Rescue in the Philippines: Refuge from the Holocaust (2013) - full transcript

>> [ CHANTING ]

>> Man: I REMEMBER THE GERMANS

CAME.

>> THE MOB WAS SCREAMING BLOODY

MURDER.

"KILL THE JEWS."

>> WE WERE HIDING IN THE CELLAR.

>> THEY...

BROKE INTO THE STORE

AND WERE LOOTING.

>> WE WENT DOWNSTAIRS AFTER THEY



LEFT, AND THERE WAS NOTHING

LEFT.

>> I STILL HAVE NIGHTMARES TO

THIS DAY.

>> WE APPARENTLY GOT A LETTER

THAT SAID YOU HAVE TO LEAVE

GERMANY.

>> WE WERE THE LAST TRAIN

OUT OF BERLIN.

>> [ SPEAKING GERMAN ]

"WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO US?"

>> Narrator: THE
BEST HOPE FOR

JEWS WAS ESCAPE.

MOST OF THE WORLD
CLOSED ITS



DOORS, BUT ONE FLEDGLING

NATION, THE PHILIPPINES,

DID NOT.

IN THIS TROPICAL PARADISE

THOUSANDS OF MILES
FROM EUROPE,

AN UNLIKELY
GROUP OF POKER

PLAYERS WERE
PLANNING A RESCUE.

THESE POKER PLAYERS WERE

MANUEL QUEZON,
THE COUNTRY'S

NEWLY ELECTED PRESIDENT;

PAUL McNUTT, U.S.

HIGH COMMISSIONER TO

THE PHILIPPINES;

AN AMBITIOUS ARMY
COLONEL NAMED

DWIGHT EISENHOWER;
AND FIVE

CIGAR MAKERS FROM
CINCINNATI --

THE FRIEDER BROTHERS.

THEY HAD A PLAN,

A PLAN THAT
WOULD SAVE MORE

THAN 1,300 JEWS FROM NAZI

DEATH CAMPS.

A PLAN FOR A

"RESCUE IN THE
PHILIPPINES."

[ GLASS SHATTERS ]

>> Woman: HOW COULD ANYBODY HAVE

KNOWN THAT IT WOULD GET TO BE

WHAT IT DID?

HOW COULD ANYBODY HAVE IMAGINED?

THAT A WHOLE NATION WOULD CLOSE

ITS EYES AND EARS?

AND YET, YOU KNOW WHAT?

I THINK IT COULD HAPPEN

ANYWHERE AGAIN.

>> [ HITLER SPEAKING GERMAN ]

>> BEGINNING IN 1933,

ADOLF HITLER AND
HIS NAZI THUGS

STEADILY
TRANSFORMED FIRST

GERMANY, THEN
MUCH OF EUROPE,

INTO A LIVING NIGHTMARE

FOR JEWS.

>> Woman: THEN IN 1935, THE

NUREMBERG LAWS CAME OUT, WHICH

STRIPPED JEWS OF CITIZENSHIP.

ALL OF THEIR RIGHTS WERE SLOWLY

BEING STRIPPED AWAY.

>> JEWS WERE NO
LONGER GERMANS,

EVEN IF THEY HAD FOUGHT

AND BLED FOR
THEIR COUNTRY

IN PREVIOUS WARS.

>> MY DAD TOOK ALL HIS MEDALS,

WHICH HAD BEEN FRAMED,

AND TOOK THEM OUTSIDE AND THREW

THEM INTO THE PYRE.

>> JEWISH HOMES
WERE INVADED.

>> Woman: I WAS IN

THE CRIB STILL AND...

THE S.S. CAME.

I GUESS I WAS TAKING A NAP.

AND I WOKE UP, AND MY EYE-LEVEL

WAS THEIR BOOTS, THESE SHINY,

SHINY BOOTS.

AND I REMEMBER SCREAMING

MY HEAD OFF.

>> NAZI PROPAGANDA
PRESENTED

JEWS AS TRAITORS,
KILLERS,

MONSTERS.

>> Man: KIDS CAME AND THREW

STONES AT ME AND CALLED ME

"DIRTY JEW."

>> AND WORST
OF ALL, THEIR

LOVED ONES COULD
BE TAKEN AT

ANY MOMENT.

>> Man: THE NAZIS CAME IN,

KNOCKED ON THE DOOR, TOOK MY

FATHER OUT AND PUT HIM

INTO DACHAU.

>> THE VIOLENCE PEAKED IN

NOVEMBER 1938
WITH A HIGHLY

ORGANIZED ORGY
OF DESTRUCTION

AND TERROR.

IT WAS
CALLED KRISTALLNACHT

BECAUSE THE
GLASS FROM THE

BROKEN WINDOWS
GLITTERED IN

THE STREET LIKE CRYSTAL.

>>
- Man:
- KRISTALLNACHT ARRIVED

AND THE S.S. GROUP, S.R. MEN,

CAME TO OUR HOUSE, CAME THROUGH

THE DOOR...

WENT TO THE BATHROOMS AND INTO

THE LIVING ROOM,

DESTROYED EVERYTHING.

>> Hershfield: FOUR OF THEM CAME

IN WITH THE DOGS.

AND I WAS TERRIBLY FRIGHTENED.

I WAS TERRIBLY FRIGHTENED THAT

THEY WOULD TAKE MY DOLLS.

>> I REMEMBER WHEN THEY

BURNED THE TEMPLE.

>> IT WAS ABLAZE

AND SURROUNDED BY THE GERMAN

FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHICH MADE SURE

THAT NONE OF THE NON-JEWISH

HOMES WERE GOING TO BE BURNED.

