Kate Rosenheim

"Why can't America take more of our Jewish children? The alternative is death."
—Kate Rosenheim, Reich Association of Jews in Germany

As the head of the Department of Children’s Emigration in the Reich Association of Jews in Germany (Reichsvereinigung der Juden in Deutschland) between 1934 and 1940, Kate Rosenheim rescued thousands of children. She brought groups of children to America and returned to Nazi Germany to rescue more.

Rosenheim and her staff tackled bureaucratic obstacles with a vengeance, while managing a deluge of panic-stricken parents desperately seeking asylum for their children.

Because she was successful in her work, she and her staff enabled a total of over 7,250 Jewish children to escape from Nazi Germany. Only 1,000 reached America.

“Every day frightened parents come into our office, pleading with us to help rescue their children. We can only help a few. I write to Cecelia and beg for more visas to get more Jewish children out of Germany.”
—Kate Rosenheim