In the Curator's Words: Jewish refugees in Shanghai focus of new exhibit
In the Curator's Words is an occasional series that takes a critical look at current exhibitions through the eyes of curators.
When the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum opened in 2007, its main purpose was to tell the stories of the more than 20,000 Jewish refugees who fled Europe in the 1930s for Shanghai. Located at the Moishe Synagogue in what was once known as Shanghai’s Jewish Quarter, the museum shares those stories through photos, films, documents and personal artififacts.
Now, San Diegans can hear those stories, too. The San Diego Chinese Historical Museum, in partnership with the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum and the Chinese American GI Project, has mounted a new exhibition, titled "Shanghai, Homeland Once Upon a Time - Jewish Refugees and Shanghai."
The museum describes the exhibit this way:
“During World World II, over 20,000 Jewish people were forced to live in crowded ghettos in Shanghai, where they escaped the Holocaust in Europe and had good relationships with the Chinese.
“This intimate walkthrough exhibit takes you through the history of Jewish refugees who fled to Shanghai during the Holocaust and established their own community in the heart of an occupied city. Learn about their journey across continents, their preservation of life and culture in a foreign nation, and how both Jewish and Chinese communities shaped and impacted each other. An additional section, provided by historian Montgomery Hom, describes the work of American military personnel who mediated for the Japanese, Chinese and refugees.”
Board member Lily Birmingham - who curates shows for the museum, including this one - took some time to tell us more about the exhibition, which is on view through Sept. 6.
Q: This exhibition is on loan from the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum. How did this exhibit come to be in San Diego?
A: I approached the Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum via email using their website. It was forwarded to their curator, Sophia Tian, and we got connected. The communication went smoothly after that. They are very happy that San Diego is going to show their exhibition and gave us all the high-resolution digital files needed for us to print in San Diego.
Q: Why do you think this exhibit is important to bring to San Diego?
A: Many people know about the Holocaust during World War II in Europe, but very few people know that over 20,000 Jewish refugees survived the Holocaust because they were able to go to Shanghai using what's called "Visas for Life." We want more people to know the story. We have a diverse community in San Diego, so it's good to bring something to the museum that can bond different groups of people in the community.
Q: This was first shown in 2023 at Fosun Plaza in Manhattan, but it has been adapted for San Diego. Tell us more about that.
A: What we received for the exhibition are digital files of text and photos to tell various events. There are many rich and emotional personal stories. We were able to format everything to fit our gallery space and walls. However, an exhibition is always more interesting and powerful with 3-D objects and artifacts.
Borrowing memorabilia from the descendants of the Jewish refugees who lived in Shanghai gave us a way to connect with our local Jewish communities. In addition, the descendants can look back at the items belonging to their parents and understand themselves more.
One treasure is a scrapbook by Cindy Conser's mother-in-law, Ursula. The scrapbook has notes for various events in which Ursula wrote about her life in Shanghai. One was when she fell in love with American Navy Capt. Conser. The captain returned to the U.S. after WWII, but they continued their relationship and eventually got married in the U.S. The scrapbook is fragile, falling apart upon touching. Our museum decided to scan the scrapbook for safekeeping.
Q: While putting this exhibit together in San Diego, what was the most surprising fact you learned?
A: The most surprising fact I found is that there were about 1,500 U.S. Marines in Shanghai around 1937 to 1941. They maintained peace in the International Settlement in Shanghai. This settlement was like a colony that the Chinese government had no control or access to. The Jewish refugees lived in the ghetto of the settlement. (It was officially called the Restricted Sector for Stateless Refugees, or the Shanghai Ghetto.)
Without a true government or police, someone had to maintain order in the community. There was a small number of British soldiers, but the Marines were the main force there. They helped the refugees to settle with the Chinese and other foreigners in the area.
As time moved on, these Marines were ordered to leave Shanghai and go to the Philippines in November 1941, shortly before Pearl Harbor Day when the Japanese were poised to attack the Philippines. These Marines were mostly sacrificed in the Philippines, which is the sad part of the story.
Q: Were there any logistical challenges while curating this exhibit? If so, what were they?
A: There were no real logistical challenges, since there were no big objects involved. But there was one item that presented a small challenge: It was the actual passport that the daughter of the passport owner, Kurt Sax, wanted to share with us, but she was not comfortable lending out this family treasure. She took photos of all pages, and we were allowed to print all pages on one board. The advantage was we could show all the pages, including the cover, name of the person and the actual visa to Shanghai in April and his travel date in August. One special note is that Kurt never went to Shanghai but came to the U.S. in the end. However, the Chinese visa was the only visa on his passport that allowed him to leave Vienna. At that time, to leave Vienna, one must have a visa to go somewhere else. This means there must be other people who were saved by the Chinese visa during this urgent time but never set foot in Shanghai.
Q: What is the most important takeaway you'd like the viewer to walk away with?
A: Sometimes there is an unlikely way out when there is almost no hope. You never know who can help you. When darkness comes, hopefully there is still humanity somewhere.
These Jewish refugees had no idea where Shanghai was or what it was like during WWII, but it was their only way to survive. They took the chance and lived. They established special bonds with the Chinese. Irene Biro, who lived in Shanghai from the age of 11 to 23, said she felt like half-Chinese.
"Shanghai, Homeland Once Upon a Time - Jewish Refugees and Shanghai"
When: Through Sept. 6. Open Saturdays and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.
Where: San Diego Chinese Historical Museum, 404 Third Ave., San Diego
Admission: $8, general; $6, seniors 65 and up; groups of 10 and more, teachers and students with I.D.; free for children under 12.
Phone: 619-338-9888
Online:sdchm.org
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