The
Évian Conference was convened at the initiative of
US President Franklin D. Roosevelt in July 1938 to discuss the issue of increasing numbers of
Jewish refugees fleeing
Nazi persecution. For eight days, from July 6 to July 13, representatives from thirty-one countries met at
Évian-les-Bains, France. Twenty-four voluntary organizations also attended, as observers, many of whom presented plans orally and in writing.
[1] Journalists came from all over the world to observe "how the world reacted to the brutal German crushing of the rights and lives of fellow human beings."
[2]
The
Jews of
Austria and
Germany were very hopeful, believing that this international conference would provide them a safe haven. "The United States had always been viewed in Europe as champion of freedom and under her powerful influence and following her example, certainly many countries would provide the chance to get out of the German trap. The rescue, a new life seemed in reach."
[2]
Hitler responded to the news of the conference by saying essentially that if the other nations would agree to take the Jews, he would help them leave.
“ I can only hope and expect that the other world, which has such deep sympathy for these criminals [Jews], will at least be generous enough to convert this sympathy into practical aid. We, on our part, are ready to put all these criminals at the disposal of these countries, for all I care, even on luxury ships.
[3] ” Ultimately the conference was a failure, at least from the point of view of the Jews and their sympathizers, with both the United States and Britain refusing to take in substantial numbers of Jews. Most of the countries at the conference followed suit, the result being that the Jews had no escape and were ultimately subject to what was known as Hitler's
"Final Solution to the Jewish Question". The conference was seen by some as "an exercise in Anglo-American collaborative hypocrisy."
[3]
