Welcome to the u. S. Holocaust memorial museum. We decided to look closely at americans role in this history. That goes back to our founding charter, which mandated that the museum look closely at the americans role in this history. This museum is not an answer, its a question. The questions that frame this exhibition are what did americans know and what more could have been done. You will see what they try to do is try to show the context of american history. That context includes our isolationism in the aftermath of world war i, xenophobia, fear of immigrants, racism, jim crow america, antisemitism in the United States. Then we are responding to nazi is him amid the context of the Great Depression and war. In the exhibition, we are always trying to keep that context front and center. The opening film of the exhibition shows the context of the United States between 1918 and 1932. What you see is americans response to world war i. Americans mourning at graves of fallen soldiers. You see the context of the United States being relatively close to immigrants that severely limited the number of immigrants who could be let in. You see the rise of the ku klux klan in the 1920s, as well as jim crowe america. All these things are precursors to the nazis and power in 1933. In interwar. The interwar period that shape our responses to nazi is him. One of the myths we want to combust is the idea that americans did not have information. Later on in the exhibition youll see the americans had a deal about early on americans are very interested in the rise of this new world leader, adolf hitler. A number of magazines at the beginning of the nazi regime where you see hitler on the cover of vanity fair. This one is particularly fascinating. Theres a 3000 word article covering nazi germany. What you see, even on the cover, under the word minister of propaganda is say it in your dreams, the jews are up to blame. So, americans, were picking up magazines like this. These are popular magazines, they could have read about the rise of fascism in germany, but what is not hidden here is the fact that antisemitism is essential to nazi ideology. This does not mean that americans could have predicted in 1933 that mass murder is to come by the 1940s, but it also does not allow us to say, but we did not know. We cant let americans in the 1930s off the hook that easily, and we wanted to tell in the exhibition, a lot of individual stories, so here we are showing part of the media landscape of american magazines, and then an individual story about dorothy thompson. Dorothy thompson is the First American journalist expelled from nazi germany in august of 1934. She had interviewed hitler in 1931 before he rose to power, and wrote a book, a popular book in america called i saw hitler. Except erupted in cosmopolitan magazine, so we are showing that issue from cosmopolitan here. And thompson gets many things right. She says antisemitism is a life and soul of hitlers movement, the nazis lose no opportunity to insult the jews, but she also says that there is no way that this guy can become chancellor of germany. So she sees that antisemitism is essential to nazi ideology. She cant imagine a 1931 that people become chancellor of germany, and this is a good representation of how americas thought about hitler early on. Some of them saw real danger and understood his appeal to germans at the time, but others thought that there is no way that he would last. And you see both of those things in thompsons article. One of the most interesting projects the Museum Launched before the exhibition opened is called history unfolded, and it is a crowd source website where we ask students and history buff throughout the country to go into their local newspapers, theyre not digitized newspapers in their local historical societies and libraries and archives and look for coverage up nazism, and what we found is that americans across the country could have had access to a lot of information about the threat of nazism. Historians have uploaded more than 15,000 articles to our website and we put a number of them here on this interactive map so visitors cant touch on any state and see, for example, heres an article from indianapolis. The Indianapolis Star in september of 1935. And front page news there is coverage of the norm big loss. I will show you one more from nevada that speaks to an interesting challenge that we thought about as for putting together this exhibition. This is a nevada state paper, march 27th 1933. And they are reporting on the fact that einstein, Albert Einstein is renouncing his citizenship and that he will not return to germany. But, if you look over two columns, also you see this article, mistreatment of jews ends. There had been no stories about persecution of jews for a week coming out of nazi germany, and secretary of state hall says that we may consider physical mistreatment of jews virtually terminated, and that speaks to one of the central challenges of this exhibition, to get visitors to read history forward. We know the end of the story. We know that nazism would lead to mass murder of 6 million twos and millions of others, but americans in the 1930s had no idea that was coming, and