Gerhart M Riegner
Encyclopedia
Gerhart Moritz Riegner was the secretary-general of the World Jewish Congress
from 1965 to 1983. On August 8, 1942, he sent the so-called Riegner Telegram
through diplomatic channels to Stephen Samuel Wise
, president of the World Jewish Congress. (However, Wise did not receive it until the end of the month.) The source of the information was Eduard Schulte
, the anti-Nazi owner of a prominent German company that employed high-level Nazi officials. The telegram was the first official communication about the planned Holocaust.
The Riegner telegram read in part:
Have received through foreign office following message from Riegner Geneva STOP Received alarming report that in Fuhrers headquarters plan discussed and under consideration all Jews in countries occupied or controlled Germany number 3½ to 4 million should after deportation and concentration in East at one blow exterminated to resolve once and for all Jewish question in Europe.
Quote:
"Never did I feel so strongly the sense of abandonment, powerlessness and loneliness as when I sent messages of disaster and horror to the free world and no one believed me."
World Jewish Congress
The World Jewish Congress was founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in August 1936 as an international federation of Jewish communities and organizations...
from 1965 to 1983. On August 8, 1942, he sent the so-called Riegner Telegram
Riegner Telegram
The Riegner Telegram was a message sent in August 1942 by Gerhart M Riegner, then representative of the World Jewish Congress in Geneva, informing the Allies about the so-called "Final Solution of the Jewish question", the German plan to exterminate the European Jews, for the first time.Riegner was...
through diplomatic channels to Stephen Samuel Wise
Stephen Samuel Wise
Stephen Samuel Wise was an Austro-Hungarian-born American Reform rabbi and Zionist leader.-Early life:...
, president of the World Jewish Congress. (However, Wise did not receive it until the end of the month.) The source of the information was Eduard Schulte
Eduard Schulte
Eduard Schulte was a prominent German industrialist. He was one of the first to warn the Allies and tell the world of the Holocaust and systematic exterminations of Jews in Nazi Germany occupied Europe....
, the anti-Nazi owner of a prominent German company that employed high-level Nazi officials. The telegram was the first official communication about the planned Holocaust.
The Riegner telegram read in part:
Have received through foreign office following message from Riegner Geneva STOP Received alarming report that in Fuhrers headquarters plan discussed and under consideration all Jews in countries occupied or controlled Germany number 3½ to 4 million should after deportation and concentration in East at one blow exterminated to resolve once and for all Jewish question in Europe.
Quote:
"Never did I feel so strongly the sense of abandonment, powerlessness and loneliness as when I sent messages of disaster and horror to the free world and no one believed me."