Three Echoes of Antisemitism in Colombia from 1945 to 1948.

Abstract

Following the end of World War II, when the world learned about the Holocaust, manifestations of antisemitism grew in Colombia as echoes of what was happening in other countries, both in the region and globally. This paper examines three such manifestations that occurred between 1945 and 1948: Echo 1 concerns an urban campaign against Jews during 1945 by conspirators who handed out flyers or pamphlets with antisemitic messages. Echo 2 concerns the only violence against Jewish traders in Colombian history. It happened in 1946 and culminated in 44 warehouses being destroyed and several Jews being beaten. And Echo 3 concerns the renowned case of the SS Exodus (1947), whose 4500 Jewish travelers presented Colombian visas to leave Europe. The recognition of these activities constitutes a contribution to the field of history, to Jewish communities, and to the study of antisemitism, with the aim of remembering those minorities excluded and challenged in such contexts.