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BRAZIL'S RESPONSE TO THE SHOAH 

1932 -1945

Most modern-day Brazilians view their country as open and humanitarian given that the country accepted immigrants looking for freedom. Despite such a reputation, the events that occurred between 1932 and 1945 suggest an acceptance of some elements of dictatorial ideologies dominant at that time in Europe. German national socialism seemed to be a source of inspiration for the political- diplomatic Brazilian scenario. Sharing similar ideologies - at some level - Germany and Brazil had a friendly relationship during the first period of the Vargas regime. With these facts as context, I’d like to ask the following questions: What was Brazil’s response to the Shoah from 1932 to 1945? How did the relationship between Germany and Brazil affect national immigration perspectives and policies? To what extent did Brazilians accept Nazi-style antisemitism? What means were used to stand by or against the Jews under Vargas regime? During such a critical period of world history, Brazil adopted policies and ideologies that had serious consequences for Jews seeking a host country.

 DISCOVERING

Through a  research conducted  based on documents obtained from LEER – the Laboratory of Studies on Ethnicity, Racism and Discrimination. The documents were also from the database of the Arqshoah - Virtual Archive on the Holocaust and Antisemitism, among with  books and  articles. I discovered unexpected answers to the questions raised on my abstract. The Brazil's response to this  historical period was revealing and surprising. During the systematic persecution of the Jews in Europe, Brazil secretively responded with indifference, or yet, compliance. Leaders of important sectors of Brazil's Governance, given the chance, despite of power in their hands, did not act in favor of such a human cause.                                        

HISTORICAL CONTEXT
                      Shoah Timeline                       

1933: Adolf Hitler came to power. All political parties were dissolved, except the Nazi Party.
1933-1934: Jewish population started to lose basic rights.
1935: The Nuremberg laws were officialized. It defined who was considered a Jew in order to limited their rights.
1938: Germany annexed Austria and the Jews submitted to anti-Jewish laws. Concentrations camps were expanded, and the Jews born in Poland were expelled.
1939: Germany attacked Poland and the World War II begins. In one month, one million of Polish Jews were subjected to the Nazi control. Thousands sought for refuge in other countries, manytimes, in vain.
1940-1941: Polish Jews were put in ghettos for torture and starvation on daily basis. Germany attacked Russia in order to murder Jews on a mass scale. The U.S. entered the War.
1942-1943: Wannasse Conference: The “Final Solution” was established. Five more killing centers were created. Germany enslaved millions of people. Jews were massively deported from Ghettos to camps, including to the well known: Awschwtiz-Birkwnau.
1944-1945: The Allies invaded France. Germany was defeated. The Jews were liberated from Camps.
 (Bergen & Shoah Timeline Course Handout).

BRAZIL'S RESPONSE
Timeline

1933-1937: There was a good political-commercial relation between the governments of Getúlio Vargas and Adolf Hitler. Despite a divergent perception towards the concept of nationality,  they shared an empathic approach. (Hitler's concept remitted to a common past, Varga's concept remitted to a common future). 
1938: Through the law no. 383, of April 18, 1938, the Nazi party was prohibited in Brazil, which led  to a  diplomatic rupture between Brazil and Germany. However, although the chancellor Oswaldo Aranha had reported the acceptance of 11.000 Jews, Brazil received only 530 Jews out of 19.388 immigrants.
1939: Brazil resumed the diplomatic peaceful relation with Germany, that remained as such until the first semester of 1941.
1940: Vargas tried to maintain the political-economic relation with the US and Germany. Brazil ordered weapons from Germany that were not able to reach the Brazilian ports due to the war. The US would have to consider a way to respond to Brazil's demand in order to guarantee an alliance.
1941: With the beginning of the war, Germany tried to maintain the neutrality of Latin American countries towards the War. The German Embassy in Rio de Janeiro avoided actions that could dissipate Brazil's neutrality. Meanwhile, Germany and the United States used the Brazilian means of communication in order to spread  their interests among  the population. 
1942: During the Rio Conference, German's  diplomatics pressured the Brazilian authorities to remain neutral. However,  they could not discuss it personally  with Getulio Vargas and Osvaldo Aranha, and sought for other partners. In August, the German Navy authorized maneuvers on the Brazilian coast. Five ships were sunk by the Axis, killing over 600 civilians.  Brazil  joined the  Allies against Germany.
1942-1945: Brazil emitted 26 secret circularies in order to instruct the Brazilian diplomats overseas to keep denying  visas to the Jews, which have started in 1937.

