Language:
German
Year of publication:
2005
Titel der Quelle:
Theresienstädter Studien und Dokumente
Angaben zur Quelle:
(2005) 332-361
Keywords:
Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
;
Jewish refugees History 20th century
Abstract:
Examines the cases of 31 Slovak Jews who escaped to Switzerland illegally by freight train, singly or in groups, at different times during 1942. Notes that in March-October 1942, 39,006 Slovak Jews were deported to Lublin and 18,746 to Auschwitz, and that ca. 7,000 Jews tried to escape to Hungary. Most of those who attempted to reach Switzerland had remained alone after the deportation of their families. They went into hiding at first to avoid deportation. Then, the 31 refugees travelled in 11 different freight trains between April-December 1942, hidden under wood or coals for 9-11 days. The freight cars stopped at railway stations and searches often took place. The journey was exhausting and highly dangerous, but the refugees had nothing to lose. The last such attempt in December 1942 ended with the arrest and deportation of the 14 refugees in that group. States that, although the first contact of Slovak Jews with Swiss authorities was traumatic, they were received as refugees and placed in internment camps.
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