NAZI ADMIRERS

1. NAZI ADMIRERS • American pilot Charles Lindbergh was a strong admirer of the “New Germany” • Hitler had British admirers as well • Lord Lothian and Lord Winterton • Sir Oswald Mosley • Head of British Union of Fascists • Also German-American Bund, the John Birch Society, and Ku Klux Klan had strong anti-semitic platforms Charles Lindbergh Sir Oswald Mosley

2. WESTERN ANTI-SEMITISM • Jews often seen as “alien” and somehow “un-British” or un-American” • “Golf Club” anti-semitism widespread in Great Britain • Anti-semitism widespread in government circles • Lord Halifax-”mildly anti-semitic” • Anthony Eden-”hopelessly prejudiced against Jews” • His anti-semitism influenced by his pro-Arabism Anthony Eden

3. AMERICAN POLICY • President Franklin Delano Roosevelt convened Evian Conference in France in 1939 to discuss issue of Jewish refugees • Criticized as “cosmetic gesture” • U.S. quota of 30,000 Jewish immigrants per year remained in place • FDR was not a anti-semite but had to appease right-wing isolationist who often did hold anti-semitic views

4. ANTI-SEMITISM IN BRITISH GOVERNMENT • Leslie Hore-Belisha, Minister of War, fired in January 1940 by prime minister Neville Chamberlain because he was a Jew • Disliked by generals • Lord Halifax prejudiced against him • Demonstrated that there was active anti-semitism in British government circles • One exception to this general atmosphere of prejudice was Winston Churchill

5. FRENCH ANTI-SEMITISM • “Better Hitler than Blum” • Slogan aimed at Jewish French prime minister Leon Blum (1936-37) • Vichy regime, headed by Marshal Henri Petain, collaborated with Nazis • Passed legislation against Jews • Cooperated in rounded up French Jews and sending them to death camps Leon Blum Henri Petain and Vichy officials

6. JAN KARSKI • Representative of the Polish underground • Arrived in London in May 1942 with report which told British government of the way in which Jews in Poland were being systematically exterminated • British government showed no sign of reacting to his news

7. RIEGNER TELEGRAM • Telegram received by Foreign Office on August 10, 1942 containing message from Gerhart Riegner, secretary of World Jewish Congress • Intended for Jewish Labour MP Sidney Silverman

8. TEXT OF REIGNER TELEGRAM • “Receiving alarming reports that, in the Fuhrer’s Headquarters, a plan has been discussed, and is under consideration, according to which all Jews in countries occupied or controlled by Germany numbering three-and-a-half to four millions should, after deportation and concentration in the East, be at one blow exterminated.”

9. COVER-UP • British Foreign Office statement on telegram: • “We should not help matters by taking further action on the basis of this rather wild story” • Eden prevented Silverman from phoning Rabbi Stephen Wise, head of American Jewish Congress, about telegram • Information from telegram did not reach US until August 1942 • State Department persuaded Wise to keep information secret until it could be confirmed • American public did not learn of telegram until November 1942 Rabbi Stephen Wise

10. ROMAN CATHOLIC RESPONSE • Pope Pius XII made no statement condemning Nazi persecution of Jews • Feared situation of Jews and German Roman Catholics would become worse if he spoke out • He was naturally sympathetic to, and reluctant to condemn, Germany • He regarded communism as greater threat than Nazism • Alarmed by events in the Netherlands in 1940 when members of Church hierarchy had spoken out against Nazi persecution of Jewish converts and Nazis had sent dozens of converts to concentration camps in retaliation Pope Pius XII

11. CRITICS OF PIUS XII • Critics argue that Pius failed in his moral duty as leader of the largest Christian church by remaining silent about Nazi persecution of Jews • Point to example of Bishop of Munster, August von Galen, who attacked Nazi euthanasia policy and was not arrested because of his popularity August von Galen

12. PROTESTANTS • Many German Protestants supported Nazis • Joined Nazi-sponsored “Reich Church” • Other Protestants just kept quiet • A tiny minority of Protestants spoke out against persecution of Jews • Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer • Founded “Confessing Church” • Died in concentration camp in 1945 Dietrich Bonhoeffer

13. SUMMARY • Church leaders did not adopt a strong enough position against Nazi racism • Contrasts with heroism of Bonhoeffer and Catholic priest Alfred Delp Alfred Delp

14. HUNGARIAN JEWS 1944 • Allied powers were unwilling to accept available evidence about Nazi crimes against the Jews and were reluctant to act even when the evidence became overwhelming • Allies could not, however, feign ignorance of what was going on when it came to the fate of Hungarian Jews in 1944

15. BRITISH ACT LIKE JERKS • Jewish Agency for Palestine had long pushed for British government to allow Hungarian Jews to go to Palestine • British kept quota and even said Jewish immigration to Palestine should stop altogether in 1944 • Wanted to appease Palestinian-Arabs • Turned down offer from Eichmann to allow Hungarian Jews to be released in exchange for tons of coffee, tea, cocoa, soap and 10,000 trucks • Arrested Joel Brand as Gestapo spy

16. SUMMARY • US public opinion forced British to issue 5000 immigration certificates for Palestine to Hungarian Jews • US also support Wallenberg’s campaign Department of War put pressure on State Department to take action against Nazis • British Foreign Office forced to go along and draw up list of war criminals • Whole matter plagued by confusion, foot-dragging, and bad feelings by British • Americans would ultimately take initiative in the matter • Prejudice, laziness, and lack of imagination weakened or negated any effort to assist the endangered Jewish population of Europe