>> Man: I WAS ASLEEP WHEN

THE S.S...

KNOCKED ON THE DOOR.

AND IN ORDER TO GET OUT,

I WENT BACK INTO MY ROOM,

DRESSED IN THE OLDEST CLOTHES

I HAD, TOOK A STICK,

AND WENT DOWN THE STAIRS

INTO THE HALL WHERE THE MOB WAS

SCREAMING BLOODY MURDER.

AND I TOOK THAT STICK AND BROKE

A FEW, I THINK IT WAS PAINTINGS

OR MIRRORS, MYSELF UNTIL I GOT

TO THE OUT -- TO THE OUTSIDE.

>> THAT NIGHT, MY GRANDMOTHER

AND I WERE ALL BY OURSELVES.

AND, SUDDENLY, STONES CRASHED

THROUGH OUR WINDOWS.

THEN I KNEW THAT THEY WERE

AFTER US.

WE WERE HUNTED.

>> WHEN KRISTALLNACHT WAS
OVER,

MORE THAN A
HUNDRED SYNAGOGS

HAD BURNED.

THOUSANDS OF
JEWISH BUSINESSES

WERE DESTROYED,
AND TENS OF

THOUSANDS OF
JEWS WERE FORCED

INTO CONCENTRATION
CAMPS...

ALL IN THE PASSAGE OF

JUST ONE NIGHT.

DIPLOMATS HELD MEETINGS,

MADE SPEECHES, AND PASSED

RESOLUTIONS...

BUT LITTLE, IF
ANYTHING, WAS

DONE.

>> Man: EUROPEAN JEWRY IS

REALLY GROUND TO DUST BETWEEN

TWO BIG MILLSTONES.

ONE IS

THE HATEFUL BESTIALITY OF NAZI

GERMANY, AND THE OTHER IS THE

APATHY OF THE GOVERNMENTS

OF THE WORLD.

>> IN ONE COUNTRY
HALF A WORLD

AWAY, AN ESCAPE
PLAN TO PROVIDE

REFUGE FOR JEWS
WAS ALREADY

UNDERWAY.

6,000 MILES FROM
BERLIN, THE

PHILIPPINES WAS
A COUNTRY MOST

EUROPEANS KNEW ONLY FROM

POSTCARDS.

MUCH LIKE THE MOVIE

"CASABLANCA,"
PEOPLE LIVED BY

THEIR OWN RULES.

MOTORCARS SHARED
THE ROADS

WITH HORSE-DRAWN
"CARAMATAS."

COCA-COLA COEXISTED WITH

CARABAOS.

AND AT THE LEGENDARY

MANILA HOTEL,
THE ELITE COULD

SIT AND SHARE A DRINK IN

AIR-CONDITIONED COMFORT.

FOR CENTURIES, MANILA HAD

WELCOMED REFUGEES.

>> Man: IT WAS REALLY

A FANTASTIC MIX OF

DIFFERENT PEOPLES --

CZECHS, POLES, LATVIANS,

LEBANESE, MIDDLE EAST --

PEOPLE FROM THE MIDDLE EAST,

INDIANS.

IT WAS A MIXTURE.

AND I THINK THAT WAS ONE THING

THAT MADE MANILA SUCH A

COSMOPOLITAN CENTER -- BECAUSE

OF ALL THESE PEOPLE COMING AND

GOING, TRADING, STAYING,

MIXING, INTERMARRYING.

>> THE PHILIPPINES
WAS ONCE

A U.S. COLONY.

BUT IN 1935,

PRESIDENT FRANKLIN
ROOSEVELT

SIGNED A LAW MAKING IT A

SEMI-INDEPENDENT
COMMONWEALTH,

PROMISING COMPLETE
INDEPENDENCE

IN 10 YEARS.

>> SEÑOR QUEZON,

I CONGRATULATE YOU.

ALL OF YOU.

>> MR. PRESIDENT, I WANT TO

EXPRESS TO YOU THE...

>> PRESIDENT
MANUEL QUEZON WAS

DETERMINED HIS
COUNTRY WOULD

TAKE ITS PLACE
AMONG THE GREAT

NATIONS OF THE WORLD.

MANUEL LUIS QUEZON WAS A

COMPLEX PERSON
WHO MADE A DEEP

AND LASTING
IMPRESSION ON HIS

COUNTRY.

BORN POOR, HE
MOVED INTO THE

WORLD OF WEALTH
AND POWER WITH

EASY BRAVADO.

>> Man: HE HAD THE TOTAL

SELF-ASSURANCE THAT HE WAS

THE EQUAL OF ANYONE HE FACED.

THERE IS A FILIPINO CONCEPT

THAT WE CALL THE COLONIAL

MENTALITY, THIS IDEA THAT YOU'RE

INFERIOR, THAT YOU'RE NEVER

QUITE AS GOOD.

HE NEVER HAD THAT PROBLEM.

>> Woman: HE WAS A SNAPPY

DRESSER, YOU KNOW, BUT HE LOVED

TO DANCE AND HE LOVED

TO PARTY, TOO.

>> ONE WRITER
SAID, "HE IS FULL

OF NERVE AND NERVES.

HE IS ONE OF THE
WORLD'S BEST

BALLROOM DANCERS,
ALSO ONE OF

THE WORLD'S SUBTLEST AND

HARDEST-BOILED
POLITICIANS.

HE LOVES CARDS
AND ALCOHOL,

AND HE LOVES
HIS COUNTRY."

