On May 27, 1939, the SS St. Louis, a ship carrying 937 Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany, was denied entry to Cuba despite the passengers holding valid visas. This rejection was followed by further denials from the United States and Canada due to strict immigration policies and widespread anti-Semitism. The ship was forced to return to Europe, where many passengers ultimately perished in the Holocaust. The voyage of the SS St. Louis remains a poignant reminder of the international community’s failure to respond to the refugee crisis precipitated by Nazi persecution.
