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J. GRAF, T. KUES, C. MATTOGNO, SOBIBÓR 195
drich’s proposal: it was necessary to move the Jews abroad by all means
available. Interior minister Wilhelm Frick stressed that the objective
should be to bring about the emigration of the maximum possible number
of Jews. 562
On 24 January 1939, after having received Heydrich’s proposal,
Göring issued a decree approving the establishment of a Reichszentrale
für jüdische Auswanderung (Imperial Center for Jewish Emigration),
which was inaugurated in Berlin on 11 February. It was to put into practice
the core idea of National-Socialist policy towards the Jews: “The
emigration of the Jews from Germany must be promoted by all available
means.” The task of the new office was, in fact, “to take all measures
necessary for the preparation of an increased emigration of the
Jews,” to further, preferentially, the emigration of poor Jews and, where
necessary, to ease the bureaucratic practices in individual cases. Göring
made Heydrich the head of this office. 563
A report of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs dated 25 January 1939,
entitled “The Jewish question as a factor of foreign policy in 1938,”
stresses unequivocally: 564
“The ultimate goal of German policy towards the Jews is the
emigration of all Jews residing on the territory of the Reich.”
Following the creation of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia,
Eichmann – meanwhile promoted to the rank of Hauptsturmführer –
was ordered on 15 July 1939 by Heydrich to establish a Zentralstelle für
jüdische Auswanderung (Center for Jewish Emigration) in Prague as
well. The founding act defines its objective as “the promotion and accelerated
realization of the emigration from Bohemia and Moravia.” 565
This Jewish emigration program encountered an unexpected obstacle
in the undisguised anti-Jewish attitude of the great democracies which,
while decrying vociferously the persecutions of the Reich’s Jews, refused
to shelter the victims. In his speech of 30 January 1939, the
Führer declared: 566
“We are witnessing today the shameful spectacle of the whole
democratic world shedding bitter tears, but remaining solidly hard-
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563
564
565
566
PS-1816, pp. 47, 55f.
NG-2586-A.
PS-3358.
Hans G. Adler, Der Kampf gegen die “Endlösung der Judenfrage,” Bundeszentrale für
Heimatdienst, Bonn 1958, p. 8.
Max Domarus, Hitlers Reden und Proklamationen 1932-1945, vol. II, first half, R.
Löwit, Wiesbaden 1973, p. 1056.