- In full:
- Motorschiff St. Louis
- Also called:
- SS St. Louis
MS St. Louis
-
What was the MS St. Louis?
The MS St. Louis was a German ocean liner that gained notoriety in MayâJune 1939 when Cuba, the United States, and Canada denied entry to its more than 900 Jewish passengers, most of whom were fleeing Nazi Germany.
The St. Louis departed from Hamburg, Germany, for Havana, Cuba, on May 13, 1939. On board were 937 passengers and 231 crew members. The Cuban government only admitted 28 passengers. The ship sailed for Florida, but the U.S. government also refused to admit the refugees. The Canadian government followed suit.
Eventually, England, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium agreed to take the refugees. Of the 907 passengers who had returned to Europe, 255 were killed during the war, the vast majority of them dying in concentration camps.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Where did the MS St. Louis sail from and where was it going in 1939?
The MS St. Louis, a German ocean liner, departed from Hamburg, Germany on May 13, 1939. It was bound for Havana, Cuba, as a stopover for Jewish refugees seeking to immigrate to the United States.
However, Cuba denied entry to the majority of the passengers, and the ship was forced to sail to Florida, where the U.S. government also refused to admit the refugees. The ship then returned to Europe, where England, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium agreed to take them. Of the 907 passengers who returned to Europe, 255 were killed during World War II, the vast majority of them dying in concentration camps.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Who were the main passengers on the MS St. Louis's 1939 voyage?
The MS St. Louis's 1939 voyage carried 937 passengers and 231 crew members, captained by Gustav Schröder. The majority of the travelers were Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany amidst rising fears for their safety, particularly after Kristallnacht. They possessed landing certificates for Cuba, intending to wait there for their U.S. visas to be approved.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Why were the passengers of the MS St. Louis seeking to leave Germany?
The passengers on the MS St. Louis, a German ocean liner, were primarily Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany in 1939 due to growing antisemitism and persecution. Many had already experienced violence and loss of property during Kristallnacht in November 1938. They sought to escape the escalating discrimination, legal restrictions, and state-sponsored terror that aimed to erase Jews from German public life.
Most passengers had obtained landing certificates to enter Cuba, intending to wait there for their U.S. visas to be approved. However, these certificates were invalidated, and the ship was turned away from Cuba, the United States, and Canada, highlighting the desperate search for refuge during this period.
4 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What happened when the MS St. Louis tried to dock in Cuba and other countries?
In May 1939, the MS St. Louis, a German ocean liner, sought to dock in Cuba, carrying over 900 Jewish passengers fleeing Nazi Germany. However, Cuba denied entry to the majority of passengers due to President Federico Laredo BrĂș's decree invalidating their landing certificates amidst fears of job competition and anti-Semitic sentiments.
After being turned away by Cuba, the MS St. Louis sailed for Florida, but the U.S. government also refused to admit the refugees, citing immigration quotas. Canada followed suit, leaving the ship in a dire situation. Ultimately, several European countries, including England, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium, agreed to take in the refugees. Tragically, 255 of the passengers later died in the Holocaust.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What was the outcome for the passengers after the MS St. Louis was forced to return to Europe?
After the MS St. Louis was turned away from Cuba, the United States, and Canada in 1939, it returned to Europe with over 900 Jewish passengers who had fled Nazi Germany. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) negotiated with several European countries, and eventually, England, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium agreed to take in the refugees.
After all passengers disembarked by June 20, 1939, it was later determined that 255 of the 907 passengers who returned to Europe died during World War II, with most perishing in concentration camps.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
MS St. Louis, German ocean liner that gained international attention in MayâJune 1939 when Cuba, the United States, and Canada denied entry to its more than 900 Jewish passengers, most of whom had fled Nazi Germany. Ultimately, several European countries took the refugees, though 255 of the passengers are believed to have later died in the Holocaust.
The St. Louis was a transatlantic luxury liner owned by the Hamburg-American Line. On May 13, 1939, it departed from Hamburg, Germany, for Havana, Cuba, a popular stopover for refugees seeking to immigrate to the United States. On board were 937 passengers and 231 crew members; the captain was Gustav Schröder. Most of the travelers were Jews leaving Germany amid growing concerns over safety; some six months earlier Nazis had attacked Jewish persons and property in an event known as Kristallnacht. The passengers had obtained landing certificates to enter Cuba, where most would then wait for their U.S. visas to be approved.
However, before the ship departed, there were indications that the passengers would not be welcomed. In early May Cuban Pres. Federico Laredo BrĂș signed a decree that invalidated the passengersâ landing certificates. His decision was supported by many Cubans who feared that the immigrants would compete for jobs as the country continued to struggle through the Great Depression. Further inflaming public opinion were rumoursâwhich some believe were spread by Nazi agents on the islandâthat the Jewish passengers were communists and criminals. On May 8 a large anti-Semitic rally was held in Havana.
" height="20" alt="HEW Logo">
Against this backdrop the St. Louis arrived on May 27, 1939. The Cuban government admitted 28 passengers who had the necessary paperwork but refused to let the 908 other travelers disembark; one of the elderly passengers had died during the voyage and was buried at sea. For the next several days the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) attempted to negotiate with Cuban authorities. During this time, morale among the passengers waned, and one man attempted suicide by slashing his wrists and jumping overboard; he was taken to a hospital and allowed to remain in Cuba. As the talks dragged onâwith money reportedly being at issueâLaredo BrĂș ordered the St. Louis to leave Cuban waters on June 2.
After waiting off the coast of Cuba for several days, Schröder sailed for Florida. However, the U.S. government also refused to admit the refugees, citing the countryâs yearly immigration quota. The U.S. State Department told the refugees that they must âawait their turns on the waiting listââwhich was several years long. The U.S. Coast Guard shadowed the vessel, though the USCG later claimed its âunits were dispatched out of concern for those on boardâ and not to keep the ship from docking. The Canadian government also refused to admit the refugees. As the saga continued, the Nazi regime used it as propaganda to support its anti-Jewish policies.
On June 6, 1939, Laredo BrĂș ended the negotiations. With supplies dwindling, the St. Louis began the voyage back to Europe later that day, and it reached Antwerp on June 17. Through talks spearheaded by the JDC, England, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium agreed to take the refugees, and by June 20 all the passengers had disembarked the St. Louis. In September World War II officially started. It was later determined that of the 907 passengers who had returned to Europe, 255 were killed during the war, the vast majority of them dying in concentration camps.
The incident was notably chronicled in the book Voyage of the Damned (1974) by Gordon Thomas and Max Morgan Witts. It was later adapted (1976) into a film. In subsequent years the ill-fated voyage occasionally received attention during discussions about immigration. In 2018 Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau formally apologized for his countryâs failure to grant asylum to the Jews on board the St. Louis.
The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.
SUBSCRIBE
