SS St. Louis Persecution Of Anti-Semitism In Canada

The initial reaction to Pearl Harbor was to take cautious emergency actions to avert civil unrest. Soon, the Canadian government passed the War Measures Act. It gave permission to intern all undesirable Japanese, tie up every Japanese-owned fishing boat in British Columbia, close all Japanese language schools, forbid the publishing of newspapers in Japanese, and seize all Japanese property. All of which were subsequently carried out. In 1941, there were twenty-three thousand five hundred Japanese persons in Canada, residing mainly on the coast of British Columbia. Of that, six thousand seven hundred were Canadian born, seven thousand were naturalized citizens, and the rest were nationals of Japan. However, nothing could make any difference. To the typical, white British Columbian, the Japanese were all lower-class citizens. Five hours after the attack on Pearl Harbour, forty-eight Japanese planes bombed Hong Kong where two Canadian battalions were stationed, and were inflicted with heavy casualties. The “problem” of the resident Japanese in British Columbia was then quickly set into the mainstream focus. Prior to declaring war on Japan, Mackenzie King had stated that the “enemy country” had “wantonly and treacherously” attacked British territory, and that “Japan’s actions [were] a threat to the defence and freedom of Canada.”

Additionally, they left Germany, specifically Bavaria, to escape persecution because of their religion, Judaism, and profession, peddling. During the Post Napoleonic War era, "Jews suffered from postwar desolation and the trauma of adjustment to a pre-industrial society ... particularly in Bavaria...Jews experienced an additional refinement of political oppression." Not only that, but imperialist Germany required special letters of "protection" in order to not be banned from normal trades and professions" like peddling. Due to that they left for a better hope abroad (MJL). The saw America as the common man's utopia. Another reason to immigrate was that the repercussions of the failed German Revolution of 1848 were very substantial, causing many more German Jews to leave Germany (LOC). Lazarus Straus came from a prominent family in Bavaria. His grandfather, who bore the same name, and he were both part of the Sanhedrin. He was a leader in the failed German revolution, but unlike the other prominent supporters of the revolution, he was not exiled. He lived in Bavaria for another five years then left out of dissatisfaction (NYT). Oscar S. Straus who was the United States Secretary of Commerce and Labor, brother in-law of Isadore Straus and son of Lazarus Straus, and owner of Macy's, wrote in his memoir Under Four Administrations that the German Revolutionaries who departed to America had

There were many Jews who chose to stay while others flee their home countries looking for shelter. “It was not until 1941 that official German policy encouraged Jews to leave the country by making life in Germany increasingly difficult for them. Jews were forbidden from working in certain professions and renting or owning homes in many places; they could not hold on to their financial assets and could not move freely” (America, 2017). As a result of these policies along with a hateful campaign filled with anti-Semitic propaganda and increasingly violent climate, life in Germany was impossible for many Jews.

Canada is presently known for welcoming many racial groups into the country. However, the Canadian government is not always giving out warm welcomes to different ethnicities. During World War Two, the country rejects many Japanese and Italians who are already Canadian. The treatment of the Japanese and Italians in the Second World War is very unjust. The two groups face being put into internment camps against their own will, the government separates families and force men to work on farms with little pay. The government of Canada also mistreat the Japanese and Italian Canadians because they are full of fear and superstition.

There was a great amount of people who wanted to help the refugees especially those with a German descent. Many thought that Canada should try and help as many Jewish refugees as they could because of how poorly they have been treated by their own country. Others thought that there was no excuse for Canada to refuse Jewish refugees to come because they were not asking for a lot. And others supported emigration of Jewish refugees because of how brutal their living conditions were in

To fully understand the importance of the Jewish Refugee question, it is important to understand the context of what was happening in Nazi controlled Germany at the time. The Nazi regime did not start with killing all Jews, though that was how it ended. It started with a concentrated effort to exclude Jewish persons from every level of society, from

Canada before working towards becoming a just society was a very discriminative place. During the events of World War One,WWI black and Chinese Canadians were prevented from joining the war along with aboriginals. Women were treated the same at the time, it was common for most women to stay at home wives and take care of the children. This was the stereotypical family at the time and was believed to be the ideal family too. Canadians thought poorly of minorities and even claimed it was to keep them safe, the aboriginals were an example, Canadians claimed the enemies might believe that they are savages which was a reflection of how they truly felt. Minorities were clearly being treated worse than the majority, they were seen as inferior and only good for

