U.S. STATE DEPT. UNOFFICIALLY AIDS JEWS FLEEING PERSECUTION

U.S. STATE DEPT. UNOFFICIALLY AIDS JEWS FLEEING PERSECUTION
Fascinating group of retained copies and original letters concerning the attempts by persecuted German Jews Paul Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1879-1956), his wife Johanna (d. 1948) and their child in their attempt to escape internment in England for safe haven in the U.S. Paul was the director of the chemical company Agfa which merged with IG Farben. Through 'Aryanization' and persecution of the Jews he was forced out of the company in 1933, his home was confiscated and leveled, and he was forced to flee. Upon arrival in England, he was interned as an 'enemy alien'. These letter originate from the files of American Consul General in London, John G. Erhardt. Included is a T.L.S. by U.S. Ambassador to Cuba GEORGE S. MESSERSMITH to Erhardt, , 1p. 4to., July 29, 1940 sending a copy of his letter of the same date to Johanna Mendelsohn Bartholdy who was a personal friend. A copy of that two-page letter from Messersmith is included, and its contents are chilling: '...in so many cases refugees who have sought the security and hospitality of friendly countries have abused that hospitality...England, of course, is wise in taking...precautions...There are German refugees in Habana, Jewish and non-Jewish, who were dispossessed of everything they possessed in Germany and driven out...You will be astounded to know that some of these refugees have been celebrating the German victories...I can be of no assistance. The granting of visas is...placed in the hands of our consuls...' He suggests that his friends visit with Eberhardt, the consul in London. There follows a copy of a letter from Eberhardt back to Messersmith, 3pp. 4yo., London, Aug. 16, 1940. Eberhardt states that he will contact the family and describes how the London Embassy had expanded in order to process visa applications, especially for British children. He adds: '...there has been a wholesale internment of aliens in England...no intervention is possible with British officials...only 50% of our applicants reported for appointments. The rest were in internment camps...They are now brough in...under guard...' Finally, there is an A.L.S. from Johann Mendelssohn Bartholdy to Eberhardt, 3pp. 8vo., Oxford, Feb. 22, 1941. She warmly thanks the man for his efforts in obtaining visas for her family, and mentions that her husband had been released. She notes that his experience was not a happy one, adding: '...[the past] unfortunately also contains other unhappy experiences and memories, as you can well imagine...' Overall very good.