Page 31 - Jewish News_July-2020

JEWISH INTEREST July 2020 31

Aging Jewishly – What our traditions teach us about growing old The Madagascar Plan: Waiting room for the Final Solution

When the economy goes south, should we help the kids? By Paul R. Bartrop, PhD Jews from Germany. It was against this Mandate of Madagascar,” as “our Ger- out such a massive operation.

he Madagascar Plan was an
outlandish notion which in July background that he suggested that all man sense of responsibility toward the Germany’s loss in the Battle of
given to one child, the other children T1940 – 80 years ago this month Jews falling into the German sphere – world forbids us to make the gift of a Britain brought an abrupt end to the
should be informed and promised simi- – nevertheless was taken seriously by which, given the conquest of Poland a sovereign state” to the Jews. Madagascar Plan. That it had been
lar monetary gifts either now or at the Germany’s Nazi regime as a possible few months earlier, had increased con- Another element of Rademacher’s considered very seriously by Nazi
time of inheritance,” way to rid Europe siderably – be expelled and deported to proposal would see that the creation of leaders, including Hitler, Heydrich and
Mel and Liddy knew what to do. of its Jews. The idea Madagascar. a colony in Madagascar would prevent Eichmann, provides an insight into
Tyler and Paula, the grandchildren in was to expel Eu- Throughout the spring and summer the possible establishment of a Jew- Germany’s thinking in 1940 regarding
need, were offered a monetary gift for rope’s Jews to the of 1940, Rademacher worked hard to ish state in Palestine, thereby negating Europe’s Jews.
which they were thrilled and grateful. large French colo- develop his Plan, along the way alien- “the opportunity for them to exploit for Although it was clear to all that the
The other three grandchildren were nial island of Mada- ating himself from Eichmann, who was their own purposes the symbolic im- Madagascar Plan – had it gone forward
pleased to have been informed and gascar, off the coast attempting to take control of the proj- portance which Jerusalem has for the – would have resulted in the death of
were content with their grandparents’ Dr. Paul Bartrop of Africa. As a plan, ect himself. Christian and Mohammedan parts of hundreds of thousands of Jews trying
promise to do the same for them come it resonates today as The idea spread so quickly within the world.” to survive in a police state in a difficult
inheritance time. another stepping stone on the way to the Nazi leadership that it was not long Finally, the conduct of the Jews in climate, it was also clear that the deci-
The work of an esteemed rabbinic the “Final Solution” – the extermina- before Hitler made mention of it, and Madagascar would act “as a pledge for sion to exterminate every Jewish man,
sage and halachic expert, Rabbi Joseph tion of Europe’s Jews. Reinhard Heydrich successfully ar- the future good behavior of the mem- woman and child in Europe had not,
Caro, is summarized by Rabbi Shlomo Expelling the Jews from Europe gued that it fell within his remit. bers of their race in America.” The in July 1940, yet been made. Nonethe-
Ganzfried in his book, Kitzur Shulchan to Madagascar was not a new idea. It The Madagascar Plan envisioned Plan considered that it would also be less, a specific mindset was in train that
Aruch. Rabbi Ganzfried’s volume, first was proposed as early as 1885 and con- that the island be transferred from good propaganda, showing “the gener- would see the start of its realization
published in 1864, explains elements tinued to be discussed during the early France to Germany as a Mandated ter- osity shown by Germany in permitting within the next 12 months.
th
of halakah in clear and understand- 20 century, though the island was ritory. It would become the site of a cultural, economic, administrative and Dr. Paul Bartrop is Professor of His-
able terms, telling us, “If you support hardly a wholesome location in which colony of Jews under the administra- legal self-administration to the Jews.” tory and the Director of the Center for
your grown children (or grandchildren) to send millions of Jews. Situated in the tion of a German Police Governor, in Adolf Eichmann eventually took Holocaust and Genocide Research at
whom you are not obligated to support Indian Ocean about 250 miles from the which the Jews would create their own over the project, drafting his own plan Florida Gulf Coast University. He can
and they need your support, that is tze- coast of southeast Africa, it is subject administration, including mayors, po- for Madagascar on August 15, 1940, be reached at pbartrop@fgcu.edu.
dakah, (because) the poor person in to a six-month rainy season, oppressive lice and so on. They would also be re- in which he proposed that one million
your house takes precedence over the heat and cyclones. sponsible for the economic welfare of Jews would be deported to Madagascar STAY
poor person in your city.” The issue had previously been con- the island. Tapping into longstanding annually over the next four years.
“We’d like to help everyone,” Lid- sidered briefly by the Nazi leadership. anti-Semitic views regarding Jewish The feasibility of the Madagascar
dy said. “But we did what we could for Indeed, senior SS officer Reinhard wealth, the Plan called for the Jews’ Plan rested on the outcome of two mili- CONNECTED
our family.” Liddy echoes Rabbi Gan- Heydrich, for instance, ordered and “former European financial assets” tary events. The first had already been
zfried’s sentiments precisely, so much received a report from his Jewish af- to be transferred to a European bank achieved when France surrendered to
so that if those rabbis were here with fairs expert, Adolf Eichmann, as early that would be specially established for Germany on June 22, enabling Mada-
us, I’m sure they’d offer a “Kol HaKa- as December 1938. The idea of sending the Madagascar project. This way, the gascar to be transferred to German con-
vod,” Liddy and Mel. Well done! Europe’s Jews to Madagascar, howev- Jews would pay Germany for the value trol. The second event was the Battle of
Rabbi Barbara Aiello is the first woman er, only became a serious policy pro- of the land, funded by the sale of their Britain between July and October 1940,
rabbi in Italy. She is spiritual leader of posal after Franz Rademacher, the head property in Europe. in which the Germans held that victory
the first active synagogue in southern of the Jewish Department of the Ger- In addition, given that Madagascar over the Royal Air Force would be the
Italy since Inquisition times, founder man Foreign Office, wrote a memoran- would be a Mandated territory, Jews first step toward the invasion and surren-
of Italy’s Pluralistic Jewish move- dum on July 3, 1940, suggesting this deported there would not be permitted der of Britain. The outcome of the battle
ment, and a mentoring rabbi for Dar- as a solution to the “Jewish Question.” to acquire German citizenship, while was relevant to the Madagascar Plan, as
shan Yeshiva’s conversion program. An avowed anti-Semite, Radem- at the same time losing the citizenship a German victory would remove Brit-
She is a vice president of Kulanu, an acher sought to elevate the role of the of the European countries from which ain’s Royal Navy as a factor inhibiting
international Jewish organization that Foreign Office in Jewish affairs, par- they had been deported. Their new the transport of Jews to Madagascar and .com/jfedsrq
supports Jewish diversity worldwide. ticularly in finding a way to remove the status would be as “residents of the would provide the ships needed to carry
Contact her at rabbi@rabbibarbara.
com. Voices of the

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