Where did 20,000 Jews hide from the Holocaust? In Shanghai

Around 20,000 Jewish refugees sought asylum in Shanghai during the Holocaust due to its open city policy.

Historical backdrop: In the late 1930s, refugees could migrate to Shanghai without obtaining a visa.
* The city was known for being open to immigrants, with a significant part controlled by foreign powers such as France, Britain, and the United States.
* Jewish people had been moving to Shanghai since the mid-1800s.

In the midst of crisis: Nearly 20,000 Jewish people found refuge in the city before and during World War II.
* The living conditions, however, became challenging when the Japanese army took control of the city and forced Jewish refugees into the Hongkou district.
* Crowded and unsanitary conditions led to widespread disease.

Remembering the past: The Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum, opened in 2007, commemorates this part of history.
* Currently, it has an exhibit in New York City showcasing stories, photographs, and other artifacts documenting life in the “Shanghai ghetto.”
* This free exhibit will run until Aug. 14.

Preserving the legacy: Descendants of the Shanghai refugees are working to keep this story alive for future generations.
* Sara Himas and her son Jerry, descendants of a Jewish refugee who stayed in Shanghai after World War II, live in the city.
* Jerry Himas is collaborating with the Shanghai museum to create a nonprofit named the Chinese-Jewish Cultural Connection Center, aimed at fostering connections among refugee families.

View original article on NPR

This summary was created by an AI system. The use of this summary is subject to our Terms of Service.

Contact us about this post

Posted

in

by

Tags:

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *