TURKISH ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES FOR THE JEWISH IMMIGRANTS AND JEWISH IMMIGRANT CAMPS IN CYPRUS DURING SECOND WORLD WAR

Abstract

During the last period of Second World War, the Jews who all managed to survived and escaped from Nazi tyranny and holocaust have started trying to find out the ways to go to Palestine, then being a British mandate. Taking a voyage to Palestine was not so easy because of the terrific conditions, and mostly of British restrictions. The Jews making mostly use of the very insufficient and primitive transportation means could have arrived in Turkey. Having got Turkish support and the assistance, these people were once more stopped by British warships in the open seas and taken to the concentration camps in Cyprus since active steps and measurements were taken against the Jewish immigration, from trying to prevent the acquisition of ships for refugees to deploying naval craft that otherwise could have been used in the war effort to patrol the coast of Palestine. The poor conditions and, terrifying management of British authority there made the life unbearable for these people, causing lots of death

Keywords

• Cyprus, Jews, Second World War, Exodus, Concentration Camp

References

1. ARMAOĞLU, Fahir, 20. Yüzyıl Siyasî Tarihi (1914 -1995), İstanbul, p. 407.
2. BAUER, Yehuda, Flight and Rescue;Brichah, New York, 1970, p. 153.
3. BALİ, Rıfat N., Aliya; Bir Toplu Göçün Öyküsü 1946-1949, İletişim Publications, İstanbul, 2003, p. 190.
4. BETHELL, Nicholas, The Palestine Triangle, Steimatzky’s Agency Press, London, 1979, p.77.
5. CONSTANTOPOLOU, Photini, Documents on the History of the Greek Jews, Greek Foreign Ministry and Athens University Social Sciences Department, Kastaniotis Editions, Athens, 1998, p. 34.
6. DELON, Amos, Çöküşe Tırmanış; Alman Yahudilerinin Öyküsü 1743-1933, Gözlem Publications, İstanbul, 2002, p. 446.
7. FRANTZ, Douglas, The Untold Story of The Struma And World War II’s Holocaust At Sea, Death On The Sea, Harpers Collins Press Publications, New York, 2003, p. 19.
8. GALANTİ, Avram, Türkler ve Yahudiler Tarihi, Siyasi Tetkik, İstanbul, 1947, p.136.

9. GRUBER, Ruth, Destination Palestine, Current Boks Press, New York, 1948, p. 17.
10. HUREWITZ, J.C., Struggle for Palestine, Greenwood Press, New York, 1968, p.127.
11. KESER, Ulvi, İkinci Dünya Savaşı’nda Türkiye’nin Yunanistan’a Yardım Faaliyetleri; Yardım Et Komşu, Turkish Cypriot Culture Association Publications, Ankara, 2005.
12. KESER, Ulvi, İkinci Dünya Savaşı’nda İngiliz Ordusunda Katırcılar, IQ Publications, İstanbul, 2007.
13. LAUB, Morris, Last Barrier To Freedom; Jewish Holocaust Survivors on Cyprus 1946-1949, California, 1985, p.6.
14. LEVİ, Avner, Türkiye Cumhuriyetinde Yahudiler, İletişim Publications, İstanbul, 1992, p. 148.
15. LEVİ, Avner, Türkiye Cumhuriyetinde Yahudiler-Hukuki ve Siyasi Durumları, İletişim Publications, İstanbul, 1992, p. 148.
16. MAZOWER, Mark, Inside Hitler’s Greece; The Experience of Occupation 1941- 1944, Yale University Press, London, 1993, p. 239.
17. TEKİN, Emrullah, Alman Gizli Operasyonları ve Türkler, IQ Publications, İstanbul, December 2001,p. 160.
18. WILSON, Evan M., Decision On Palestine; How The U. P. Came To Recognize Israel, Hoover Institution Press, California, 1979, p.24.
19. YETKİN, Çetin, Batılıların Kirli Yüzü Struma, Otopsi Publications, İstanbul, p. 13.