About 1,000 European Jewish refugees who have been stranded in Shanghai since the outbreak of the war in 1939 will depart for new havens within the next few weeks, according to a cable received today by the Joint Distribution Committee from its representative in Shanghai. About 600 of them will sail for North and South America and 400 will be admitted to Australia not later than Jan. 15.
Charles H. Jordan of New York, J.D.C. director in Shanghai, also disclosed in his cable that the American consulate in Shanghai has begun to process visas of German refugees for entry into the United States within the regular German immigration quota. Since the end of the war, a small number of refugees–mainly religious leaders–have been permitted to come to the United States from Shanghai under certain non-quota classifications.
At the same time Mr. Jordan reported that a large number of Austrian Jews in Shanghai, disappointed at the lack of migration opportunities afforded them, are returning to Austria in the hope of eventually reaching Palestine and other havens. The Austrian quota for immigration to the United States is much smaller than the German, it was explained. Five hundred Jews who have spent the past ten years in Shanghai will be repatriated to Austria early next month, while eighty-eight survivors have already returned.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
