were britain and turkey responsible for the struma ... - Haruth.Com

No countries showed any inclination to
have them and as they left Roumania
illegally they would not be allowed to
return.
British Role during the Struma’s Journey:
FO 371/32661 (From Sir H. Knatchbull-
Hugessen- Angora to Foreign Office)
Feb. 26, 1942 [Public]
On December 12, 1941, Struma left Constanza, while there was a hectic diplomatic
traffic between the British and Turkish authorities. The British ridiculously and self-
servingly argued that the Jewish immigrants on the Struma might be Nazi agents
trying to penetrate into British lands. [Avriel]
We have good reasons to believe that this traffic is favoured by the Gestapo and the Security
Services attach the very greatest importance to preventing the influx of Nazi agents under the
cloak of refugees. As to Knatchbull-Hugessen’s humanitarian feelings about sending the
refugees back to the Black Sea countries it seems to me these might apply with equal force to
the tens of thousands of Jews who remain behind and who are most eager to join them. (…) to
urge that Turkish authorities should be asked to send the ship back to the Black Sea, as they
originally proposed.
P 3/4/30 (From Lord Moyne to Richard Law) Dec. 24, 1941 [Public]
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