Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1938-1939 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
c900 frames
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The Central Information Bureau for Jewish War Sufferers in the Far East was founded in 1917 by Sam Mason, a special delegate sent by the Hebrew Immigrant Society (better known as HIAS) in New York. Its function was to deal with the problem of refugees attempting to reach America (and other countries) from the Far East. The main office was established in Harbin, China, but branches were also set up in Yokohama, Japan, and Vladivostok on the eastern seaboard of the Soviet Union. Though the Bureau continued to deal with the problems of victims of the 1914-1918 First World War until the late 1920's, it changed its official name to The Far Eastern Central Information Bureau in 1923 and took its cable address 'DALJEWCIB' which became the organisation's name in everyday use. At this time Meir Birman became involved in the Bureau's work and was to manage it until its dissolution some 25 years later. Connected with HIAS since 1918, the Bureau worked in very close co-operation with the umbrella Jewish refugee organization HICEM (the amalgamation of HIAS, JCA and the Emigre organisation of Berlin). From 1938, the numbers of German, Austrian and other central European Jews, including Polish and Czechoslovakians, requesting asylum grew drastically. With the Japanese occupation of northern China in the early 1930s, the situation of the Jews in Harbin deteriorated, until, in September 1939, the Bureau moved its head office to Shanghai. At that time Shanghai remained one of the few places, which refugees could enter without a visa. Throughout 1939 and 1940, Jews continued to flood into Shanghai, until with the outbreak of the Pacific War some 18,000 Jewish refugees reached Shanghai, of which about 8,000 originated from Germany and about 4,000 from Austria. At the end of the Pacific War in August 1945 the Bureau formed part of the world-wide chain of organisations trying to trace other Jewish refugees in order to place the Shanghai refugees in secure countries. This work continued for a number of years after the war ended.
Repository
Archival history
GB 1556 WL 514 1938-1939 collection c900 frames Far Eastern Jewish Central Information Bureau
The Central Information Bureau for Jewish War Sufferers in the Far East was founded in 1917 by Sam Mason, a special delegate sent by the Hebrew Immigrant Society (better known as HIAS) in New York. Its function was to deal with the problem of refugees attempting to reach America (and other countries) from the Far East. The main office was established in Harbin, China, but branches were also set up in Yokohama, Japan, and Vladivostok on the eastern seaboard of the Soviet Union. Though the Bureau continued to deal with the problems of victims of the 1914-1918 First World War until the late 1920's, it changed its official name to The Far Eastern Central Information Bureau in 1923 and took its cable address 'DALJEWCIB' which became the organisation's name in everyday use. At this time Meir Birman became involved in the Bureau's work and was to manage it until its dissolution some 25 years later. Connected with HIAS since 1918, the Bureau worked in very close co-operation with the umbrella Jewish refugee organization HICEM (the amalgamation of HIAS, JCA and the Emigre organisation of Berlin). From 1938, the numbers of German, Austrian and other central European Jews, including Polish and Czechoslovakians, requesting asylum grew drastically. With the Japanese occupation of northern China in the early 1930s, the situation of the Jews in Harbin deteriorated, until, in September 1939, the Bureau moved its head office to Shanghai. At that time Shanghai remained one of the few places, which refugees could enter without a visa. Throughout 1939 and 1940, Jews continued to flood into Shanghai, until with the outbreak of the Pacific War some 18,000 Jewish refugees reached Shanghai, of which about 8,000 originated from Germany and about 4,000 from Austria. At the end of the Pacific War in August 1945 the Bureau formed part of the world-wide chain of organisations trying to trace other Jewish refugees in order to place the Shanghai refugees in secure countries. This work continued for a number of years after the war ended.
Jewish Central Information Office
Correspondence between the Far Eastern Jewish Central Information Bureau (DALJEWCIB) and individuals and other Jewish organisations detailing the experiences of German and Austrian Jewish émigrés in the Far East, 1938-1939. The personal accounts contain descriptions of the outward-bound voyage and of the climate and conditions in the host country, along with details on obtaining work and accommodation. Note that many of the letters are copies or extracts from originals. Some newsletters and newspapers are also included.
514/I: correspondence arranged according to place of emigration.
514/II: correspondence arranged according to profession. Note that the material is in reverse chronological order within each group.
Open
Copies can be made for personal use. Permission must be sought for publication.
German
Microfilm
Description exists to this archive on the Wiener Library's online catalogue www.wienerlibrary.co.uk
Wiener Collection, Tel Aviv University, Israel
Nash, Peter, 'Shanghai HIAS Lists', in Stammbaum, Issue 21, (Winter 2002). Entry compiled by Howard Falksohn. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. Oct 2007 China East Asia Emigration European history Far Eastern Jewish Central Information Bureau x DALJEWCIB , Far Eastern Jewish Central Information Bureau German history Harbin Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society Jews Migrants Migration National history Nazism Political doctrines Refugees Religious groups Shanghai Shanghai Shi Third Reich Totalitarianism
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Jewish Central Information Office
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Correspondence between the Far Eastern Jewish Central Information Bureau (DALJEWCIB) and individuals and other Jewish organisations detailing the experiences of German and Austrian Jewish émigrés in the Far East, 1938-1939. The personal accounts contain descriptions of the outward-bound voyage and of the climate and conditions in the host country, along with details on obtaining work and accommodation. Note that many of the letters are copies or extracts from originals. Some newsletters and newspapers are also included.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
514/I: correspondence arranged according to place of emigration.
514/II: correspondence arranged according to profession. Note that the material is in reverse chronological order within each group.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open
Conditions governing reproduction
Copies can be made for personal use. Permission must be sought for publication.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
German
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Description exists to this archive on the Wiener Library's online catalogue www.wienerlibrary.co.uk
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English