that is one of the challenges that we tried to address throughout the exhibition, to get people to read history as it was happening, and that is one of the reasons to see such a chronological treatment in this exhibition. Early on, some communities took to the streets against nazism and you see here rallies and 1933 across the United States condemning that nazi regime. You see marches by jewish communities, by labor organizations in philadelphia, in cleveland, and new york, and chicago, in boston. There are rallies, there are protests, there are movement to boycott german made goods, and you see a lot of in federal, in this case, of some of the boycott materials, stamps that you would affix to letters to show that you want it that you supported boycotting german made goods or fighting communism, fascism and nazism. Buttons showing your support of a cause from boycotting nazi germany are even matchbooks saying for humanity sake, dont buy german goods. There are anti nazi actions right away in the spring of 1933. Many led by this man, rabbi steve wise. This is a mass rally at Madison Square garden in march of 1933. You see individual actions. You see rallies and protests you did not see a sustained anti Nazi Movement take hold in the United States. We also want to look at how the u. S. Government reacts early on, and the u. S. Government has representatives in nazi germany, george smith is one who is very clearly aware that he says is a favorite pastime to attack jews. He and others in the state department are receiving petitions like this from all over the country asking the government to make some kind of statement against nazism. Many of these petitions actually are not clear about what they are asking for. They just want some kind of anti nazi declaration by the u. S. Government. When fdr since this man william dodd over to germany to be the ambassador in 1933, he tells dad that the German Authorities are treating jews same fully but says that this is not a governmental affair. What fdr means by that, this is something that dodd wrote in his diary so it wasnt as told to by fdr, but what we think and what i think dodd thought fdr meant by that, is that its his job to respect Germanys National sovereignty. So the story that we are telling is actually about multiple attacks on americans by the New York Times piece covering thousands of attacks on brutal americans by 1933. During dodd its first meeting with hitler, item number one on the agenda for dodd is to say the essay has to stop attacking american citizens, but the United States government thinks its outside of their purview to try to protect the citizens of another nation. Of course, they know that jews are being persecuted, and that there are attacks on jews. The political opponents are being rounded up and sent to the first concentration camp, that is well reported and the american press. The u. S. Government does not speak out against that during this early period. One of the ways we wanted to get at the question of what was on all americans minds, are one of the reasons was to use Public Opinion polling throughout the exhibition. Gallup and other organizations are actively pulling americans by the mid 19 thirties, and we use polls like this throughout the exhibition to show americans concerns at home. Later on, you will see many polls that ask americans opinions about whether we should be letting in refugees. By the end of the exhibition, gallup is polling in 1942, 1943, 1944, weather if they believe the stories coming out of nazi germany. So, whats on americans minds in november of 1936 is a deep concern about our own economy. The depth of the depression are on all americans minds at this point. You will see, over here a poll that speaks to american isolationism. Americans are asked whether they think it was a mistake for the United States to enter world war one, and you see 70 of americans say yes. This is one of the ways we try to get at the extent to our economic fears and their isolationism. There are deaths in this depression, and so much of whats going on in the mid 19 thirties is about economic recovery, and i think that prevents americans from looking abroad as much as they might have is so much about trying to lift the country out of the depression through the new deal, and Foreign Policy concerns are not the priority at that point. There are a few moments when americans to Pay Attention and even debate a proper response to nazi germany, one of those moments is the question of whether they should go to the Olympic Games. Whether we should send americans to the Olympic Games in 1936. You see this Public Opinion poll in 1935 worded a little bit confusingly, should americans refused to participate in the Olympic Games, which will be held in germany this coming year. We reproduced his polls exactly as they were asked during the time, and you see 43 of americans say that we should refuse to participate. In effect, 43 saying that we should boycott the games, and 53 saying that we should go. The people who got caught in the middle, largely in this debate are African American athletes. There had been African American athletes participating in the 1932 games in los angeles, but their 18 African