History That Doesn't Suck The Early Holocaust: From the “Jewish Question” to Kristallnacht
Aug 11, 2025
Explore the haunting prelude to the Holocaust, focusing on the poignant tale of Gisela Kniepel and the ill-fated MS St. Louis. Witness the rise of anti-Semitism through events like the Dreyfus Affair and the establishment of Zionism. Delve into Hitler's early anti-Jewish ideology and the chilling implementation of the Nuremberg Laws. The narrative also highlights the reality of Kristallnacht, a violent pogrom, and the struggle of Jews seeking refuge in America amid growing hatred and political unrest.
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St. Louis Refugee Voyage
- 937 Jewish refugees boarded the MS St. Louis seeking escape from Nazi Germany.
- Most were denied entry in Cuba and the U.S., and many later perished in the Holocaust.
U.S. Quotas Rejected Refugees
- The U.S. stuck to restrictive immigration quotas and refused to admit many Jewish refugees in 1939.
- The State Department told the St. Louis passengers to 'wait their quota turn,' forcing their return to Europe.
Medieval Europe Scapegoated Jews
- Medieval Christian Europe repeatedly blamed Jews for disasters using myths like the blood libel.
- That long history of anti-Jewry set cultural patterns that later modern antisemitism exploited.
