British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume I - Page 179

CHAPTER VII.

Classes (ii) and (iii) were later generally known as Veteran Zionists.

In practice very few immigrants in classes (a) or (b) were able to leave Germany or German occupied territory during the first three years of the war, but by arrangements with the Protecting Power a considerable number of documents of identity purporting to establish a right to enter Palestine was sent to Jews in enemy territory, and the following arrangements were made:-

(c) lists containing particulars of wives and children of residents and returning residents were sent at first through the British passport control officer, Istanbul ('Istanbul' list) and later through the Foreign Office to the representatives of the Protecting Power;

(d) lists containing the names of 'Veteran Zionists', the number far exceeding the original 250 authorized under (b)(ii) and (iii) above, were sent through His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom to the Protecting Power, and

(e) a considerable number of individual 'protection' certificates was sent direct by the Jewish Agency to Jews in Europe, these certificates declaring that the holders were approved for selection as suitable immigrants.

34. The certificates accompanying the Istanbul and Veterans lists and the Jewish Agency certificates were not effective to any extent in helping refugees to leave enemy territory, but they were the means of saving many lives. In all probability central German authorities never regarded these certificates as having validity but the local authorities in many parts of Germany and German occupied territory appear to have regarded the holders of these certificates as having some form of foreign protection and therefore not liable to forced labour or to deportation to the extermination camps.

35. No organized emigration from occupied Europe took place at any time during the war even when authority was given for specially approved parties. At one time Government authorized the grant of immigration certificates to 1,000 children and 200 adults in France, but in spite of prolonged negotiations through the Protecting Power the scheme failed to materialize.

There was, however, a fair amount of unorganized emigration.

Individuals in small parties succeeded by bribery or with the help of the underground movements in escaping from Europe from time to time through the Balkans into Turkey. During the first three years of the war such refugees escaping from Europe were still the subject of the general prohibition referred to above.

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