840.48 Refugees/2–2345: Telegram
The Ambassador in the United Kingdom ( Winant ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 11:03 p.m.]
1870. For Department and WRB. ReDeptel 66, January 3, 12 p.m., and 308, January 13, 12 p.m.43 In note dated February 21 Foreign Office informed Embassy as follows:
Particulars have now been received from British Legation at Bern concerning the group of 1675 Jewish refugees from Bergen–Belsen. British authorities are naturally pleased at release of these refugees. There are however considerable difficulties to British agreement for immediate admission “of all or indeed any” of the group into Palestine. Arrangements were made by the British authorities when practically the whole of Europe was occupied by the enemy whereby a large number of European Jews were advised that certificates for entry into Palestine would be issued to them should they reach neutral [Page 1135] territory. At the same time British passport control officer at Istanbul was authorized to issue Palestine visas automatically to any Jewish refugee who reached Istanbul. This arrangement was designed simply and solely to save from persecution as many Jews as possible. A certain claim to immunity from the worst forms of persecution was given them by a document to the effect that they would be admitted into Palestine. Consequently not much regard for the “absorptive capacity” of Palestine was held in giving these assurances. It was ensured through the authorization to the British passport control officer at Istanbul to grant visas that no Jew who succeeded in reaching the Turkish frontier would be turned back. This position was fully understood and accepted by the Jewish agency for Palestine. The British had to take steps to provide that Palestine immigration take place in a more orderly manner now that conditions in Europe have changed and the area of enemy action domination has shrunk. Immigration to Palestine at the present time is on a basis of a quota of 10,300 Jewish immigrants. This quota is to be filled as from October 1, 1944 at a rate not exceeding 1500 a month. The Jewish agency for Palestine has the initial choice of immigrants under this scheme. Consequently there must first be considered the admissibility of these refugees into Palestine under, the present quota arrangements. However the British agree with the American authorities that the Swiss Government “who seem themselves to have taken the initiative on this point” should not be burdened any longer than is absolutely necessary with the presence of these refugees. The best solution therefore would seem to be their removal from Switzerland to some other place where temporary housing and care can be given them. From further correspondence through military channels British understand that the War Refugee Board intends for the present to do this and that steps are already underway on the part of SHAEF,44 AFHQ and UNRRA looking toward the removal of the whole group from Switzerland either to an UNRRA camp in Italy or to the UNRRA camp at Philippeville. It is very likely that some of these refugees will prove to be UNRRA’s responsibility under resolution Nos. 57 and 60 of the Montreal Conference.45 UNRRA is authorized by these resolutions to carry operations for the care and repatriation or return of persons “who have been obliged to leave their country or place of origin or former residence or who have been deported therefrom by action of the enemy because of their race, religion or activities in favor of the United Nations”. So far as the [Page 1136] British are concerned this arrangement consequently fully acceptable. The Foreign Office assumes that the Inter-Governmental Committee47 is being kept fully informed of developments by the War Refugee Board since the IGC has special responsibilities with respect to Hungarian Jews who escaped from enemy hands under arrangements made last summer in connection with the so-called Horthy offer.48
- Latter not printed.↩
- Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force.↩
- Second Session of the UNRRA Council, Montreal, September 15–27, 1944. For texts of Resolution’s 57 and 60, see George Woodbridge, UNRRA: The History of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, vol. iii, pp. 135 and 137, respectively; see also Foreign Relations, 1944, vol. ii, p. 353, footnote 42.↩
- The Inter-Governmental Committee on Political Refugees (IGC) was established in July 1938. For documentation, see Foreign Relations, 1938, vol. i, pp. 740 ff.↩
- For a press statement on the offer of the Hungarian Government to release Jews, see Department of State Bulletin, August 20, 1944, p. 175.↩