(Carneiro, 137, Rahmeier, 173-1777, Rose 91-93)


POLITICAL-ECONOMIC CONTEXT



File: Getulio Vargas (1930) public dominion

For the understanding of  Brazil’s response to the Shoah from the 1932 to 1945, it is necessary to know the country that undergoes the political, social, and economic scenario. The aftermath of the 1929 global crisis had affected Brazil immensely. The Brazilian economy was shaken. Imports declined, the international loan payment was delayed, and the unemployment increased. The president would have to recover from the crisis and maintain internal stability. With this scenario, anything and anyone that represented a threat to the social order and economic stability would be banned.  Until 1930, Brazil was governed by the oligarchies of Minas Gerais and São Paulo. These oligarchies were able to alternate in order to remain in power.

Given the economic picture, the oligarchy lost its commercial, and consequently, political forces. Vargas assumed power in 1930 after commanding the Revolution, which disposed the government of Washington Luis. The  subsequent years of his leadership were marked by  nationalism and populism. From 1930 to 1934, he headed the  Provisional Government. During this period, Vargas enacted the Constitution of 1934, which set the policies that refers  to immigration quotas by country. It was deliberately interpreted  by a few leaders in favor of a restrictive race-based argument, according to their interests. From 1934 to 1937, known as Constitutional Government, Vargas gradually moved for a more centralizing power. In 1937 he closed the National Congress, created a New Constitution, and installed the dictatorial New State.  From that moment on, Brazil started a shadier era of history. (Carneiro, 56-77, Rose 29-77).

*Video provided by oberon71 on youtube.                                                                                                                                                                                                             

* An example of the New State dictatorship:  In November 1937 Vargas ordered a ceremonial flag-burning. The flags of the states were placed in an urna, and burned. Ministers, diplomatics among civil and military authorities, participated. The ceremony symbolized the submission of the states to the interests of the Nation. The speech was given by the the Minister of Justice, Francisco Campos: “Brazilian Flag, you are the only one today... around you the unity of Brazil is rediscovered, unity of thought and action...that can only reign when it is established by a single moral and political order, the sovereign order made of force and ideal, the order of a single thought and of one authority, the thought and authority of Brazil.”


SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT

Since the end of the 19th century, Brazilian intellectuals absorbed the same ideologies of Social Darwinism and Evolutionism developed in Europe. Brazilian intellectuals freely discussed races according to the "scientific" concepts that they believed. These concepts were encouraged by religious myths that labeled the Jews as traitors, exploiters, and heretics. Combined, the intellectual concepts and the old religious measurements found a fertile soil to bloom. Based on these ideas, the intellectuals presented justifications for social differences and the need for an action.

At first, the African Brazilian became the target of the debates, being interpreted as representatives of the unfit. Then, the Eugenics and the danger of racial irreconcilability turned into the main discussion. The Asian and the Jewish immigration were taken into account. Vargas' authoritarianism provided the proper conditions for the prejudice, that was once part of the of the Brazilian history, to awaken. Liberal ideas were replaced by ones that praised force, order, and unification. Among with the intellectuals and their concepts, diplomats repercussed the need of a rigid immigration control. However, this scenario was established at a time of the rise of German Nazism and the Jews sought for shelter. (Carneiro 56-69)

(Von Cossel)

1934: The Nazi ideals reached the Brazilian public through the propaganda such as pamphlets and newspapers. Consequently, the Nazi party gained sympathizers and increased their activities in some areas of Brazil. As an example, the newspaper Deutscher Morgen, edited in São Paulo, often invited readers to attend meetings of Nazism and to have an Antarctica beer in German bars.                                       



1936: "The German Consul of São Paulo calls the German children that were born in Brazil to join the military service in Germany." (Carneiro, Fig. 1187)

(Aspectos da Militância Nazista no Brasil)
1937: May first — Brazilian Labor Day festivities - Members of the Nazi Party of Brazil marched holding flags with the swastika, and greeting with the Nazi salute.The event included the chief commander of the third military Region, the police, and representatives of the government. Yet, according to the testimonies of eyewitnesses, their participation in a Brazilian official celebration was not questioned by the authorities.


