Jugoslavija i jevrejske izbeglice 1938-1941

Abstract

Kraljevina Jugoslavija je zahvaljujući svom položaju bila jedna od najvažnijih tranzitnih stanica kroz koju su od 1933, zadržavajući se kraće ili duže vreme, prošle desetine hiljada jevrejskih emigranata i izbeglica. Za njihov prihvat i pružanje pomoći angažovane su sve ljudske i materijalne snage malobrojne Jugoslovenske jevrejske zajednice koju su samo delom u ovom velikom poduhvatu potpomagale međunarodne jevrejske i nejevrejske humanitarne organizcije. Odnos jugoslovenskih vlasti prema jevrejskim izbeglicama i emigrantima iz srednjoevropskih država u periodu 1938-1941 u najvećoj meri bio je određen spoljnopolitičkim faktorima i njihovim uticajem na politiku jugoslovenske vlade. Promene režima izdavanja viza za ulazak ili tranzit preko jugoslovenske teritorije zavisile su od promena zakonodavstva zemalja iz kojih su stizali emigranti, izbeglice i 'turisti' jevrejskog porekla. Na jugoslovenski vladu vršen je pritisak, pre svega iz Nemačke, da uvede izmene statusa domaće jevrejske zajednice, što se konačno dogodilo 1940. donošenjem nekoliko zakonskih uredbi kojim je bitno narušena ravnopravnost Jevreja u kraljevini Jugoslaviji. Na drugoj strani, od Britanaca su stizali zahtevi da se spreči korišćenje jugoslovenske teritorije za tranzit jevrejskih emigranata na njihovom putu ka Palestini koja se nalazila pod britanskom upravom. Deo dilema koje su se javile oko tretmana prema Jevrejima koji su stizali pre svega iz Nemačke, Austrije i Čehoslovačke, moguće je pratiti i kroz rad vladinih interministerijalnih konferencija, izjava i stavova predstavnika najviših državnih vlasti uticajnih pojedinaca, predstavnika Jevrejske zajednice, kao i predstavnika pojedinih privrednih delatnosti koje su za izbeglički problem bile zainteresovane iz pragmatičnih razloga (turističke organizacije, transportne kompanije i slično). Stavovi u diskusijama vođenim na različitim nivoima o izbegličkom pitanju nisu bili jednoobrazni; kroz njihovu različitost prelamale su se i sve dileme izazvana ovim problemom. Mere vlade bile su pre svega restriktivne, u skladu s 'rešenjima' koja su imala za cilj skretanje talasa jevrejskih izbeglica na drugu stranu. Takve mere su primenjivale s manje ili više oštrine sve zemlje koje su bile prinuđene da posluže kao privremeno ili stalno utočište stotinama hiljada jevrejskih beskućnika. Ovakvi stavovi svedoče o opštoj atmosferi vremena, koje je bilo uvod u ratnu tragediju i stradanje ne samo nekoliko miliona evropskih Jevreja, već i mnogo miliona nejevreja. Svedoče i o političkoj i moralnoj nesposobnosti tadašnjeg sveta koji nije bio spreman ni da se otvoreno suprotstavi nacističkoj antisemitističkoj politici, niti da prihvati žrtve takve politike i pruži im sigurnost i utočište.

The geographical position of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia made it one of the principal transit stations for thousands of Jewish emigrants and refugees who passed through it from 1933 onwards and who made it their sanctuary for various lengths of time. The entire human and material resources of the small Jewish community in Yugoslavia were employed in receiving and aiding these people, with only partial assistance from international Jewish and non-Jewish humanitarian organizations. The attitude of Yugoslav authorities towards Jewish refugees and emigrants from central European countries in the period between 1938 and 1941 was largely determined by factors in foreign politics and their effect on the policy of the Yugoslav government. Changes in the system of issuing entry or transit visas for Yugoslavia depended on changes in he legislation of countries from which the emigrants, refugees and 'tourists' of Jewish origin came. Pressure was exerted on the Yugoslav government, mainly by Germany, to alter the status of the domestic Jewish community. Consequently, in 1940 several regulations were introduced which seriously undermined the Jews's equal status in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. On the other hand, demands were also made by the British to prevent the use of Yugoslav territory for the transit of Jewish emigrants going to Palestine, which was than under British rule. A part of the dilemma regarding the treatment of Jews, coming primarily from Germany, Austria and Czechoslovakia, can be found in the work of interministerial government conferences, in the statements and attitudes of the highest-ranking government authorities, of influential individuals, members of the Jewish community and representatives of some branches of trade who held a chiefly pragmatic interest in he problem of refugees (tourist organizations transportation companies etc). The attitudes which surfaced in discussions held at various levels regarding the issue of refugees were not uniform their variety demonstrating the complexity of the problem. Government measures, in accordance with 'solutions' hose purpose was to turn away the oncoming stream of refugees, were mostly restrictive and were applied, with varying severity, by all countries forced to serve as temporary or permanent sanctuaries to hundreds of thousands of homeless Jews. These attitudes indicate the general atmosphere of the time immediately preceding the horrors of war and the tragedy not only ofseveral million European Jews but likewise, of millions of non-Jews. They are also proof of the political and moral weakness of the world, which neither defied the anti-Semitic politics of Nazism nor wished to receive the victims of these politics and offer them shelter and security.