May 12, 2015 the reports transferred by gerhart riegner, the representative in switzerland of the world jewish congress, to the american administration are well known and have been the subject of historical research. Gerhart riegner, the world jewish congress representative in geneva, who alerted the world to the murder of the jews in the holocaust, died at age 90 on december 3, 2001 in switzerland. Riegner, who in the midst of world war ii first disclosed to an unbelieving world the existence of the nazi plan for genocide, was awarded an honorary doctorate by the jewish theological seminary of america at its 88th annual commencement on sunday. He experienced firsthand their brutal campaign to eliminate the jewish. Geneva ap gerhart riegner, the man who tried in vain to alert the world about the planned nazi holocaust and later led the world jewish congress, has died. For this book professor merkley has researched presidential archives, jewish historical libraries and official zionist r. Born in berlin and trained as a lawyer, from 1936 riegner was associated with the world jewish congress. Jan 17, 2007 various other initiatives to save europes jews met with obstruction from long. But several years before his death in 2001 at the age of ninety, gerhart m. At this point, the nazis were trying to keep the genocide a secret and therefore little was known about it in the united states. Gerhart riegner attempted to notify a prominent american rabbi stephen wise about the holocaust that was happening to the european jews.
Gerhart riegner, address delivered at the press conference of the foreign press, bern, october 11, 1945. From the jews and the japanese it is difficult to imagine two more widely differentalmost incompatiblesocieties than those of the jews and the japanese. The collection includes correspondence of such notable individuals as dietrich bonhoeffer, bishop bell, h. For this book professor merkley has researched presidential archives. This reference provides text, photographs, charts, maps, and extensive indexes. The gas chambers of sherlock holmes 10 later on that same summer, two rumors were passed on to gerhart riegner, the geneva representative of the world jewish congress in geneva. Some comments within the file show officials suggested the telegram be used to. The vatican and the custody of jewish child survivors. Jurgen matthaus fills this critical gap by showcasing the highly insightful reports compiled during the first half of world war ii by two genevabased offices. Never despair by gerhart riegner overdrive rakuten. Based in switzerland, riegner represented the world jewish congress, an international advocacy. Fo 37917 6 the riegner telegram sent from his majestys consul general in geneva to the foreign office. This telegram from gerhart riegner, secretary of the world jewish congress in geneva, was received by the foreign office in august 1940.
Gerhart riegner, who has died aged 90, was a jewish human rights campaigner who warned london and washington about the start of the holocaust in the summer of 1942. Gerhart moritz riegner berlin, september 12, 1911 geneva, december 3, 2001 was the secretarygeneral of the world jewish congress from 1965 to 1983. World jewish congressofficials and employeesbiography. On august 8, 1942 he sent a now famous cable about nazi. It claimed that all jewish people in germany and germanoccupied countries, approximately 3. The politics of christian zionism 18911948 rakuten kobo. Fo 37917 7 minutes on authenticity of gerhart riegner s telegram sent from geneva to mr s silverman, the. Riegner, originally a lawyer from liepzig, germany fled to switzerland in 1933, where he became the representative of the world jewish congress wjc. His charity and humility result in his being offered the crown of england, which he rejects. Read the politics of christian zionism 18911948 by paul c. Gerhart riegner, a 30yearold refugee from berlin, prepared an important telegraph message for rabbi stephen s. In his book riegner, who represented the world jewish congress in geneva, recalls a very full life on behalf of persecuted jewry, general human rights, and historical accountability. Schonfeld, karl barth, james mcdonald, georges casalis, adolf freudenberg, martin niemoller, bishop dibelius, gerhart riegner, marc boegner, and willem adolf visser t hooft.
U2llz2zyawvklulkewxslcbxv1ygmtazichxywduzxisifjpy2hhcmqp genre. He experienced firsthand their brutal campaign to eliminate the jewish presence from german higher education. When a man is sick and near american section here that car unto death they say to him make a dinal beas contribution to the. Transferabkommen im boykottfieber 1933 historische tatsachen nr. The riegner telegram sent from his majestys consul general in geneva to the foreign office. Wise, american jewrys most influential leader, and sidney silverman, a member of the british parliament. Riegner is currently secretary general of the world jewish congress. U2llz2zyawvklulkewxslcbxv1ygmtazichxywduzxisifjpy2hhcmqp genre symphonic poem. It was perhaps the most famous and tragic moment in riegner s career, but there were many other important and fascinating episodes in his life of service, told now in never despair, riegner s impressive memoir. Dee, 2006 includes bibliographical references and index.
Lichtheim, 2 apr 1942, and lichtheim and gerhart riegner to bernadini, 8 apr 1942. In 1942, a telegram was sent to london and new york by gerhart riegner, a world jewish congress representative. November 29, 1968 image 17 the detroit jewish news. The detroit jewish news digital archives may 21, 1982.
Gerhart moritz riegner 19112001, jewish lawyer and leader of the world jewish conference. Archives of the united states holocaust memorial museum ushmm. The state department tried to verify riegners telegram with the vatican and the red cross. Sent by gerhart riegner, this first recorded notice of the final solution came to be known as the riegner telegram. As a key forum for all topics centered on scientific peace research it retains an explicitly interdisciplinary character and covers dynamics and impacts of intrastate conflicts, processes of economic deprivation, climate catastrophes, international terrorism and. Riegner finally completed his autobiography, appropriately entitled never despair. Download and recite books online, epub pdf online audible kindle is an easy way to delegate, books for to. The world jewish congress wjc representative in geneva, gerhard riegner, obtained information from a german manufacturer, eduard schulte who had connections in hitlers general headquarters indicating that hitler had decided to systematically annihilate all of european jewry, and that gas was being used to attain this goal. Gerhart moritz riegner, probably at the meeting of the world.
Born in berlin, riegner was a university student when the nazis came to power. Geneva ap gerhart riegner, the man who tried in vain to alert the world about the planned nazi holocaust and later led the world jewish. Excerpt from phone conversation on january 1944 between samuel rosenman, president roosevelts speechwriter and adviser, and henry morgenthau, jr. Gerhart riegner, wjconthe talmud tractate shabbos lubavitcher yeshiva in new york. The cable confirmed the alarming reports that had reached the west previously about the german intention to mass murder the european jews. For example, in april 1943, gerhart riegner, the world jewish congress representative in geneva, suggested a plan to save thousands of french and rumanian jews. The riegner telegram was a telegraph message sent on 8 august 1942 from gerhart riegner, then secretary of world jewish congress, to its new york and london offices. Transferabkommen im boykottfieber 1933 internet archive.
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