American athletes on the team in 1936. Here, you are seeing jesse owens, who is going to win four gold medals in berlin in august of 1936 and ralph metcalf, also a medal winner in 1936. The African American newspaper writes an open letter and other athletes saying that if they want to strike a bro against racism here at home, they have to protest against hitler by not going to the games. What you see both with an African American communities, Jewish American communities is a divide about how to respond to nazism, about the proper way to respond to nazism. Some, like the new york news are saying, if you want to fight racism at home, you have to fight racism abroad by making this protest statement. Owens and other athletes, and others in the African American Community Say the best way to protest nazism is to go over and win medals and disprove their theories a variant superiority. Again, it is not work out that way. What you see is that the nazi propagation Propaganda Machine has an explanation for everything, and they very easily say some version of, well, of course African American athletes, one, theyre closer to animals and animals are faster than humans. So gerbils and hitler can spin anything that spins to serve their propaganda ins. The loudest was worth dissipation is his man, the head of the American Olympic committee who will later be the head of the International Olympic community, he is still serving in the 1977 its a tragedy at munich in the International Olympic committee. Some deeplyheld antisemitic ideals. What he argues is that radicals and communists are trying to keep their hand, trying to encourage this boycott. And that is his coated language for jews pushing the boycott. And he ultimately wins that day. He goes over to germany to inspect and to check whether jewish athletes are being treated fairly under the nazi regime. He does not speak german. He has never allowed to talk to an athlete without a nazi official present, and he finds what he wants to find, which is that, as he argues, jewish athletes are being treated fairly. Certainly, they werent. But some of that nazis earliest policies were to segregate jews. Jews cannot swim in pools. Jews could not train at Athletic Clubs with non jews, and that affects two eight athletes who could have qualified for the 1936 olympics. We try to round out the media landscape by showing american newsreels here. Even during the depression, americans went to the movies. Movies were relatively cheap, you could sit there all day, and before the movies you would watch digests of the news of the week. What we are seeing at the extent of american they stay out of the spanish civil war, they say out of italys invasion of ethiopia. They stay out of the war between china and japan. And we are seeing the extent of the anti immigrant some sentiment in the United States as well. Our unemployment was transferred to the United States from foreign land, and if we had refused admission to the 16 lane 500,000 foreign born in our midst, there would be no serious unemployment problem. The 19 thirties in the United States are the height of antisemitism here in the 20th century. Some historians estimate there are hundred new antisemitic organizations found it in the United States in the 1930s. One that gives voice to this more than anyone else as father the radio breaks out of detroit. You see him in a popular way ranting against jewish communism. Questioning the american loyalty of jews and others. And you see that in some of the newsreel footage we show in the exhibition. A glimpse of detroits famous radio host, doctor charles coughlin. I renounce you in the name of christianity was a communism. I ask you if you will rise in your place and apply to with me to restore america to the americans. There is some support for nazis and within the United States, especially among organizations like the german american boned, this man who fasten some self asked american fewer. A lot of these are german american ethnics who support the nazi party in germany. They ask people to verify, to declare, as it says in the last line here, im a very unorigin. , free from jewish or colored blood. The bund trying to set up hitler youth summer camps, and one small town that stands out against the german american bund, they dont want a camp in their town. Every resident in the town got this flyer in their mailbox asking them whether they want the swastikas thrust upon them. So, ultimately, the residents are able to keep the bund out, due to the efforts of this man, lindsey. Who gives a stirring anti nazi sermon. This is the surmount and his typewriter, where he calls nazism an anti christian menace. He described nazism as agents of the anti christ, and argues that the residents need to keep nazis out because nazism is unquestioning and an american. And the point there is that, for americans in the 19 thirties they werent always understanding nazism, and were not understanding as a threat to choose. They were seen as a threat to democracy. The next part of the exhibition focuses on how americans responded to a refugee crisis. Thanks chains in 1938. The nazis invade in march of 1938, they take over parts of czechoslovakia. So, for