Figure 1.-- |
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Turkey after the NAZIs seized power in Germany (1933) offered refugee to Jewish university professors and scholars, mostly scientists. The country at the time was laying the foundation for a modern university system and the refugee Jewish scholars played an important role in that undertaking.
Turkey subsequently played a role in saving thousands of European Jews from the NAZIs. Turkey remained neutral most of the War. Both sides made extensive diplomatic efforts to draw Turkey into the War. NAZI diplomats thought they had succeeded, but the Soviet victory at Stalingrad ended any possbility of Turkey joining the Axis. The Turks allowed the passage of thousands of Jewish refugees to Palestine at a time that Both the Germans and British attempted to prevent this. The Turks also protected its Jewish citizes and attempted to resuce Turkish Jewsin the occupied countries. They succeed in saving 3,000 of the 10,000 Tukish Jews in France and several hundred in Greece. As many as 100,000 Jews may have been saved by the Turks. [Shaw]
The Struma incident suggests that the Turkish policy as to non-Turkish refugeees was essentially passive (1941-42). The Turks did, however, allow Istanbul to be used by Jewish Agency and by other Jewish organizations established to assist and rescue East European Jews fleeing the Holocaust.
Turkish Authorities allowed eefuges without passports or visas to enter the country. I'm not sure, however, how many were allowed to stay in Turkey. Authorities also allowed ships carrying refugees to pass through its coastal waters. Individual Turkish diplomats also helped save Jews. Turkish diplomats even issue false papers to Jews in NAZI-occupied areas. Turkish Consul Selahattin Ulkumen on the Greek island of Rhodes arrived at about the same time as the NAZI occupation force (1941). When the NAZIs began rounding up Jews on the island, he intervened maintaing that some were Turkish citizens. He helped save 32 Jews, but his pregnant wife was killed in the process. He was then rescue 32 Jews from the island's Jewish community, but ultimately led to his wife's death. The NAZIs deported Ulkumen to Piraeus where he spent the rest of the War in jail. The Apostolic Delegate in Turkey, Archbishop Roncalli (who became Pope John XXIII) attempted to rescue Hungarian Jews.
There is a long history of Jewish presence in what is modern Turkey. Some of that history is more lengend than history. Important Biblical figures, beginning with Abraham, appear to have come from Anatolia. This of course was the location of Mount Arafat where the Noah's Ark found land. A jewish presence was noted during the Persian, Greek, Roman, and Byzantine periods. A great deal of information is available on Jews in the Ottoman Empire. Ashkenazi Jews migrating to the Byzantine Empire and Ottoman Empire mixing with the original Jewish population. During the Ottoman era Sephardic Jewish refugees exiled from Spain came to dominate the Ottoman Jewish community. They were welcomed by the Ottoman Sultan and played an important role in Ottoman life. The tolerance of the Ottoman Empire was in sharp contrast to the persecution they experienced in Christendom. The Turkish Republic founded after World War I adopted secular policies and continued tolerant policies toward the countries Jews. This tolerant approach was in sharp contrast, however, to the Young Turks Genocide of the Armenians.
The NAZIs seized power in Germany (1933). One of their first actions was to dimiss Jews from the civil service. They also began firing or forceing Jews out of universities and research institutes. Turkey offered refugee to Jewish university professors and scholars, mostly scientists. The country at the time was laying the foundation for a modern university system and the refugee Jewish scholars played an important role in that undertaking. [Shaw] Many Turkish scientists today recall their German Jewish teachers who found refuge in Turkey.
The Ottoman Empire joined the Central Powers and fought with Germany during World war I. As a result it was one of the great European empires that were destroyed by the War. Modern Turkey emerged after the War. Turkey remained neutral in World War II. Although often given little attention in World War II histories, this was of major importance in the outcome of the War. Germany's most significant weakness was oil. Turkey would have provided a significant threat to the Soviet Caucasian oil fields and would have provided an important ally to the Germans in their 1942 southern offensive. Turkey almost certainly could have seized the oil fields in Iraq that supplied the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean and the 8th Army in Egypt. Hitler was very interesting in drawing Turkey into the War. And as a World War I ally, there were links. The Germans also had a great deal to offer the Turks, especially the Pan-Turkic nationalists. The Wehrmacht entered the northern Caucausus (July 1942). This provided considerable opportunity to appeal to the Pan-Turic nationalists. The Germans thought they had convinced to enter the War. Here we are not sure, but the disaster at Stalingrad cerainly settled the issue. Churchill also worked hard on getting Turkey to join the Allies. Just before Barbarossa Turkey signed a Friendship Treaty with Germany (June 18, 1941). A joint statement following the signing indicated a desire for further economic cooperation. The Germans in particular were interested in Turkish chrominum ore. The Turks promised to cooperate with the Germans to close the straits to Soviet shipping. In the end, however, Turkey wisely remained neutral. Turkey remained neutral most of the War. Both sides made extensive diplomatic efforts to draw Turkey into the War. NAZI diplomats thought they had succeeded, but the Soviet victory at Stalingrad ended any possbility of Turkey joining the Axis.