“The names of German Jews were placed on a list and by 1939, the waiting period was four to five years,” (“Why Didn’t The Jews

However, during the World War II era and the years that followed, these policies were discouraged in order to encourage more skilled and professional immigrants to participate in the Canadian labour market. However, in 1967, a new policy called the Points System which was developed to meet the economic and labour needs of Canada was formed. With the existence of this policy, more non white immigrants were able to migrate to Canada. Presently, the current Immigration Act consists of both economic, family and refugee class in which immigrants enter into the country.

During the beginning of WWII, there were a lot of Japanese Canadians living in Canada, all of which were either second-generation Canadians, Japanese people who had taken Canadian citizenship or those who were still Japanese nationals. These Japanese Canadians mainly inhabited British Columbia and smaller villages in the coastal regions of the west coast. Prior to their internment, Japanese Canadians suffered great prejudice, discrimination and racism. White people were fearful that they would lose their dominance due to competition in industries such as fishing, farming, markets and even in education. The Canadian Government created laws stating that Japanese Canadians were not allowed to vote, they also had fishing and farming permits denied, which were supposed to motivate them to move back to Japan. On top of that, White people also feared that Japan would attempt to expand into Canada and take it’s natural resources due to Japan’s expansionist policies that existed at the time. On December 7th, 1941, Japanese Air Forces attacked the US forces at Pearl Harbor, pulling the US into the second world war. On the same day, 50,000 Japanese troops attacked Hong Kong, which was a British Colony at the time. After events the events at Pearl Harbour, anyone living in Canada of Japanese immigration or descent would be considered an “enemy alien”. Around this time, Japan also launched attacks on the Philippines and Malaya, the victories in these

During the Great Depression, 10,000 immigrants were deported. In 1931, the government put a complete halt in immigration. The Canadian government also refused to let Jews into Canada. This was especially evident during May 1939. The SS St. Louis tried to land on the east coast of Canada. The ship was denied permission to dock. The St. Louis was carrying over 900 Jewish refugees. The ship was forced to return to Europe. Also, during the Cold War, many immigrants from communist countries were denied entry because the government was afraid the immigrants might promote communism in Canada and brainwash Canadians’ minds. During this period, the government took many actions to prevent the Japanese, Chinese, East Indians and others from entering Canada through a series of restrictions and acts.

After Nazi Germany invaded Poland, beginning World War II, Roosevelt, like many government officials and ordinary Americans, feared that the Nazis were sending spies and saboteurs to the United States who would serve as a “fifth column” in the event of a German or Japanese invasion, helping to defeat America from the inside. Rumors also flew that Jewish refugees were a particular threat, since the Nazis could hold their loved ones, still in enemy territory, hostage unless the refugee worked on behalf of Nazi

Nowadays, Canada is a multicultural country. Canada has always been an accepting and welcoming society. But in the 19th century, Canada had a lengthy and horrible antisemitism history. Canada prides itself on the Charter of Human Rights and Freedom but denied and were not willing to help the Jewish refugees. It is disturbing and shameful in Canadian history.

In various charitable organisations and maintained an active role in his community.As the only survivor of his immediate family,George decided to leave Czechoslovakia because of the communist takeover eventually making his way to Canada.George held on to hope for Hana's return. The people made a law called the Nuremberg in 1935. In 1935 to 1939 there was 121 new laws and it was difficult for German Jews. On October 28,1938 17 to 18,000 Jews drop off at the polish border and they were sent to the cattle cars. In 1938 there were about 150,000 Jews forced to emigrate. On November 9 and 10 there were about 7,500 Jewish shops damaged and stuff Strollers and there were about 119 synagogues burned and there were people injured and killed.

After pearl harbour, Canadians started discriminating against the Japanese. The government took action in British Columbia using internment camps. Outside of British Columbia, there were problems with racist people. The government didn’t allow the Japanese to go back home, after leaving internment camps. The treatment of Japanese Canadians during WWII was unjustified, and unfair because of internment, the racism, and their deportation.