americans, american start to realize that nazis have greater territorial ambitions beyond germany. By november of 1938, you have a nationwide program, the attack on jews across europe, and in austria. That is the biggest story about nazism in this 12year period. Historians have talked about the paper walls that kept immigrants out. We were very motivated or very interested in a letter that Albert Einstein made to alan roosevelt. Helena roosevelt said, you have directed a wall of bureaucratic measures of immigrants out. Cant you do something about that . And this paper wall, where this is our take on these paper wall. What you see here is items from the museums collection ship tickets, passports, letters of sponsorship from refugee organizations, affidavits of americans guaranteeing their support for, or sponsorship for immigrants. All of these things that, all this paperwork that potential immigrants had to line up in order to make it to the United States. We are operating under this immigration quotas system, theres no special provision for refugees in the 1930s who are fleeing persecution, so jews who want to make it in or anyone who wants to make it out of nazi germany needs to navigate the immigration system. And its difficult bureaucratically, and also very expensive to do. So you see all of these examples trying to navigate the immigration system in the paperwork painted to line up in order to do it. As i said, the biggest story. You see reproductions of american newspapers showing headlines from november of 1938, the los angeles examiner says nazis warn world jews will be wiped out unless evacuated by democracies. San francisco calm a call saying german storm jews. This was huge front page news, and you see a full page spread, a two page spread about kristallnacht in life magazine in november of 1938. Americans are shocked by this nationwide attack on jews where thousands of jews are rounded up and sent to concentration camps. Nearly 100 are murdered. Shops and synagogues around the country are destroyed. Fdr speaks out about kristallnacht in the aftermath of the attack. This is his handwritten beach that he gave, the week after kristallnacht. You see has written in his own hand, i myself could scarcely believe that such things could occur and a 20th century situation. He calls the ambassador to germany for consultation, but in many ways, our government response is limited and fdrs response is limited. He has asked in a press conference, just a week after kristallnacht, november 15th of 1938 whether he would recommend a relaxation of immigration restrictions. And, as you see, fdr says that is not and contemplation. We have to quota system. So, he speaks out against kristallnacht. He recalls the ambassador, actually at the urgent Office Secretary of labor, francis perkins. He extends or waves the exploration gate on visitor visas for about 12,000 people that are here on visitor visas, but there is no political will to try and liberalize the immigration system. The quota system, in response to kristallnacht. Congress tries, in a way. What you see is robert wagner, a senator from new york, and edith roger from massachusetts sponsor a bill to lead and 10,000 jewish children a year outside of the immigration quota system. What you see is the American Public polled about this in 1939, should be letting in refugee children from germany outside of the quota system, and you see that two thirds of americans are against letting in refugee children. Eleanor roosevelt is a champion of this bill. She says that other countries are taking their share of the children, and that we should do. And she actually writes this telegram to fdr, asking him if he is going to speak out about the passage of the child refugee bill, or whether she should speak about it. And fdr responds, all right for you to support child refugee bill, but its best for me to say nothing. And he never does speak out on behalf of this bill. The opponents of the bill are led by robert reynolds, a senator from north carolina. And its a democratic white southerners in congress and in the senate who are deeply anti immigration. They dont want to let in immigrants, and you see that American Children have her own problems, and that we need to take care of American Children before we take care of foreign children. The contrast between these two poles is also at the heart of the exhibition. This is two weeks after kristallnacht, november of 1938. Americans are asked what they think, do you approve or disapprove of the nazi treatment of jews in germany . 