A photograph of Dr. Ho in the Shanghai Jewish Refugee Museum

Between 1933 and 1941, when the rest of the world was closed to them, about 30,000 Jews escaped Nazi Europe for Shanghai.

The United States and Britain repeatedly failed to open their borders to Jews fleeing the continent. In Mexico and Chile, the number of Jewish immigrants was severely restricted. The British and Americans suggested that Jews settle in Angola, but the plan was ultimately abandoned for fear of offending the Portuguese.

Yet for thousands of Jews, China provided a refuge. The main reason was the conscience of one man: Dr. Feng Shan Ho, the Consul General from China to Vienna, Austria in the pivotal years of 1938-1940. Dr. Ho provided Jews in occupied Austria the documentation they needed to leave: visas that provided a proof of destination, in this case China.

Below, a Jewish tour group from Europe views the Zhoushan Road settlement where many of the refugees were settled:

One of the many artistic tributes in the Shanghai Jewish Refugee Museum’s Exhibition Hall to China’s role as a refuge:

The Shanghai Jewish Chronicle, a newspaper published by the refugee community:

One of the passports that brought the refugees to China:

A famous quote from Elie Wiesel, in English and Chinese: