In 1939 as the horrors of Nazism swept over Europe thousands of refugees were trying to flee.

But the World had shut its doors to the Jews.

Miraculously on the other side of the World a window of hope had opened in Shanghai .

In the 1930s Shanghai had been divided up between the major powers Britain, France, Japan and the poorest part to China.

Because none of them wanted to take responsibility for Passports and Visas it now became an open City.

In the early part of 1939 it was still possible for Jews to escape Germany by paying for your exit visa. Everything was taken from them, and they left more or less penniless.

Most took passage from Naples, often on Japanese Cargo Ships.

The Journey would take over four weeks, on the surface a good Holiday, not realising what conditions awaited them.

On arrival they went to the poorest part of town Honghow where conditions were terrible.

The task of looking after 1000 s of refugees fell on the wealthy Jews, like the Sasoons from Iraq, who had arrived earlier in the century.

In 1942 the Japanese took over the whole of Shanghai and despite much pressure from there German allies, to deal with the Jewish problem little was done.

However the Japanese under pressure eventually created a Ghetto for all Jews . Nothing else happened.

At the end of the war in 1945 around 30000 Jews had been saved from the Gas Chambers.

Many had to stay on for 5 years waiting for Visas to USA, Canada, ect.

It is of great credit to the Chinese People of Shanghai that they accepted all those immigrants in such a good way, despite the enormous poverty they suffered.

We would like to thank our son Adam, who is working in Shanghai, for introducing to us this not well known part of our history.

We were able to visit the re-built Jewish Community centre, paid for by the Chinese Government. Students from the university showed us around and were very proud of their role in saving so many people.

Edmund and Carole House
Note: I have a very good DVD Shanghai Ghetto, if any one would like to borrow it.