MANUEL QUEZON ALSO LOVED

THE UNDERDOG.

>> Quezon III: A MAN LIKE

QUEZON, WHO HIMSELF HAD BEEN

A PRISONER, WHO HAD GOTTEN

MALARIA IN THE FIELD, WOULD HAVE

KNOWN WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ON

THE RUN, TO HAVE NO OPTIONS...

TO...

A MAN WORKING FOR THE FREEDOM OF

HIS COUNTRY WOULD CERTAINLY KNOW

WHAT IT'S LIKE WHEN SOMEONE

COMES KNOCKING AT YOUR DOOR AND

SAYS, "WE WANT TO BE FREE."

>> FDR: I HAVE BEEN COMPELLED

TO CONTRAST OUR PEACE...

>> WHILE THOUSANDS
MARCHED IN

THE UNITED STATES
TO PROTEST

THE HORRORS
OF KRISTALLNACHT,

IN THE PHILIPPINES,

MANUEL QUEZON HAD
ALREADY GONE

BEYOND PROTEST TO ACTION,

PROCLAIMING THAT BARRING

REFUGEES WAS
SIMPLY NOT RIGHT.

>> Woman: OTHER COUNTRIES,

PERHAPS, DID NOT THINK IT THAT

IMPORTANT.

I DON'T PRESUME TO SAY.

BUT I KNOW THAT DAD...

HAD THE MORAL COURAGE TO DO IT

BECAUSE HE BELIEVED IN THE

SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE

AND THE RIGHT OF PEOPLE TO LIVE

LIFE AS THEY BELIEVED

THEY SHOULD.

>> IN 1937, A YEAR BEFORE

KRISTALLNACHT,JAPAN'S
BRUTAL

CONQUEST OF CHINA
HAD REACHED

THE CITY OF SHANGHAI,

WHERE REFUGEES
HAD ALREADY

FOUND SHELTER.

EUROPEAN CITIZENS WERE IN

DANGER, SO THE GERMAN

GOVERNMENT HAD
SENT AN OCEAN

LINER TO EVACUATE
PEOPLE FROM

THE BATTERED CITY.

THE NAZIS IN
SHANGHAI ALSO

EVACUATED ANY
JEWISH REFUGEES

WHO FELT IN DANGER.

>> Woman: THE SITUATION LED TO

GERMAN JEWS AND GERMAN CITIZENS

BEING BROUGHT DOWN TO MANILA.

>> WHEN THE
JEWISH REFUGEES

REACHED MANILA, THEY WERE

GREETED BY
PHILLIP FRIEDER,

WHO, IN A MATTER
OF HOURS, HAD

RAISED THOUSANDS
OF DOLLARS

FOR THEIR SUPPORT.

IRONICALLY, IT
WAS A GERMAN

CONSUL WHO SUGGESTED TO

FRIEDER THAT IT
MIGHT BE A GOOD

IDEA IF HE TOOK
CARE OF THE

JEWISH PASSENGERS.

THERE WERE ONLY
A HANDFUL OF

JEWISH FAMILIES WHO COULD

AFFORD TO CONTRIBUTE TO A

REFUGEE FUND,
BUT THE FRIEDER

BROTHERS TOOK ON

THE TASK ANYWAY.

>> NUMBER ONE, THEY WERE

ABLE TO.

THEY WERE IN A POSITION WHERE

THEY COULD TALK TO THE RIGHT

PEOPLE.

NUMBER TWO, THEY SAW WHAT WAS

HAPPENING, AND THEY KNEW THAT

SOMEBODY HAD TO DO SOMETHING,

SO THEY DID.

>> IN THE MEANTIME, HIS

BROTHERS BACK
IN CINCINNATI

CONTACTED MAJOR REFUGEE

ORGANIZATIONS
FOR DESPERATELY

NEEDED FUNDS.

>> Woman: THE FRIEDER BROTHERS

WORKED AS A UNIT.

WHILE UNCLE ALEX WAS IN THE

PHILIPPINES, MY GRANDFATHER

MORRIS FRIEDER WAS IN

WASHINGTON, AND PHILLIP WAS

INVOLVED IN ALL PIECES.

>> Man: ♪ ATHLETES, SCHOLARS,

MOVIE STARS ♪

♪ THEY ALL APPRECIATE

A FINE CIGAR ♪

♪ RICH AROMA... ♪

>> HUNGARIAN IMMIGRANT

SAMUEL FRIEDER
BEGAN AN EMPIRE

BY SELLING CIGARS
OUT OF HIS

NEW YORK CITY HOME BEFORE

WORLD WAR I.

EVENTUALLY, ALL
FIVE OF HIS

SONS -- PHILLIP,
HENRY, ALEX,

MORRIS, AND HERBERT --

WERE IN THE BUSINESS.

CIGARS WERE BIG.

THE FRIEDERS
SPECIALIZED IN

TWO-FOR-A-NICKEL CIGARS.

AND SINCE THE
BEST OF THOSE

WERE MADE FROM

PHILIPPINE TOBACCO,

THEY WENT RIGHT
TO THE SOURCE.

>> Man: PHILLIP, AT AGE MAYBE

32 OR 34, GETS ON A BOAT.

IT TAKES HIM THREE AND A HALF

WEEKS TO GET TO THE PHILIPPINES,

AND THE REST IS HISTORY BECAUSE

WHEN HE'S THERE, HE MEETS ALL

THE GROWERS AND

THE MANUFACTURERS, AND THEY

START BUYING CIGARS

FROM THEM DIRECTLY.

