(Image Source, Journey through the ‘Gate of Zion’: British Policy, Jewish Refugees and the La Spezia Affair)
Hadjisavvas makes the argument of illegal immigration during the DP crisis post World War II with a focus on the La Spezia affair in Italy. They use historical evidence of the issues at La Spezia, stories from the immigration of Jews to Palestine, and first-hand stories of the refugees to support the issues that erupted for illegal immigration during the DP crisis. Despite being a good solution for the Jews it came with severe effects, Jews began emigrating to Palestine at whatever cost, often with no travel Visas causing problems with Italian authorities ‘The end of the Second World War saw vast numbers of visa-less Holocaust survivors attempting to enter Palestine’[1]. Adding to the issue of visa-less Jews attempting to get into Palestine was the poorly made rafts and boats they used to get there being extremely dangerous and overcrowded ‘survivors attempting to enter Palestine covertly by risking their lives on overcrowded unseaworthy vessels’[2]. Another pressing issue was the La Spezia incident where 1014 Jewish refugees were detained on a ship causing mass protests from the Jews ‘when 1014 Jewish refugees bound for the British Mandate of Palestine were detained on a vessel on 3 April by Italian authorities under command of British officials [3]. With angry Jewish refugees threatening to go on a hunger strike and Jews illegally emigrating to Palestine in dangerous conditions the British were in a tough position. ‘The Jewish refugees at La Spezia protested, threatening a hunger strike and collective mass suicide if their passage was refused’[4]. Finally, however, this crisis was settled on May 8th with Italian authorities and the British granting the Jews aboard the ship travel visas to enter Palestine ‘the Jewish Agency for Palestine, and the Italian consulate, the refugees’ demands were finally accepted on 8 May, with entry visas granted for the entire group’[5]. This pressing issue that occurred just shows that coming up with an effective plan to solve the refugee crisis only is effective if it’s executed correctly. In the end, this endeavor was crossed with many hardships and issues on the British and Allied side, pricing to be ineffective without issue.
[1] Hadjisavvas. 2019. “Journey through the ‘Gate of Zion’: British Policy, Jewish Refugees and the La Spezia Affair, 1946.” Social History 44 (4): 469–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/03071022.2019.1655892. https://unb.on.worldcat.org/search/detail/8280847817?queryString=journey%20%20through%20the%20gate%20of%20zion&clusterResults=true&groupVariantRecords=false
[2] Hadjisavvas, Eliana, Journey through the ‘Gate of Zion’: British Policy, Jewish Refugees and the La Spezia Affair, 1946, 2019
[3] Hadjisavvas, Eliana, Journey through the ‘Gate of Zion’: British Policy, Jewish Refugees and the La Spezia Affair, 1946, 2019
[4] Hadjisavvas, Eliana, Journey through the ‘Gate of Zion’: British Policy, Jewish Refugees and the La Spezia Affair, 1946, 2019
[5] Hadjisavvas, Eliana, Journey through the ‘Gate of Zion’: British Policy, Jewish Refugees and the La Spezia Affair, 1946, 2019