Invalidation by Washington of American visitors’ visas issued after June 6 today prevented the sailing of more than 100 refugees on the liner Nea Hellas.
Among those left behind when the ship weighed anchor was Baron Eugene de Rothschild, former Viennese banker who until the Nazi occupation had been residing in France. His American-born wife, the former Kitty Wolff, was permitted to sail.
The American Consulate notified the steamship line of Washington’s action just before the Nea Hellas was scheduled to sail. The retroactive invalidation was considered here unfair to the prospective emigrants and to Portugal as well, since the latter had admitted the refugees on the strength of their American visas. Among the refugees affected by Washington’s action are a number of Mexican citizens and prospective emigrants to the Dominican Republic and Canada.
Among passengers who sailed on the Nea Hellas were Max Gottschalk, Belgian Jewish leader, and his family, who had American immigration visas. Other passengers included refugee families whose emigration had been facilitated by the HIAS-ICA Emigration Association.
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