94 of americans disapprove of the nazi treatment of jews in germany. That same week that they are asked, should we allow a larger number of exiles in, and you see 71 of americans say no. So that is one of these essential questions, one of these difficult questions that we want to get out of this exhibition. Why is there such a gap between disapproval and it will to action on behalf of the victims . What you see is a graphic representation of the immigration system in the in 19 states. Hereby year we are seeing how many immigration visas could have been issued to People Living under nazi germany. So each figure, each person represents 1000 pieces that could have been issued in gray, and then what you see in gold is a number of visas that were actually issued. So one of the essential questions for this exhibition are what more could have been done . Certainly more, could have been done under existing law to issue the number of visas that were allowed under existing law. We hope visitors will ask, so why werent these visas issued . And there is no simple, singular explanation. Certainly, the extent of the Great Depression matters. There is a lot of rhetoric in the public about fear of immigrants taking jobs to americans. The lack of government will from the white house all the way down to admit immigrants. And so you see here, if you add up all of these unused visas, you are seeing nearly 120,000 visas that could have been issued that were not during this period. And what you see on the floor, or on the wall is the waiting list year by year. Each suitcase represent 5000 people on the waiting list. So, in 1933, you have a three year waiting list to get an immigration visa. By 1940, the waiting list for germany alone, just for the country of germany alone is over 300,000. That represents an 11 year waiting list for foreign immigration visa, assuming all would be issued, which in every year, except for one, they were not. In this interactive table, we tell the stories of nine different individuals trying to make it out of nazicontrolled europe. The americans who try to sponsor them as well. So we are trying to show how this immigration system, how this restrictive immigration system influenced real people. You see one of the stories we tell on the table is of auto frank, and franks father, who is trying to make his way, trying to get visas for his wife and his two daughters, margo and anne. The story of this woman is interesting, that shows the limits or at the challenges of people trying to emigrate. She is a seven Year Old Girl in vienna in 1940. Her father has passed away already, it is just her and her mother. She has no siblings. Her mother decides in 1940 to send her under the care of German Jewish childrens eight, an organization trying to help jewish children, alone. As an unaccompanied child to be fostered by a family. You see her and her mother in a dress from the museums collection that her mother had made for her. Herta has to collect paperwork like any other immigrant, like her birth certificate. Here, where she is forced by the nazis as all jewish girls and women were to add the middle name sarah to make that more identifiable as jews, men have to add the name israel, i do at the middle name israel. He collects the passport where she has looked at as stateless in our passport because the nazis have taken away our citizenship. And herta ultimately makes it on a ship from lisbon without her mother to a family in baltimore. You see herta with her foster family. Herta its mother did not have a sponsor in the United States and is ultimately deported to the east in 1942 and murdered. Herta had been part of a Jewish School class. And from 1939, and all we know, two girls from this glass survive the holocaust. What you see on this interactive table is how this restrictive immigration system influenced real people and how those americans who made the decision to track to sponsor refugees, the challenging bureaucracy that they had to navigate. We also show here harrowing stories of individuals who take extraordinary risks to try to rescue individual jews or masses of jews, and these are outliers. These are people who went against the mainstream, risked their lives at times or pushed the boundaries of the law, or even broke the law to aid refugees. One story that we tell is of a couple from philadelphia, eleanor and gilbert. They decide in 1939 to go to the ghana to try to rescue 50 children. They get affidavits of sponsorship from people in their own community in philadelphia. They work in conjunction with the state department, although there are some resistance there, and they go to vienna with their pediatrician from philadelphia and convince parents to put the children in their care, and they foster 50 children and bring them back to philadelphia. So, what we are showing here is some american to cook these extraordinary risks and what is in the realm of the possible. They are rescuing those children as congress is absolutely unwilling to pass a bill to aid refugee children. So, sometimes what the actions that individuals take gonna have much more impact or impact individuals in a different way, as the government is failing to take action on behalf of refugees. In the first half of the exhibition, you are looking at the early years, before world war ii began. Youre looking at 1933 to 1943. What do americans know about nazism early on. In this section of the exhibition, how are americans debating their responsibility to respond to this refugee crisis . What actions are individual americans trying to take, how are some trying to sponsor refugees, what is the government doing or not doing on behalf of refugees . There is a shift once europe goes to war in september of 1939 after germany invades poland. And americans are reluctant to let refugee remains, but now theyre going to start debating should we go to war