Susanne Heim's The World's Isolation: When Jewish Refugees Faced Closed Borders 1933-1945

This event presents Susanne Heim's book, "The World's Isolation: When Jews Stood Before Closed Borders. 1933 – 1945," which systematically investigates the barriers erected by nations against Jewish refugees. The presentation will detail how refugees were disenfranchised and dispossessed in Germany, and the desperate attempts to flee to other countries, only to face closed borders and a failed international response.

This presentation features Susanne Heim's book, "Die Abschottung der Welt. Als Juden vor verschlossenen Grenzen standen. 1933 – 1945" (The World's Isolation: When Jews Stood Before Closed Borders. 1933 – 1945). The book meticulously examines the systematic barriers that free nations created against Jewish refugees, detailing how Jews in Germany were stripped of rights and property in an attempt to force them to emigrate. It highlights the desperate efforts of Jews to escape persecution, only to encounter closed borders and a stark lack of refuge. Heim's work illustrates the devastating consequences of international inaction, including the conference in Évian in July 1938, where states and aid organizations discussed refugee intake without tangible results, fueling Nazi propaganda that no one wanted the Jews. The presentation will underscore how the denial of regular entry forced refugees into perilous journeys and illegal routes, culminating in the Nazi regime prohibiting emigration and initiating mass murder. Susanne Heim, a historian and political scientist, has extensive research experience, including her role in the scientific edition "The Persecution and Murder of European Jews by National Socialist Germany 1933 to 1945." This event serves as a critical and sobering reminder of historical failures in refugee policy.

Admission is free. Registration is required via the provided link. The event will be recorded, and by participating, attendees consent to the use of any photos, video, or audio recordings made during the event.