Turkey subsequently played a role in saving thousands of European Jews from the NAZIs. As many as 100,000 Jews may have been saved by the Turks.
The Turkish Government before World War II times Turkish government issued a decree prohibiting the issuance of entry visas to Jews fleeing NAZI oppression. [Bali] An exception was made for Jewish academics.
The Turks allowed the passage of thousands of Jewish refugees to Palestine at a time that Both the Germans and British attempted to prevent this. The Turks also protected its Jewish citizes and attempted to resuce Turkish Jewsin the occupied countries.
The Struma incident suggests that the Turkish policy as to non-Turkish refugeees was essentially passive (1941-42).
Struma carryed 769 Jewish refugees from Romania reached Istambul. It was in such poor shape it could not sail further. The Turks refused to grant landing or entrance permits. The Turkish Navy towed it back into the Black Sea where it was sunk, probably by a Soviet submarine.
The Turks did, however, allow Istanbul to be used by Jewish Agency and by other Jewish organizations established to assist and rescue East European Jews fleeing the Holocaust.
Turkish Authorities allowed refugees without passports or visas to enter the country. I'm not sure, however, how many were allowed to stay in Turkey. Authorities also allowed ships carrying refugees to pass through its coastal waters.
The Turks succeed in saving 3,000 of the 10,000 Tukish Jews in France. Turkish diplmats threatened to break relations with Vichy if they deported the Turkish Jews. The problem was getting them bavk to Turkey. Sea transit of the Mediterranean was impossible. Balkan regimes resisted efforts to send trainloafs of Jews. [Shaw] Turkish diplomats also saved several hundred Greek Jews. [Shaw] Individual Turkish diplomats also helped save Jews. Turkish diplomats even issue false papers to Jews in NAZI-occupied areas. Turkish Consul Selahattin Ulkumen on the Greek island of Rhodes arrived at about the same time as the NAZI occupation force (1941). When the NAZIs began rounding up Jews on the island, he intervened maintaing that some were Turkish citizens. He helped save 32 Jews, but his pregnant wife was killed in the process. He was then rescue 32 Jews from the island's Jewish community, but ultimately led to his wife's death. The NAZIs deported Ulkumen to Piraeus where he spent the rest of the War in jail. Islamicists in Turkey are today joining Holocaust deniers in the Arab world.
The Apostolic Delegate in Turkey, Archbishop Roncalli (who became Pope John XXIII) attempted to assit Hungarian Jews. He convinced the the Sisters of Sion order of nuns to use their network in Eastern Europe to assit the Jewish Agency pass messages, clothing and food to Jews to Hungarian Jews.
Other Vatican couriers going from Istanbul to Eastern Europe did the same at Roncalli's urging. He sent false Certificates of Conversion to Hungarian Jews to help save the Hungarian Jews. [Shaw]
With the Red Army nearing Hungary, Admiral Horthy secretly prepares to make peace with the Allies. Hitler to prevent this seizes his forer ally (March 1944). Horthy and stopped the deportment of Hungarian Jews. Thus they were the last large group of Jews that had survived in NAZI-controlled Europe. Eichmann iimediately went to Hungary to organize the deportation of Hungarian Jews. Eichmann offered the infamous "Blood for Goods" arrangement to proposal to Hungarian Jew Joel Brand (April 25, 1944). Brand attempted to travel to Turkey to obtain 10,000 trucks and other goods in exchange for the 1 million Jews offered by Eichmann. It is unknown to this day what the purpose of this offer was or if it was genuine. The best explanation is probably that it could have split the Allies because Stalin would have been furious with the Allies supplying the NAZIs. Brand was, however, arrested by suspicious British authorities in Cairo and is unable to reach Turkey. Brand's wife met with Eichmann when her husbands failed to return to Hungary. Eichmann told her to cable her husband and tell him that, "If he doesn't come back at once I'll put the mills of Auschwitz in motion." And true to his word, he overseas the large-scale deportment to Auschwitz (May-July 1944).
The British after World War II attempted to prevent Jewish refugees from reaching Palestine.
The Turkish Government placed no restrictions on Turkish Jews desiring to emigrate to Palestine or later Israel. There are today about 100,000 Jews of Turkish ancestry in Israel.
Most of the Turkish Jews emmigrated to Israel did so in the 1940s. Unlike Jews coming from Arab countries, Turking Jews were not fleeing oppression and persecution.
A well-financed book published in Istabul during 1997 entitled Soykirim Yalani ("Holocaust Deception") perpetrates the preposperous charge of Zionist collaboration in the Holocaust.
Bali, R. Cumhuriyet Yillarinda Turkiye Yahudileri: Bir Turklestirme Seruveni (1923-1945) (Iletisim Yayinlari: Istanbul, 2003).
Shaw, Stanford J. Turkey and the Holocaust: Turkey's Role in Rescuing Turkish and European Jewry from Nazi Persecution, 1933-1945.
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