(Carneiro, 278)
1938: "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, an anti-Semitic pamphlet published in Portuguese. The book displayed  in its cover a serpent alluding to the Jews. 'The Elders of Zion, who seeks through its contractions, to suffocate the world.' They were poisoners of the people." 

(Penteado)

1941: (July) "The Germans won against the bolsheviks. A bright success of the Luftwaffe." The author provides a few details related to the German air force and its successful action on July 23rd. "Germany had lost only 10% of what Russians had lost." 

(Sommer)

1941: (November) An example of how the press stereotyped the Jews through its news. In this text the author  included references as such: "filthy plague in their coats, with long beard."  It also displayed the myth that the Jews would take over the world, though they would have been mostly in the Sovietic Union. The "Isaacs and Abrahams" were taken out of their  hiding places to sweat for the first time, doing a useful work.

Spotlight;












Southeastern states had the largest number of supporters, followed by the southern states. They were organized in clubs and schools, and celebrated the festivities of the Third Reich. Formed by 2900 members, it was considered the largest Nazi branch outside Germany. Also, they pressed German-language newspapers in order to advertise in favor of Hitler's Regime and against their enemies.
In 1935 Brazil had 2559 German schools among nine states, and had over 50.000 students.
The Brazilian Nazi Party openly operated from 1928 to 1938, and spread out among seventeen states of Brazil. (Dietrick, 218, 219, 229).

WORK CITED

Aragao, Moniz. “Brazil Para o Comite Internacional de Refugiados.” Arquivo Virtual                         Arqshoah Holocausto e Antisemetismo, ARQ 1071, 1944, https://www.


             arqshoah.com/index.php/busca-arquivo/arq-1072-quota-do-brasil-para

-o-


             comite-internacional-de-refugiados.



Aragao, Moniz. “Novas Medidas de Exceção Contra os Israelitas" Arquivo Virtual                             Arqshoah Holocausto e Antisemetismo, ARQ 377 1937,https://www.
              arqshoah.com/index.php/busca-geral/arq-377-novas-medidas-de-exce
              cao-contra-os-israelitas.



Aranha, Oswaldo. “Expulsao dos Judeus.” Arquivo Virtual Arqshoah Holocausto e                         Antisemetismo, ARQ 1301, 1937, https://www.arqshoah.com/index.ph


                   p/arquivo/1305-arq-1301-expulsao-de-judeus.



"Aspectos da Militância Nazista no Brasil.” Arquivo da Fundacao Getulio Vargas,   


                   Number 1, 1937, http://www.fgv.br/cpdoc/acervo/arquivo-pessoal/CFa


                   /audiovisual/aspectos-da-militancia-nazista-no-brasil.



Bergen, Doris L. War and Genocide: A Concise History of the Holocaust. Roman &                        Littlefield Publishers, Inc, 2003.



Bytwerk, Randall. “Race and Population Policy by Dr. Gerhard Wagner.”German                             Propaganda Arquive, Calvin College, 2003, https://research.calvin.edu/
             german-propaganda-archive/pt36rasse.htm.



Carneiro, Maria Luiza Tucci. Cidadao do Mundo: O Brasil Diante do Holocausto e                         dos Judeus Refugiados do Nazifascismo. Editora Perspectiva S.A, 2010.



Carneiro, Maria Luiza Tucci. O Anti-Semitismo na Era Vargas: Fantasmas de Uma                        Geração (1930-1945). Editora Perspectiva S.A, 2001.      



Corpo Consular. “Limite na Concessao de Vistos e Suspensao Destes Para os                                 Judeus.” Arquivo Virtual Arqshoah Holocausto e Antisemetismo, ARQ
            699, 1940, https://www.arqshoah.com/index.php/busca-arquivo/arq-

699


            -limite—na—concessao-de-vistos-e-suspensao-destes-para—

os-judeus.



Dietrich, Ana Maria. Nazismo tropical? O partido Nazista no Brasil. Tese. USP                                  Universidade de Sao Paulo, 2007, http://www.teses.usp.br/teses/
            disponiveis/8/8138/tde-10072007-113709/pt-br.php.



