Jewish Refugees in Shanghai 1933-1947

Prof. Dr. Irene Eber lehrte am Department of Asian Studies des Louis Frieberg Center an der Hebrew University, Jerusalem.Dan Diner ist Professor emeritus für Moderne Geschichte an der Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Von 1999 bis 2014 war er Direktor des Simon-Dubnow-Instituts für jüdische Geschichte und Kultur und Professor am Historischen Seminar der Universität Leipzig.

Around 20.000 Jews, mostly from Germany and Austria, managed to escape Nazi persecution in the late 1930s and fled to Shanghai, where they found a safe refuge despite the increasing harassment of the Japanese authorities. In the face of difficult conditions, the Jewish refugees tried to arrange for both their material needs and the continuation of their communal cultural life. The 184 sources collected in the present volume document not only these efforts, but also the support of the local Jewish aid committees and other, mostly Jewish international aid organizations. The reactions of Nazi authorities in Germany and their representatives in Shanghai are included as well, as are impressions from the Japanese and Chinese sides. The documents - in German, English, Yiddish, Hebrew, Russian, and Chinese - are annotated, partially translated, and accompanied by introductions, maps, and photographs.

The volume contains annotated and partially translated documents that illustrate the situation of Jewish refugees in Shanghai and the work of various political actors and organizations.The situation of Jewish refugees in Shanghai and the work of various political actors and organizations

Around 20.000 Jews managed to escape Nazi persecution in the late 1930s and fled to Shanghai. In the face of generally difficult conditions and the increasing harassment of the Japanese authorities, they tried to arrange for both their material needs and the continuation of their communal cultural life. The 184 sources collected in the present volume document not only these efforts, but also the support of the local aid committees and other, mostly Jewish international aid organizations. Furthermore they illuminate the reactions of Nazi authorities and the Japanese and Chinese sides to the events.