February  28, 1939 British Restrict Jewish Immigration to Palestine

Lord Halifax in a telegraph to British ambassador in Berlin, Sir Neville Henderson:

“There is a large, irregular movement from Germany of Jewish refugees who as a rule set out without visas or any arrangements for their reception and they attempt to land in any territory that seems to present to them the slightest possibility of receiving them. THIS IS THE CAUSE OF GREAT EMBARRASSMENT TO HIS MAJESTY’S GOVERNMENT AND ALSO IT APPEARS TO THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND THE LATTER (E.G. US STATE DEPARTMENT) HAVE EXPRESSED A WISH TO ME THAT YOU SHOULD JOIN THE AMERICAN CHARGE D’AFFAIRES IN BERLIN IN BRINGING THE SITUATION TO THE ATTENTION OF THE APPROPRIATE GERMAN AUTHORITIES AND REQUESTING THEM (E.G. THE MULTIMODAL TRANSPORT OPERATOR) TO DISCOURAGE SUCH TRAVEL AT LEAST ON GERMAN SHIPS.”

Source: Sir Martin Gilbert:  British Policy towards Jewish Refugees 1933 to 1946; Miriam Rothschild and John Foster Human Rights Trust