Filho, Salgado. “Imigracao de Judeus Para o Brasil.” Arquivo Virtual Arqshoah                                Holocausto e Antisemetismo, ARQ 1106, 1933, https://www.arqshoah.
            com/index.php/arquivo/1110-arq-1106-imigracao-de-judeus-para-o-brasil.



Machado, Dulphe Pinheiro. “Admissao dos Judeus.” Arquivo Virtual Arqshoah                               Holocausto e Antisemetismo, ARQ 1220, 1937, https://www.arqshoah.
            com/index.php/arquivo/1224-arq-1220-ingresso-de-judeus.



Moniz, J.J. “Comite Intergovernamental de Refugiados.” Arquivo Virtual Arqshoah                          Holocausto e Antisemetismo, ARQ 1112, 1942, https://www.arqshoah.
             com/index.php/busca-arquivo/arq-1015-pedido-comite-intergovernamental
             -de-refugiados-concessao-asilo-no-brasil-israelitas-de—origem-alema-e
             -austriaca.



Oliveira, Antonio Camillo. “Emigracao de Refugiados que Se Encontram na Franca.”                      Arquivo Virtual Arqshoah Holocausto e Antisemetismo, ARQ 1015, 1942,                 https://www.arqshoah.com/index.php/busca-geral/arq-1023-emigrac
             ao-de-refugiados-que-se-encontram-na-franca.



Penteado, A., editor. "Vitoriosos os Alemaes." Deutscher Morgen, no.30, 1941.                              Arquivo da Fundacao Getulio Vargas, https://bibdig.biblioteca.unesp.br/
              handle/10/10175.



Rahmeier, Andrea Helena Petry. “As relações diplomáticas entre Alemanha e Brasil,                     no período de 1937 a 1942.” História Unisinos, Vol.17, No. 2, 2013 pp.168
             -178, Unisinos, http://revistas.unisinos.br/index.php/historia/
             article/view/htu.2013.172.08/1994.



Rose, R.S. One Of The Forgotten Thing: Getulio Vargas and Brazilian Social Control                       1930-1954. Greenwood Press, 2000.



Silva, Mario Moreira. “Acolhimento aos Refugiados Politicos” Arquivo Virtual                                 Arqshoah Holocausto e Antisemetismo, ARQ 281, 1938, https://www.
               arqshoah.com/index.php/arquivo/305-arq-281-acolhimento-aos—refugi


               ados-politicos-da-austria-a-questao-judaica.



Sommer, E., editor. "Os Judeus Aprendem a Trabalhar." Aurora Ilustrada, no.46,                              1941. Arquivo da Fundacao Getulio Vargas, https://bibdig.biblioteca.
               unesp.br/handle/10/10159.



Von Cossel, Hans Henning, director. "Grutta Alemã." Deutscher Morgen, no.2,                               1932. Arquivo da Fundacao Getulio Vargas, https://bibdig.biblioteca.
             unesp.br/handle/10/9992.


BRAZIL'S 

Untold History

(Filho).

1933: From Salgado Filho, Minister of Labor  to Afranio de Mello Franco, Minister of Foreign Affairs."... in face of the political events in Germany, there is a of the Jews to seek for shelter, emigrating to Brazil... I considered it inconvenient to the interests of the country to introduce  workers other than rural workers, the only ones we need."

(Pimentel)
1936: From Pimentel, Diplomat of the Legation of Brazil in Warsaw to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. "After  a note  from the Minister of Poland in Rio de Janeiro, I noticed the 'importance and gravity of the Poles' plan to colonization Brazil, as  proposed by the International Society in Warsaw. . . "We must organize and prevent that the pernicious elements do not take refuge in our territory. Jews , undesirable to our nation, come uninterruptedly to Brazil . . . Those elements are extremely harmful to send to other territories. . . quotas should be more restrictive towards  these undesirable elements, and for a further investigation and inspection according to our regulations"

(Aragao)
1937: From Muniz of Aragão, Ambassador of Brazil in Berlin, to the Minister of Foreign Affairs. It mentions the Nuremberg's exclusions imposed towards the Jews. He pointed out  that any German could refuse to sell food and objects. Also, they were allowed to  not  rent home or commercial places. Yet, penalties were  not  applied for those  who followed such rules.

