The Jews, the Japanese and Shanghai

Saint Fool · Jun 30, 2009

This past week, I was in DC for a few days and made it to the Holocaust Museum where I learned an interesting fact.

Nearly 30,000 European Jews were given refuge in Shanghai by the Japanese military. And although Germany was insistent that Japan set up its own final solution, the Japanese ignored the Nazis' request. Life was not easy, as many of them were in internment camps, but it's a fact that I never knew.

Then, I mentioned my visit on another board I post on and a member PM'd me. Her FIL's family fled Germany and made it to Lithuania. The Japanese ambassador issued almost 10,000 passports that got Jewish refugees to Shanghai. The family had connections and managed to stay out of the camps, opening a raincoat store and funneling food and medicine to those in the camps. They immigrated to the US in 1947.

Googling "Fiction, Jews, Shanghai" brought up a children's book from Holiday House, and a non-fiction book called "Voices from Shanghai." Has anyone read or heard of historical novels about this?

The research would be daunting, but a little voice is telling me that this could be the basis of a great story.

What do you think?

donroc · Jun 30, 2009

My wife's cousins from a previous generation from Berlin took the trans-Siberian railroad to Vladivostok in 1936 to get away from the Nazis, ended up in Shanghai and were interned while waiting for their visas to the USA -- no guarantee they would ever get them either. They made it to L.A. after the war, and lived into their 80s, since deceased. It was not an easy life there, but they survived the war thanks to the Japanese.

cherubsmummy · Jun 30, 2009

Sounds like an awesome basis for a story.

Puma · Jun 30, 2009

As you said, a lot of research, but I think it sounds fascinating and intriguing. Puma

Saint Fool · Jul 1, 2009

Thanks for the info about your family, Don.

I see much research in the future but I'm really intrigued by this.

Nakhlasmoke · Jul 1, 2009

This is fascinating.

I'd read a book about this, for sure.

Captain Scarf · Jul 1, 2009

Just a thought,

With a story as interesting as this, it might be worth writing an article or two for historical magazines. Then you can show an agent that other media outlets find the story interesting.

donroc · Jul 1, 2009

The International Quarter of Shanghai from the 1920s through WWII is a goldmine for historical fiction with intrigue, spying, drugs, romance, gambling, speculation, sex, violence, all sorts of crime, racial discrimination -- perfect.

lkp · Jul 1, 2009

I saw a fascinating documentary five years or so ago about the Jews in Shanghai in WW2. I wish I could remember the name of it, but it's worth hunting down for some good inspiring visuals.

I think it could make a great novel.

donroc · Jul 1, 2009

So many characters to play with if one can avoid the clichés:

The naive do-gooder missionary
The alluring depraved money hungry White Russian lady aristocrat (See films The White Palace, 55 Days at Peking)
The half-Chinese half-American drug addicted beauty (see The Shanghai Gesture)
Japanese and German spies
Jewish and political refugees
Communist instigators and secret police hunting White Russians
Former cossack officers
Chinese Nationalists
Brothels, teeming docks, and gambling dens for settings
U.S. Marines protecting American Interests.
Ripping off Terry and the Pirates: Dragon Ladies and April Kane
Corruptable local police
Snobbish Europeans
Indian and SE Asian merchants

Mix and match, and you have plots galore.

Saint Fool · Jul 1, 2009

Oh mercy, I have four pages of books, citations of scholarly articles, and primary sources collected in an hour from the internet. Interlibrary loan time - and searching for cheap used copies on the internets. If I sign up as a friend of the University Library, I'll have access to data bases/research sites that the public library doesn't have. Several US museums/libraries have information.

I wonder what the story will turn out to be? Don has posted so many possibilities my imagination is spinning. Historical, historical romance, historical thriller, multi-generational family saga.

But vampyres would be wrong...

Nakhlasmoke · Jul 1, 2009

Saint Fool said:
....

But vampyres would be wrong...

Eh.. I'd read it.

Omg plotbunny

angeliz2k · Jul 2, 2009

Saint Fool said:
Oh mercy, I have four pages of books, citations of scholarly articles, and primary sources collected in an hour from the internet. Interlibrary loan time - and searching for cheap used copies on the internets. If I sign up as a friend of the University Library, I'll have access to data bases/research sites that the public library doesn't have. Several US museums/libraries have information.

I wonder what the story will turn out to be? Don has posted so many possibilities my imagination is spinning. Historical, historical romance, historical thriller, multi-generational family saga.

But vampyres would be wrong...

That's an awesome idea/project.

I'd try out a few options for size, just kind of get started on them and see whether they seem to fit, then choose your plan: thriller, romance, saga, vampyres. I personally would start with the vampires. Because, you know. Because it's vampires.

Haggis · Jul 2, 2009

Saint Fool said:
Oh mercy, I have four pages of books, citations of scholarly articles, and primary sources collected in an hour from the internet. Interlibrary loan time - and searching for cheap used copies on the internets. If I sign up as a friend of the University Library, I'll have access to data bases/research sites that the public library doesn't have. Several US museums/libraries have information.