AND THEN THEY FIGURE OUT THAT IT

PROBABLY WOULD BE MORE

ADVANTAGEOUS TO THEM IF THEY

COULD DO THE MANUFACTURING.

>> WELL, I THINK WHEN THEY FIRST

GOT TO THE PHILIPPINES, THERE

WERE, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY

AMERICANS WERE THERE.

I DON'T THINK THERE WERE

30 JEWISH FAMILIES THERE.

>> IN LESS THAN 20 YEARS,

S. FRIEDER &
SONS HAD BECOME

ONE OF THE BIGGEST
EXPORTERS OF

PHILIPPINE CIGARS,
PRODUCING

250 MILLION STOGIES
EVERY YEAR.

THIS PHENOMENAL
SUCCESS WAS THE

RESULT OF HARD
WORK AND STRONG

FAMILY TIES.

>> Peggy Ellis: THEY WERE HAPPY,

FAMILY-LOVING, LIFE-EMBRACING

CHARACTERS.

THEY WERE LEADERS IN THEIR

COMMUNITY, SO THEY SEEMED TO

SLIP SEAMLESSLY INTO BEING

LEADERS IN THE PHILIPPINES.

>> BACK IN CINCINNATI,

THE FRIEDERS ALL
LIVED ON THE

SAME BLOCK.

THEY TOOK TURNS
OVERSEEING THE

BUSINESS IN THE
PHILIPPINES,

AND AS EACH BROTHER
BROUGHT HIS

FAMILY FOR A
TWO-YEAR TOUR OF

DUTY IN MANILA,
THEY SHARED

THE BIG HOUSE ON

BRIXTON HILL ROAD.

>> Woman: WE HAD A NICE YARD.

BEAUTIFUL TREES AND ORCHIDS

AROUND THE PERIMETER.

SWIMMING POOL, TENNIS COURT.

WE BELONGED TO A LOT OF CLUBS.

IT WAS A VERY GRACIOUS LIFE.

>> WHILE THE
CHILDREN SWAM AND

PLAYED, RODE
PONIES, AND HAD

IMPROMPTU DANCE RECITALS,

THE ADULTS MOVED WITHIN

MANILA'S
GLITTERING SOCIAL

WORLD.

>> Sasser: MY GRANDMOTHER KEPT

A BOOKLET OF ENTERTAINING

THAT SHE WOULD DO REGULARLY,

AND THERE IS AN ENTRY FROM

SEPTEMBER OF 1939.

AND THE PEOPLE ATTENDING THIS

DINNER PARTY AT MY

GRANDPARENTS' HOME IN MANILA

WERE...

GENERAL AND MRS. MacARTHUR,

COLONEL AND MRS. EISENHOWER,

AND THE ACTING HIGH

COMMISSIONER.

>> IN FACT,
EVENINGS WERE JUST

AN EXTENSION OF

THE WORKING DAY.

IN MANILA, HAVING FUN WAS

A SERIOUS BUSINESS.

THE FRIEDERS HAD
DEVELOPED A

CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH

PRESIDENT QUEZON OVER THE

YEARS.

THEY MET WHEN
QUEZON WAS IN THE

PHILIPPINE SENATE
AND THEY WERE

YOUNG MEN BUILDING
A BUSINESS.

THE RELATIONSHIP
DEEPENED AS

THE CIGAR BUSINESS GREW

AND QUEZON ROSE
THROUGH THE

POLITICAL RANKS.

IN 1937, PAUL
V. McNUTT WAS

APPOINTED U.S. HIGH

COMMISSIONER FOR THE

PHILIPPINES AND
JOINED THIS

CIRCLE OF
POWERFUL FRIENDS.

THE FORMER GOVERNOR
OF INDIANA,

McNUTT MADE NO
SECRET THAT HE

WAS AIMING FOR
THE WHITE HOUSE

IN 1940, WHICH PROBABLY

ACCOUNTS FOR WHY

PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT
BANISHED

HIM TO MANILA.

BUT FOR McNUTT, MORAL

CONVICTION TRUMPED
POLITICAL

AMBITION.

URGED BY JEWISH
ALLIES BACK

HOME, HE CHAMPIONED
EUROPEAN

JEWS DESPITE
ANTI-SEMITISM

AMONG AMERICAN VOTERS.

>> HE UNDERSTOOD VERY WELL

INTOLERANCE IN AMERICAN LIFE

AND INTOLERANCE

IN AMERICAN POLITICS.

>> IN THEIR DRIVE TOWARDS

INDEPENDENCE,
THE FILIPINOS

HAD ELECTED A
CONGRESS AND

INAUGURATED A PRESIDENT.

BUT A SEPARATE PHILIPPINE

IMMIGRATION LAW
HAD NOT YET

BEEN WRITTEN.

AND IN THIS LEGAL VACUUM,

PAUL McNUTT REALIZED THAT

APPROVING VISAS
WAS ONE OF THE

VERY FEW POWERS
STILL HELD BY

THE U.S. HIGH
COMMISSIONER,

AND A VISA WAS A POWERFUL

DOCUMENT THAT
MEANT A JEWISH

FAMILY COULD
ESCAPE FROM NAZI

PERSECUTION.

DESPITE ALL THE
SMILES AT HIS

SWEARING IN, McNUTT'S

RELATIONSHIP WITH QUEZON

WAS COMPLICATED...

UNTIL THEY
DISCOVERED A MUTUAL

PASSION -- POKER.

McNUTT LOVED
POKER SO MUCH

THAT HE EVEN HAD
MONOGRAMMED

MOTHER-OF-PEARL
POKER CHIPS.