(Silva)

1938: From Mario Moreira da Silva, Consul General of Brazil in Budapest, to Oswaldo Aranha, Minister of Foreign Affairs. He mentioned that the Brazilian Government was willing to adhere to the American proposal of an "international committee, designed to discuss how to provide  shelter for the  refugees."  He argued that  he had lived in Austria for more than three years, so, he could say that "95% of these "fugitives"  were Jews, so,  it is a matter of knowing whether or not Brazil should receive "these kinds of immigrants." He mentioned that the Brazilian Government, through a Secret Circular to the Diplomatic Missions, established restrictions on the entry and permanence of the Semites in Brazil, and "the Brazilian Government should not go back on this decision. It is proved that the Jews, though possessing in themselves good elements, are in community so pernicious and so act that they are treated in their own homelands as harmful, undesirable, against whose all sorts of restrictions  are applied for one single purpose: to see them depart. Why then do we, for the sake of simple compassion, open the door to immigration of such a nature?"

(Corpo Consular)

1940: From the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the General Secretary of Itamaraty: responsible for Brazilian foreign policy and international relations. It mentioned that a circular would limit visas for a few people and would suspend them for Semites. "The circular, as soon as as approved by the President of the Republic, will be send to all consulates. "From tomorrow on," it said, "do not accept requests towards the coming of Semites."

(Einstein)

1941: Albert Einstein asked  the Brazilian Embassy to intercede on behalf of one of his relatives.  "A relative of mine, Mr. Rodolfo Moos, . . . in  São Paulo, Brazil, has applied for a Brazilian visa for his mother, Mrs. Selma Moss. The poor woman, who is 64 years of age, is in a concentration camp in the South of France where she has to live under the most appalling conditions. Her son is well able and, of course, willing to fully take care her. I should be very grateful to you, your Excellency, if you would have the kindness to bring this case to the benevolent attention of the immigration-authorities of your country." According to the researcher Maria Luiza Tucci Carneiro, Oswaldo Aranha apologetically responded to the Washington Embassy saying that visas at that time were not applied.


(Aragão)
1942 (request): From the Embassy of London to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Brazil: "The director of the "Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees asked me to make a humanitarian appeal to the Brazilian government to become interested in immigration . . .  especially towards the old and young Israelites of German and Austrian origin, currently in unoccupied France. The Committee seeks to save the largest number of victims of Nazi persecution. They call  the Brazilian government to grant temporary shelter to those who have relatives in Brazil. In order to guarantee their subsistence and, given the urgency of the matter, the Committee would welcome a response as soon as possible."

(Oliveira)
1942 (Three months later -Response): "In a meeting, the Consul of Immigration and Colonization concluded that this issue is essentially political, thus, not our jurisdiction."

(Aragao)
1944 (Implied that the pattern remained the same): The presidente of the Commité for Refugees still appealing  "the humanitarian  sentiments of Brazil Government"  towards the child refugees.


HISTORY UNVEILED;

A Reflection

As I looked at anti-Semitism through the lenses of the Shoah, I wondered: How could an immigrant view towards Shoah inform my learning? What could have been Brazil’s response to this period of history? This research showed a Brazil I did not know. A Brazil that persists with political myths that contribute to keeping the reputation of Vargas Regime as great. A Brazil that persists with Political myths that help to keep the status of Brazil - unquestionably -as a humanist country. However, such a pose is controversial facing the historical sources shunned by the "Official Story." At no time the Brazilian government offered a genuine and relevant humanitarian aid towards the Jews refugees, the sources told me that.
I could not understand the impartiality and even compliance of Brazil in face of such a tragedy, predictable since 1933. Despite joining the War 1942, against Germany, Brazil did not uttered genuine support for the innocent people who were seeking shelter. This eye opening event of Brazil's history, reminded me that no country is inoculated against prejudice and its variety. Facing the harsh truth, I state: The Nazis achieved what the Allies and sympathizers consented: The Shoah. Yet, their ideology, among other versions of prejudice, still around poisoning this world, and the question is: what am I consenting?