Surviving Passengers of SS St Louis Consider Roosevelt Legacy

Jan. 15, 2013 - PRLog -- On Sunday January 13, 2013 the Jewish Heritage Club at Valencia Palms, Delray Beach, Florida and the SS St Louis Legacy Project Foundation welcomed an audience of 250 and four surviving passengers of the ill fated ship, the SS St Louis, presenting and discussing The Trial of Franklin D Roosevelt, a docu-drama exploring the sage of the SS St Louis and its impact on the Roosevelt legacy.

The German steam SS St Louis set sail from Germany in 1939 carrying 937 German Jewish refugees escaping Nazi terror and bound for Cuba.  Upon arriving in Havana, however, they were denied entry to Cuba, and were subsequently denied entry to the United States and Canada.  The SS St Louis was forced to return to Europe.  While some refugees were finally accepted in various countries in Europe, nearly a third of the passengers ultimately died in Auschwitz.  

The SS St Louis became a symbol of the United States perceived indifference to the plight of Jewish refugees trying to escape Nazi terror. The presentation of the play, The Trial of Franklin D Roosevelt, gave the audience a chance to weight in on the difficult decisions faced by the US leaders at the time.  The delegation of surviving passengers expressed their views on the legacy and their experience on the ship and in ensuing years.  These heroes all found their way to America, became US citizens and served in branches of the US Military.

The SS St Louis Legacy Project Foundation is a Boca Raton based not for profit whose mission is to bring "education through drama" presentations such as this to universities, high schools and communities through the country.  The Foundation creates dialogue and discussions on the criticals issues facing contemporary America such as human rights, refugee policy, and racism.  In September 2012 the Foundation was invited to the US Department of State in Washington, DC, where Assistant Secretary of State William Burns apologized to a delegation of surviving passengers for America's failure to allow safe haven in 1939.  

For further information on the Foundation and its programs contact Ruth Ann Kalish, PhD, Associate Director, SS St Louis Legacy Project, 954 592 5072, and visit stlouislegacyproject.org