>> THERE WAS ONE TIME WHEN

McNUTT LOST TO HIM.

WHEN McNUTT WAS TRYING TO PAY

HIM, HE SAID, "DON'T PAY ME.

CONSIDER THAT MY CONTRIBUTION TO

YOUR CANDIDACY."

>> THE GAMES WENT
LONG INTO THE

NIGHT.

THE FRIEDERS
WERE REGULARS AT

THE TABLE AND SO WAS

COLONEL DWIGHT
EISENHOWER,

A WELL-LIKED
CHIEF-OF-STAFF

FOR GENERAL DOUGLAS
MacARTHUR.

MacARTHUR HAD
BEEN TASKED TO

BUILD A FILIPINO MILITARY

STRONG ENOUGH
TO DETER THE

LOOMING JAPANESE THREAT.

>> EISENHOWER WAS

A FANTASTIC CARD PLAYER.

HE MANAGED TO PAY FOR ALL OF HIS

EXPENSES AT WEST POINT WITH HIS

POKER EARNINGS, AND HE WENT ON,

ACTUALLY, TO GIVE PROBABLY MY

GRANDMOTHER HER FINEST BIRTHDAY

PRESENTS BASED ON HIS

CARD-PLAYING EARNINGS.

>> Quezon III: AMERICANS LIKE

MacARTHUR OR EISENHOWER, THEY

MINGLED FREELY AND AS EQUALS

WITH FILIPINOS, AND THE

FILIPINOS DEEPLY APPRECIATED IT.

>> PRESIDENT QUEZON

ESPECIALLY APPRECIATED

EISENHOWER'S TALENTS.

>> EISENHOWER WAS AT ONE POINT

WRITING SPEECHES FOR MY

GRANDFATHER AND WAS EVEN

GIVEN AN OFFICE IN THE

EXECUTIVE BUILDING IN

THE PRESIDENTIAL PALACE.

>> HIS ANALYTICAL
MIND WENT FAR

BEYOND CARDS.

THE FRIEDERS
IN PARTICULAR

VALUED HIS ABILITY TO

ORGANIZE EVEN THE
LARGEST TASK.

>> Eisenhower: EISENHOWER

CLEARLY KNEW ABOUT THE IMPENDING

PLANS FOR THE RESCUE, I THINK

THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

MY FATHER WAS TOLD BY MY

GRANDFATHER THAT THESE PLANS

WERE UNDERWAY AND HAD TOLD

HIS SON JOHN -- MY FATHER --

THAT, IN FACT, HE HAD BEEN ASKED

TO PLAY A ROLE IN THIS.

>> THESE FRIENDS WHO,

ULTIMATELY, OFFERED HIM A JOB

MAKING $60,000 A YEAR --

WHICH IS ABOUT A MILLION DOLLARS

IN 2011 MONEY -- TO ASSIST

IN THE PLANNING FOR FINDING

HOMES FOR THESE JEWISH REFUGEES

LEAVING GERMANY.

AND IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE TO

TAKE A PROBLEM SUCH AS THIS TO A

MAN LIKE EISENHOWER WHO HAD

THE ABILITY TO PLAN ON A LARGE

SCALE, TO BE ABLE TO TAKE

THOUSANDS OR THOUSANDS AND

THOUSANDS OF MOVING PARTS AND

TRY TO ORIENT THEM AND TO PUSH

IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

>> THE CARD GAMES
WERE HELD IN

MANY PLACES -- ON THE

PRESIDENTIAL YACHT...

>> MY FATHER PLAYED

POKER WITH HIM ON HIS YACHT

JUST OUTSIDE MALACANANG PALACE

WHERE HIS YACHT WAS MOORED

ON THE PASSIG RIVER.

>> IN THE
AIR-CONDITIONED LOBBY

OF THE MANILA HOTEL...

>> Jose: THE MANILA HOTEL WAS

THE TOPS.

IT WAS A MAJOR CENTER

OF SOCIAL ACTIVITY.

>> AT THE HOME OF

GREEK-AMERICAN PRIVATE

INVESTIGATOR ANGEL
ZERVOULAKOS.

>> Woman: THIS KIND OF POKER

WHERE THE FRIEDER BROTHERS COME

TO, THEY COME OUT LOOKING LIKE

THEY'VE SMOKED A LOT OF CIGARS.

[ LAUGHS ]

THEY'D SURE SMELL

LIKE IT, THOUGH.

I DO BELIEVE THAT MY DAD HAD

A PART IN THIS, HELPING

THE FRIEDER BROTHERS.

AND HE KNEW WHAT THEY WERE

DOING.

>> THESE HIGH-STAKE
GAMES ALSO

TOOK PLACE IN THE COOLING

BREEZE OF THE FRIEDERS'

BACK PORCH.

>> Jane Ellis: WE COULD HEAR

WHAT WAS GOING ON ON THE PORCH

ALL THE TIME.

WE COULD HEAR WHEN SOMEONE

BROUGHT FOOD OUT TO THEM OR

DRINKS OUT TO THEM.

BUT THEY WERE PLAYING POKER

OUT THERE.

>> IT WAS AT THESE GAMES

THAT THE FRIENDS
DEVELOPED A

PLAN TO BUILD
UPON THE SUCCESS

OF THE SHANGHAI RESCUE.

IT WAS A CAUSE
CLOSE TO ALL OF

THEM.

McNUTT CALLED
JEWISH REFUGEES

"HELPLESS AND PERSECUTED

WANDERERS WITH
NO PLACE TO LAY

THEIR HEADS."