I wonder what the story will turn out to be? Don has posted so many possibilities my imagination is spinning. Historical, historical romance, historical thriller, multi-generational family saga.

But vampyres would be wrong...

Vampyres are never wrong.

Unless they sparkle.

donroc · Jul 2, 2009

Do all Chinese Vampyres have one of their names as Fang?

I used to confound my students by adding names like An Fang-En and Fang Si-Chen among the potential answers in the few multiple choice questions I gave to loosen them.

Those taking German got it immediately.

regdog · Jul 2, 2009

The Japanese Ambassador( I can't believe I forget his name) to Lithuania went against the Japanese Governments orders and began issuing entrance visa to Jews trying to flee Europe. The visas were travel visas so the Jews could enter Japan and continue on to other places.

Thousands of visas were issued and when he was ordered out of Lithuania he stamped entrance visas all the way to the train station and as the train pulled away, leaned out the train window to continue stamping Visas.

When he returned home, he got in trouble with the government for disobeying. The Ambassador died recently but I think his widow is still alive. In Isreal she was presented with a "Righteous Person Award" for her late husband.

The Jews who remained in Japan settled in Kobe. The German Gov' told the Japanese they had to return the Jews to them or face attack.

Officials from the Japanese Gov't met with the Jewish elders and told them what was happening. The Jewish elders inform the Japanese that they were not in fact Jews, but Japanese. When the Japanese Officials balked at that statement, the elder Jewish leader said Hitler believed the only people who were accpetable were tall, blond hair, blue eyed. He then said the Japanese certainly were not. The elder Jewish leader then asked the Japanese official who did he think Hitler would want to eliminate once all the Jews were gone. The Japanese told Hitler they couldn't be bothered trying to find any Jews to send them back.

Kobe still has a large Jewish population.

In a side note. A teen Lithuanian boy who helped out at the Japanese Embassy was forced on a death march toward the end of the war. He collapsed in the woods and waited to die. He was found by an American solider-a Japanese/American solider. When the boy came to and saw the Japanese soldier and heard him speak English, the first thing the boy said was "Oh my God, you've conquered the world."

I'm going to find the Amabassadors name. Be back soon
Found it, good article Chiune Sugihara

Also several Japanese Gov't officials wanted to take Europe's Jews and move them to Manchuria. So they would have the Jews who were bankers, doctors and scientists and their knowledge for the war.

Saint Fool · Jul 2, 2009

I freely give over all rights to sparkly/unsparkly Shanghai vampires named Fang to any and all who want them.

An entire yeshiva made it to Shanghai. 600 people.

Thanks for the link, Regdog.

ATP · Jul 3, 2009

Realise that you might have struck a literary 'goldmine', but at the same time, you have opened a Pandora's Box. (I am uncertain about mixing metaphors like that![if metaphor is the correct description]).

There is quite a bit that has been done on this--enough to keep you reading for years, in fact.If you're going to do your research properly, you should consult the University Reference Librarian, who will gladly help you sift through the vast amount of material. Internet research will provide you a general overview at best, and it is sufficient for this.The library, and discussions with Reference Librarians is where you want to start from.

Prawn · Jul 3, 2009

I thought Chinese vampires hopped.

Saint Fool · Jul 3, 2009

ATP,. I get what you're saying, but I'm aware that the internet is only a starting point. I've already e-mailed the HM and Eli Weisel's foundation to see what information they have available. My friend is going through her father's letters/papers and will copy anything that pertains to to when they lived in Shanhai. Another friend who went on a teacher exchange through the Fulbright/Japan Foundation is contacting someone who might be able to may be able to give me some leads on the Japan end. And an elderly Jewish friend is checking to see if there are any local people who lived in/or passed through Shanghai during the the war. AND someone in Austin will be seeing if he can get a copy of a city map of Shanghai for the period.

I'm hoping for 4-6 months to give me the basic knowledge to begin writing. (Yes, I am an optimist.)

Oh yes, it is a Pandora's box. But hopefully, a book will come out of it in the end.

Darn it, Prawn, now you've put the image of a choppy-socky-hoppy Hong Kong vampire movie in my brain.

The Jews, the Japanese and Shanghai

Saint Fool

donroc

Historicals and Horror rule

cherubsmummy

Experienced Lurker

Puma

Retired and loving it!

Saint Fool

Nakhlasmoke

yes

Captain Scarf

Smart-casual Ninja

donroc

Historicals and Horror rule

lkp

donroc

Historicals and Horror rule

Saint Fool

Nakhlasmoke

yes

angeliz2k

never mind the shorty

Haggis

Evil, undead Chihuahua

donroc

Historicals and Horror rule

regdog

The Scavengers

Saint Fool

ATP

What happened to my LIFE?!

Prawn

Writing is finite,revising infinite

Saint Fool