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The Voyage of the MS St. Louis
Itinerary of Despair
No single event has come to better show the American government's disregard for the fate of Europe's Jews than the voyage of the St. Louis. By adhering to its policy of non-involvement, the United States played a direct role in the fate of the St. Louis's passengers. Many would lose their lives upon their return to Europe....the immigration laws of the United States govern the entry of aliens into this country. The German refugees at Habana are understood to have registered in Europe as intending quote immigrants, and must await their turns on the waiting list and then qualify for and obtain immigration visas before they may be admissible into the United States.
- A. M. Warren, Chief, Visa Division, U.S. Department of State
MS St. Louis Timeline
This timeline show the five-week period that would turn the St. Louis into a symbol of what can happen when economic self-interest, prejudice, or bureaucratic rigidity divert people from doing what they know is right.May 8, 1939
A demonstration of 40,000 cubans in Havana against Jewish immigration is sponsored by former President Grau San Martin.
May 13, 1939
The German luxury liner MS St. Louis, one of the last ships to leave Germany, sails from Hamburg en route to Cuba with German Jewish 937 passengers. All have valid landing permits signed by Manuel Benitez, the Director General of Cuban Immigration.
May 15, 1939
The St. Louis arrives in Cherbourg, France and departs on the same day.
May 27, 1939
The St. Louis arrives in Havana harbor. Approximately 30 passengers are allowed to disembark, as the Cuban government (fearing a rise in the Jewish population) has had a change in policy and invalidated all of the landing permits. The remaining passengers are told they hold worthless "Benitez Certificates."
June 1, 1939
Lawrence Berenson, a representative of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, meets with Cuban President Bru in Havana.
June 2, 1939
The St. Louis departs Havana, circles off the coast of Cuba and attempts to enter U.S. territorial waters. There is no response to petitions to the U.S. government and the Coast Guard is instructed to secretly monitor the ship's status. The refugees are denied tourist visas because they no longer have a "definite home."
June 4, 1939
The St. Louis passes Miami. The passengers can see the city without the use of binoculars. U.S. Coast Guard Cutter 244 sails from Ft. Lauderdale to intercept the St. Louis and make certain that the ship does not enter U.S. waters. Several passengers mistakenly believe that the Coast Guard vessel was there to protect them.
June 6, 1939
Denied entry, the St. Louis heads back toward Europe. Captain Gustav Schroeder tells the Associated Press: "...my only intention is to do all possible to alleviate mounting concern of my passengers whose only wish is to find a home."
June 17, 1939
The St. Louis arrives in Antwerp. Belgium agrees to accept 214 refugees; the Netherlands 191; Great Britain 287; and France accepts 224. Many of the refugees in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands would be murdered in the killing centers while others were used for forced labor, went into hiding, or somehow managed to escape persecution.
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