EISENHOWER WROTE
IN HIS DIARY,

"HITLER'S RECORD
WITH THE JEWS

IS AS BLACK AS
THAT OF ANY

BARBARIAN OF THE
DARK AGES."

TO QUEZON, IT WAS NOT A

QUESTION OF WHETHER
HIS COUNTRY

WOULD HELP, BUT WHY OTHER

NATIONS DID NOT.

FOR THE FRIEDERS,
IT SIMPLY

NEEDED TO BE DONE.

>> Samuel: THEY FELT BECAUSE

THEY WERE ONE OF THE 50 AMERICAN

JEWISH FAMILIES THERE, THAT THAT

WAS THE ROLE EVERYBODY HAD TO

PLAY IF YOU'RE LUCKY ENOUGH

TO BE IN THE PHILIPPINES --

TRY AND GET AS MANY OUT

AS YOU COULD.

>> THE GOAL WAS TO BRING

THOUSANDS OF
EUROPEAN JEWS

TO THE PHILIPPINES.

BUT EVEN WITH THE LEGAL

AUTHORITY TO
APPROVE VISAS,

PAUL McNUTT KNEW
HE NEEDED TO

BE HOLDING A
PAIR OF POCKET

ACES TO DEAL WITH AN

UNSYMPATHETIC
STATE DEPARTMENT.

ONE WAS SUPPORT FROM

PRESIDENT QUEZON.

QUEZON HAD DEALT
WITH WAVES OF

IMMIGRANTS BEFORE,
AND HE WAS

ACUTELY AWARE
OF THE VOICES

OF ANTI-SEMITISM
IN HIS OWN

COUNTRY.

BUT QUEZON STOOD STRONG.

EVEN WITH
QUEZON'S SUPPORT,

McNUTT KNEW THEIR
PLAN COULD

STILL BE TORPEDOED
BECAUSE OF

THE REQUIREMENT THAT NO

IMMIGRANT COULD
BECOME A PUBLIC

CHARGE.

IN OTHER WORDS
-- NO MONEY,

NO JOB, NO VISA.

>> PRESIDENT QUEZON HAD

STIPULATED THAT HE DIDN'T WANT

ANYBODY THAT WOULD BE A BURDEN

ON THE ECONOMY.

AND SO THE JEWISH COMMUNITY HAD

TO PROMISE THAT THEY WOULD TAKE

CARE OF THEM, WHICH THEY DID.

>> AND THAT WAS
McNUTT'S SECOND

ACE -- THE FRIEDERS.

QUEZON AND McNUTT
TURNED TO THE

FRIEDER BROTHERS
TO WORK OUT

A SYSTEM SO THAT
ONLY JEWISH

IMMIGRANTS WITH
THE SKILLS AND

RESOURCES TO
SUPPORT THEMSELVES

WOULD BE SENT VISAS.

AND IF THE REFUGEES
DID ARRIVE

PENNILESS, THE
JEWISH COMMUNITY

WOULD STILL TAKE
CARE OF THEM.

AND SO IT BEGAN.

THE JEWISH COMMUNITY
PREPARED A

LIST OF OCCUPATIONS
WHERE THEY

THOUGHT A REFUGEE
COULD GET

A JOB IN THE
PHILIPPINES --

A LIST THAT COULD
MEAN LIFE OR

DEATH FOR A EUROPEAN JEW.

>> THEY HAD TO PICK AND CHOOSE

PEOPLE TO LET IN.

AND THERE WERE SO MANY MORE THAT

WANTED TO COME THAN THEY COULD

FILL JOBS FOR, THAT THEY COULD

SUPPORT WITH THE MONEY

THAT THEY HAD.

AND SO THAT'S

A HEARTBREAKING JOB.

I MEAN, TO BE DOING THE RIGHT

THING, AND THEN HAVE TO SAY NO

TO PEOPLE 'CAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE

ENOUGH MONEY OR YOU DON'T HAVE

THIS.

AND THAT WAS TOUGH.

>> Weston: WHEN I CAME HOME FROM

SCHOOL AT NOONTIME, WE WERE

SUPPOSED TO PICK UP MY FATHER

AND COME HOME FOR LUNCH.

BUT HE WAS NEVER READY BECAUSE

HE WAS WORKING ON THE LISTS.

HE ENLISTED THE JEWISH COMMUNITY

IN HELPING THEM GET JOBS.

AND HE HIRED A LOT OF PEOPLE

IN THE FACTORY HIMSELF.

IT WAS ALL-CONSUMING.

>> Man: THAT'S WHEN THE AD CAME

OUT IN THE MAIN JEWISH PAPER IN

BERLIN, AND IT SAID THAT THERE'S

A PLACE IN THE PHILIPPINES FOR

PEOPLE WHO HAVE SPECIAL SKILLS.

>> IN A WORLD
WHERE OPTIONS

WERE FAST
DISAPPEARING, THERE

WERE FINALLY
ANSWERS TO THE

DESPERATE PLEAS THAT

ARRIVED EVERY DAY.

THE FRIEDERS AND
OTHERS ON THE

REFUGEE COMMITTEE
CHOSE WHO

WOULD BE APPROVED
FOR A VISA.

THESE LISTS WERE
THEN SENT TO

QUEZON FOR REVIEW,
AND McNUTT

PASSED THEM TO THE STATE

DEPARTMENT AND
U.S. EMBASSIES

IN EUROPE.

>> Man: THE UNITED STATES IS

CROSSED OUT, AND IT'S WRITTEN

"PHILIPPINE ISLANDS ONLY."

