Voyage of the Damned

In the vein of Walter Lord's A NIGHT TO REMEMBER and DAY OF INFAMY, this wonderful book details the horrific journey of persecuted Jews and their desperate attempt to flee Nazi Germany. As good as the movie which it spawned. A fascinating and important read, especially for history enthusiasts.

"Voyage of the Damned" is the infamous true story of the ill-fated 1939 voyage of the S.S. St. Louis, which carried 937 Jews who were fleeing Hitler. They hoped for freedom, but found only disappointment and, in some cases, death. The St. Louis made it safely Cuba, but the passengers were turned away under the influence of Hitler's anti-Jewish propaganda. Next, they sailed for the Florida Coast, only to be refused entry into the USA because of immigration quotas. For weeks the St. Louis sailed up and down the coast while Congress debated whether to make an exception and let them in. In the end, even a plea from President Roosevelt could not open America's doors to these refugees. The St.Louis was sent back to Europe, where her passengers were dispersed to France, Belgium, Great Britain, and the Netherlands. Some perished in Hitler's concentration camps. Others lived to tell the story. This tragic event remains an ugly blot on America's past, and is one of the reasons for the "Law of Return" in modern Israel (which allows any Jew who is fleeing persecution in any country to enter Israel immediately upon arrival with no hassles.) It is also the reason that Israel was the first country in the world to grant political asylum to Vietnamese "boat people" fleeing the Communist regime at the end of the Vietnam War. The story also had an effect on America's current immigration laws, which make better provisions for granting asylum. "Voyage of the Damned" was first published in 1974 and became an instant bestseller. It was made into a movie in 1977, and won three Academy Award nominations. It went through a number of printings, and was re-issued in 1994 as a fine "coffee-table" hardcover with 300 pictures, including reproductions of tickets, telegrams, passports, menus, newspaper articles, official documents, etc. as well as photos of the crew and passengers. To make the story more personalized, the 1994 version also features "cameo" photo albums, focusing on three specific families. For sheer wealth of information as well as human interest, the photo edition is the one to buy -- if you can find a copy.