parents and two sisters were deported in 1942, denounced by local people. (That’s another story).

The OSE sent me to Ecouie as a counselor to meet the convoy of Jewish chil­dren coming from all the different concentration camps. It was awful. Children from all nationalities: German, Polish, Czech, Hungarian etc. not even speaking the same language, not understanding one another and behaving like cave men; all sick and so pitiful. Among them was Elie Wiesel.

My uncle from Hartford, CT sent my brother and I affidavit to come to the US. I left in 1946. I immediately started to work. Very mediocre and hard jobs, low pay etc. but I was used to that and for free. I had to start again with a new language and nothing was simple. Little by little with determination I learned English and got on my feet. I had such a bright outlook on life. I still had in mind to see Miami and my dream materiali­zed in 1949. I came to work for the winter season in Miami Beach.  I was so elated when I bought my first car. What a feeling of freedom, I felt like I was flying but the euphoria did not last too long. I got drafted in 1950 into the US Army. After my basic training, I applied as a translator for Europe, but since I was working as a cook in the kitchen, and every body LOVED my cooking, they held me back under pretext until it was no longer possible. I end up with the last convoy to Korea; more war. But I stayed a very short time in Korea. I spent 9 months in Japan and received high recommendation from General Marc Clark. They wanted me to stay in the Army and teach cooking and baking; a career in the Army? Not me! Coming back to the States I worked the sea­sons; winter in Miami Beach, summer in the mountains. I settled permanen­tly in Miami Beach in 1954.

In 1961, I married a French girl, also affiliated with the OSE. I opened my own business in 1966 after working for 12 years as assistant pastry Chef at the Fountainebleau Hotel.

I have two lovely daughters, Michelle (1964) and Debbie (1967). I am still very very happily married to Vera and life has been good to us. I sold my business in 1983, and I am now retired.

Now that I have more time, I became involved with the Holocaust Center and talk to school children about my experiences and the story of the Holocaust. I organized the reunion the 50th anniversary of the St Louis.

Everything that happened to me from the beginning of the Krystallnacht the St Louis, the war etc. did not make a bitter man out of me. On the contrary, if not a characteristic gift from my mother, I am a very honest, loving, giving humanitarian. I feel very strongly as a Jew, even though I do not practice, and I always tried to transfer to my chil­dren this sense of Judaism. Both my girls know more or less what has happened to me and our family, but they have not integrated these events as part of their life. They are both happy, first generation American with the past as history, and only their beautiful future ahead.

Thank G-d living in Miami they have all their lives been sheltered from discrimi­nation since the Jewish population here is large, and they have not lived elsewhere. We all went to Israel and we all have a strong tie to the country. Not solely because I have family there, but for what it stands for and the price we had to pay to get it.

I have to say that through all the different OSE homes I went, I was very fortunate to have tremendous counselors.  All hiding refugees as well, but all were professionals, doctors, psychologists, pedagogists, musicians etc.. They were the person I am today. Their education, experience, their dedication was above all. They taught us courage, history, Jewishness, music, all the values of life and respect for your fellowman. Most of all we were all together, and we feel a tremendous sense of family. That’s what kept us sane.

Read More About the Voyage of the SS St. Louis, click here

When my family (wife, son Mark with his wife and their son (our grandson}, our daughter her husband (three grandsons) and I toured the Warsaw Ghetto this summer, I made this comment outside of the orphanage.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s comment to his Secretary of State, Cordell Hull, at that time was “I don’t want them in the Western Hemisphere. They have to leave.”

The Canadian Minister of Immigration at the time commented that “None is one too many”, as was reported in the local Canadian papers.

My personal opinion is that when the Nazis heard those comments and saw that we were denied disembarking, it became obvious that no country was willing to absorb 917 German Jews.  Therefore, if no one cared they could proceed to do as they wished with European Jewry as Hitler’s outlined plans for us Jews in his “Mein Kampf”.

Read More About the Passengers of the SS St. Louis, click here

Read More About the SS St. Louis 70th Anniversary Commemorative Event, click here

Read More About the Trial of Franklin D. Roosevelt, click here

Read More About the Trial of Franklin D. Roosevelt, click here

A TRIBUTE DENIED ENTRY

By Belle Anne Freund, wife of SS St. Louis survivor, Retired Colonel . Phil Freund

The time had come to leave our home, To start our travels and then to roam.

We traveled on for 40 days and 40 nights; We felt like sheep, we had no rights.

The call of Miami Beach was there; We had to leave, it was not fair.

Cuba had said no to us so few; The time would come, this day they had rue.

Because of them so many died; They made a promise, then they lied.

The blood of many is on their hands. Of all of those who wore Jewish bands.

Now today the time has come,  That repentance is made to only some.

But what about those who are not here? Their memory should always be very dear.

Never again, we say loud and clear, Or this could happen again, we fear.

Never again, to all we will tell, As we try to mend and be well.

Our dear Christian friends here care so very much.

As they reach out to us with love and touch.

You felt the sins your for bearers made,

And learn of the sacrifices of which we paid.

Whole families were wiped away,

In unmarked graves so many lay.

And many do not have a place of their own,

Where we can mark them with a stone.

So never forget those not here,

The six million Jews  all those so dear.

They paid a price that we may live,

Their memory to our children we continue to give.

We thank you so very much,

For caring about generations lost.

Of the valuable contributions that could have been made,

What a horrible price to have paid.

Who knows what discoveries would be.

What  beautiful art that we would see;

Or the music that we would hear,

So lovely that in our eyes would be a tear.

So much lost and for what reason?

It is too late, it is already done.

They made the world so much better.

They followed the rule to the letter.

We cannot imagine the hopelessness they felt;

Those in the camps with which they dealt.

They prayed to God and went to their fate,

The liberation for too many came too late.

937 passengers could have been saved.

Of them the Cubans could have raved.

Then 6 million would not have been killed;

But it was not in the cards  it was not willed.

So, today, at our feet you lay,

But what a horrible price to pay.

Yet we are honored and forgive,

For because of the others our life we live.

We will always remember this date,

And thank God for our fate.

To live our lives.

For those who died.