Restricted refuge · Australia · 1938–1939
At Évian and afterward, Australia’s response was shaped by immigration anxiety and antisemitism.
Explore AustraliaPublished by WTJPublication updated
1938–1939
Restricted refuge · Officials fear the refugee more than the persecution
At Évian and afterward, Australia’s response was shaped by immigration anxiety and antisemitism.
The Évian conference, 1938
Countries met at Évian in 1938 to discuss refugees from Nazi persecution. Australia’s representative emphasized reluctance to create a racial problem through large-scale admission. The language treated vulnerable applicants as a prospective national threat rather than beginning from the danger they were escaping.
A promise with limits
After the November 1938 pogrom in Germany, Australia announced an intake of 15,000 refugees over three years. Admission nevertheless remained regulated and selective. A public announcement of assistance did not guarantee entry for every person with urgent need or the means to make a journey.
Prejudice narrows opportunity after entry
Official records describe fears that Jewish refugees would take jobs or dominate professions. Restrictions affected refugee professionals as well as immigration itself. Antisemitic stereotypes therefore shaped both the border and the possibilities available after crossing it.