Abstract

In 1968, an antisemitic campaign, launched by the Polish government, caused around 13,000 Jews to leave Poland. About 2500 of these refugees came to Denmark, while only about 25 ended up in Norway. The migration to Norway could potentially have reached low hundreds, but as oral-history sources indicate, the Jewish congregation in Oslo turned down a government initiative in 1969. Based on written and oral sources, and secondary literature, I argue that there was an equally important factor differentiating the two countries. Comparing the Danish and Norwegian refugee reception policies, the article finds that Danish authorities and their NGO partners at decisive stages in the process were more proactive than their Norwegian counterparts in their efforts to persuade Polish Jews to come. The most critical point was in June 1969, when Denmark’s embassy in Warsaw started issuing Jews with automatic visas, while Norway retained its existing application process.

Highlights

  • In 1968, an antisemitic campaign, launched by the Polish government, caused around 13,000 Jews to leave Poland

  • About 2500 of these refugees came to Denmark, while only about 25 ended up in Norway

  • The migration to Norway could potentially have reached low hundreds, but as oral-history sources indicate, the Jewish congregation in Oslo turned down a government initiative in 1969

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Summary

Jødiske miljø

Dei jødiske miljøa i landa spelte ei rolle i at det kom langt fleire polskjødiske flyktningar til Danmark enn Noreg. Det jødiske miljøet i Danmark var i utgangspunktet langt større enn det norske, dessutan blei dei danske jødane i hovudsak redda over til Sverige under andre verdskrig. Melchior beskreiv sitt og menigheten sine møte med flyktningane i sjølvbiografien Så vælg da livet (1997). Melchior meinte det var opplagt at menighet måtte spele ei viktig rolle i integrasjonen av flyktningane i Danmark. Kor hardt tragediane sat i speglast i det første ordet Reisel nemnde på spørsmål om kva som opptok det jødiske miljøet i Noreg over 20 år seinare: «overleve».23. Historikaren Vibeke Kieding Banik beskreiv at jødane leid urettferdigheit under det økonomiske etterkrigsoppgjeret, og at det ikkje blei teke omsyn til dei ekstra vanskane jødane hadde. Erfaringane frå mottaket på 1940-talet spelte ei rolle då spørsmålet om eit potensielt mottak av polskjødiske flyktningar kom opp i DMT i 1969, sjølv om føreset­ nadane var ulike

Avgjerande hendingar
Kor avgjerande var DMT sitt nei?
Det polske varselet om utreisestans
Betydninga av funna
Full Text
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