>> NOW PLANS
COULD BE MADE.

>> THEY MELTED DOWN MONEY.

THEY MADE A BRACELET --

EACH OF MY MOTHER AND MY AUNT,

HER SISTER, AND MY GRANDMOTHER

HAD BRACELETS MADE AND NECKLACES

MADE OUT OF GOLD,

AND THAT'S HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO

GET STUFF OUT.

>> DISASTERS AVERTED.

FOR YOUNG MARTA
MIODOWSKI,

AN ARYAN GIRL MARRIED TO

A JEWISH CIGAR-MAKER,

A PHILIPPINE
VISA WAS THE KEY

THAT RELEASED HER
HUSBAND FROM

THE INFAMOUS
SACHSENHAUSEN

CONCENTRATION CAMP.

>> Progl: SHE GOT A TAXI.

THOSE CAMPS WERE, OF COURSE,

IN THE WOODS, AND THEY

HAD SENTRIES.

WHEN YOU GOT TO THE SECOND

SENTRY, HE SAID HE WASN'T GOING

FURTHER, BUT MY MOTHER,

YOU DIDN'T SAY NO TO.

WHEN SHE GOT THERE, SHE TOLD

THEM SHE HAD COME TO SEE

THE COMMANDANT.

I HAD BLOND HAIR,
I LOOKED LIKE A REAL

GERMAN WHAT THEY CALL,
A REAL GERMAN GIRL.

>> SHE WAS AN ATTRACTIVE WOMAN,

AND THEY PROBABLY FIGURED,

"OH, OKAY...

HE'S GOT A LITTLE VISITOR."

SHE TOLD THEM SHE WAS COMING TO

GET HER HUSBAND.

NOBODY QUESTIONED ME

YOU KNOW THAT HE WAS JEWISH.

>> THEY HAD, I GUESS YOU CALL IT

"ROLL CALL."

AND THEY WERE ALL LINED UP.

AND WHEN THEY CALLED HIS NUMBER,

MY DAD WASN'T GONNA MOVE.

HE FIGURED THAT WAS IT.

SO SHE POINTED HIM OUT.

AND THAT'S -- TOOK HIM BACK IN

THE CAB.

HE HAD THICK, BLACK, WAVY HAIR.

AND...

SHAVED HIS HEAD --

NATURALLY, IN THE CONCENTRATION

CAMP.

AND WHEN MOM BROUGHT HIM,

AND I TOOK ONE LOOK AT HIM,

AND I RAN AWAY -- AND MY FATHER

WAS REAL UPSET.

BUT WHAT I DID IS I CAME BACK

WITH A HAT...

AND I COVERED HIM UP.

I COULD'VE STAYED.

THEY OFFERED IT TO ME.

THEY WOULD ANNUL MY MARRIAGE.

I SAID, I HAVE A DAUGHTER.

AND I ASKED HIM, I SAID...

WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO HER?

HE SAID FOR HIM TO TAKE A GUESS,

SHE'S PROBABLY GOING TO END UP

IN A CONCENTRATION CAMP.

AND I SAID, NO THANK YOU.

WE WILL LEAVE.

ALL OF US, YOU KNOW, TOGETHER.

>> EVEN WITH A
VISA, IT WAS

A TERRIFYING
AND DANGEROUS

JOURNEY TO FREEDOM.

>> Preiss: THE BORDER POLICE

WOULDN'T LET US IN.

AND SO THEY TOOK US OUT OF THE

TRAIN AND RETURNED US TO FRANCE

ON THE -- AND WE WENT THROUGH

THE TUNNEL, THERE'S A GIANT

TUNNEL BETWEEN FRANCE AND ITALY.

AND WE WENT BACK AND FORTH

THROUGH THAT A NUMBER OF TIMES.

THE FRENCH INTERN SAID, "YOUR

VISA EXPIRED."

SO, BANG, THEY PUT US BACK TO GO

TO ITALY.

IN THE MEANTIME, OUR BOAT WAS

LEAVING.

AND MY FATHER WAS DESPERATE.

HE FINALLY BRIBED SOMEBODY

TO GET US AN ESCORT TO THE BOAT.

>> Ambrunn: ON THE BORDER OF

ITALY AND GERMANY, NAZIS CAME

ONBOARD THE TRAIN,

LOOKED AT THE PASSPORTS, AND

TOOK ONE LOOK AT ME --

WHO WAS A BLONDE, BLUE-EYED.

AND HE SAYS, "THIS CHILD IS NOT

A JEW.

HE IS A TYPICAL ARYAN.

WE'RE TAKING HIM OFF THE TRAIN."

AND MY PARENTS WERE FORTUNATE

ENOUGH TO CONVINCE THEM THAT I

WAS THEIR CHILD.

>> MANY OTHER
FAMILIES WERE

TORN APART.

>> MY GRANDPARENTS CAME --

I'LL NEVER FORGET THIS.

I STILL SEE MY GRANDMOTHER.

UH...

TO THE TRAIN, AND THE

GOODBYE WAS AWFUL --

BECAUSE MY GRANDPARENTS KNEW

THEY MAY NEVER SEE US AGAIN.

AND SO IT WAS A VERY,

VERY EMOTIONAL

AND TEARY GOODBYE.

>> MORE THAN A
MONTH AFTER

McNUTT HAD BEGUN
HIS MAVERICK

VISA PROCESS, THE STATE

DEPARTMENT CAUGHT ON,

DEMANDING
INFORMATION ABOUT

HUNDREDS OF JEWS WHO WERE

APPLYING FOR VISAS TO THE

PHILIPPINES.

