Susanne Heim Presents: The World's Sealing Off – Jewish Refugees Facing Closed Borders 1933–1945

This event features historian Susanne Heim presenting her book "Die Abschottung der Welt: Als Juden vor verschlossenen Grenzen standen. 1933 – 1945". The presentation will delve into the systemic barriers and international refugee policies that prevented many Jews from fleeing Nazi persecution and finding safe havens between 1933 and 1945.

The event centers around the book presentation of Susanne Heim's work, "Die Abschottung der Welt. Als Juden vor verschlossenen Grenzen standen. 1933 – 1945". Heim, a historian and political scientist, meticulously examines the complex and often perfidious barriers erected by nations worldwide against Jewish refugees attempting to escape persecution and dispossession in Germany. The book illustrates why only a fraction of Jews managed to emigrate before the Nazi regime banned emigration and initiated mass murder. The presentation will shed light on the desperate attempts of Jews to flee, only to be met with closed borders and restrictive immigration policies by potential host countries. It highlights the failures of international bodies like the League of Nations and the US government to coordinate refugee policies, as evidenced by the unproductive Évian Conference in July 1938. The Nazis exploited this international inaction, claiming no one wanted the Jews. Susanne Heim's concise and vivid book offers a comprehensive overview of international refugee policy and its dramatic failure, serving as a stark reminder of the lessons that democratic states have seemingly failed to learn regarding refugee crises.

Admission is free. Registration is required via the provided link. The event will be recorded, and participation implies consent to the publication of photos, video, and audio recordings.