The St. Louis and the faith of its passengers
St. Louis passengers Cuba
After Kristallnacht in November 1938, many Jews within Germany decided that it was time to leave. Though many German Jews had emigrated in the preceding years, the Jews who remained had a more difficult time leaving the country because emigration policies had been toughened.
By 1939, not only were visas needed to be able to enter another country, but money was also required to leave Germany. Since many countries, especially the United States, had immigration quotas, visas were nearly impossible to acquire within the short periods in which they were needed. For many, visas were obtained after it was too late. The opportunity that the S.S. St. Louis presented seemed like a last hope to escape.
