History repeats itself? Before World War II, most Americans didn't want to accept Jewish refugees

There are, of course, enormous differences between the modern day Middle Eastern refugee crisis and the plight of German Jews in the years leading up to World War II. However, there is also at least one piece of common ground the two refugee crises share — suspicion and shuttered doors from Americans.

According to a public opinion poll that was published in Fortune magazine in July 1938, fewer than 5 percent of Americans surveyed at the time thought "we should encourage [Jewish political refugees] to come, even if we have to raise our immigration quotas," The Washington Post reports. In fact, 67.4 percent of Americans believed that "with conditions as they are, we should try to keep [the refugees] out."

By January 1939, sentiments hadn't much changed — even after the horrific events of Kristallnacht, which left over 91 Jews murdered and 1,000 synagogues burned. Asked if the United States should permit 10,000 Jewish refugee children from Germany into the country, 61 percent of Americans said no.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

At present, 27 state governors, all but one of them Republican, oppose letting Syrian refugees in to their states. Many Republican presidential candidates have also spoken out against President Obama's plan to accept 10,000 into the U.S. next year. As New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.) said Monday, he would not even allow "3-year-old orphans" entry.

"Today's 3-year-old Syrian orphan, it seems, is 1939's German Jewish child," The Washington Post suggests.