McNUTT REPLIED
COOLLY THAT MANY

REFUGEES HAD
ALREADY ARRIVED,

AND THEN UPPED
THE ANTE SAYING

THAT A HUNDRED ADDITIONAL

FAMILIES WERE
ON THEIR WAY.

>> Jane Ellis: McNUTT BUCKED

THE STATE DEPARTMENT.

THE STATE DEPARTMENT WASN'T

VERY NICE IN THOSE DAYS.

AND I THINK HE GAMBLED HIS

WHOLE POLITICAL CAREER

ON DOING THIS.

>> Kotlowski: WE'VE GOT TO

REMEMBER WHAT THE TEMPER OF THE

COUNTRY WAS, THE MOOD OF

THE UNITED STATES

AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

YOU HAD AN ANTIPATHY TOWARD MORE

REFUGEES.

YOU HAD INERTIA AND

ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE

STATE DEPARTMENT,

AND YOU HAD A PRESIDENT AND AN

ADMINISTRATION THAT WAS REALLY

ONLY INTERMITTENTLY INTERESTED

IN THE QUESTION.

>> THE U.S.
SECRETARY OF STATE

POINTEDLY WARNED
THE PHILIPPINE

GOVERNMENT THAT
THEY STILL HAD

TO ABIDE BY U.S.
IMMIGRATION

POLICY.

BUT QUEZON AND McNUTT

STAYED RESOLUTE.

AND WHILE THIS
BUREAUCRATIC

BATTLE RAGED, DESPERATE

PASSENGERS FLEEING
EUROPE ON

THE SSST.
LOUIS WERE DENIED

ENTRY TO CUBA, THE UNITED

STATES, AND CANADA.

THEY WERE FORCED
BACK TO AN

UNCERTAIN FUTURE
IN EUROPE --

A EUROPE WHERE
THE SYSTEMATIC

MURDER OF MILLIONS
BEGAN WITH

THE INVASION OF
POLAND IN 1939.

CONCENTRATION
CAMPS WOULD SOON

TRANSFORM INTO
DEATH CAMPS,

AND THE TRAINS
FILLED WITH

HELPLESS VICTIMS
WOULD BEGIN

TO ROLL.

>> Man: MANILA'S THIS CITY AT

THE BOTTOM OF LIKE A U-SHAPED

BAY, MANILA BAY.

AND AT THE END OF THE BAY,

THERE ARE TWO ARMS.

ONE WAS CALLED BATAAN AND THERE

WAS AN ISLAND THERE CALLED

CORREGIDOR, WHICH WAS LIKE THE

CORK IN THE BOTTLE.

ON THE MANILA SIDE, THERE WAS

A BEAUTIFUL DRIVE CALLED

DEWEY BOULEVARD.

AND ON THE SHORE SIDE, THERE

WERE THE MAGNIFICENT HOTELS.

THE FANCY MANILA HOTEL WAS THE

BIG ONE.

BUT ANYBODY COULD WALK ON

DEWEY BOULEVARD,

WATCH THE SUN SET.

AND IF YOU'VE NEVER SEEN

A SUNSET IN THE TROPICS,

IT'S ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.

>> WE ARRIVED ON HITLER'S

BIRTHDAY -- APRIL 20th --

FIVE DAYS BEFORE MY

13th BIRTHDAY.

>> Asher: MY AUNT AND UNCLE WERE

THERE TO GREET US, AND THEN I

DON'T REMEMBER EVEN GETTING OFF

THE BOAT.

BUT I DO REMEMBER THAT THEY TOOK

US TO AN APARTMENT THAT WE

SHARED WITH SOMEBODY ELSE --

WITH ANOTHER COUPLE.

>> Preiss: AND IN MANILA, A MAN

IN A WHITE SHARKSKIN SUIT CAME

ONBOARD AND WELCOMED MY PARENTS.

AND THAT HAPPENED TO BE

MR. ALEX FRIEDER.

>> Weston: WE HAD AN OPEN HOUSE

FOR THE REFUGEES EVERY

FRIDAY NIGHT.

AND THE TABLE WAS PILED HIGH

WITH FRIED CHICKEN

AND ORCHIDS FROM THE GARDEN.

>> EVERY FRIEDER
BROTHER KNEW

THAT HE HAD THREE DUTIES

WHEN IT WAS HIS
TURN IN MANILA.

>> NUMBER ONE WAS TO BE THE

PRESIDENT OF THE SYNAGOG.

NUMBER TWO WAS TO RUN THE

BUSINESS, AND NUMBER THREE WAS

TO GET THE JEWS OUT OF GERMANY.

>> THEY RAN
MANILA'S JEWISH

REFUGEE COMMUNITY, MAKING

LIFE-AND-DEATH
DECISIONS WITH

JUST THE POWER
OF PERSUASION

AND A REPUTATION
FOR INTEGRITY.

>> Woman: THE FRIEDERS WOULD SAY

TO MY FATHER, "OH, YOU KNOW,

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE CARE

OF THESE PEOPLE, AND ARE YOU

COMING IN WITH US?"

OR WHATEVER.

PROBABLY OVER A POKER GAME.

AND MY DAD SAID, "OF COURSE!"

YOU KNOW, AND HE WOULD

NATURALLY HELP OUT.

THIS IS THE WAY THEY DID IT,

BY WORD OF MOUTH.

>> THE EMIGRES,
STRUGGLING TO

EARN A LIVING IN
A STRANGE NEW

LAND, BECAME
QUITE CREATIVE.

>> Woman: MY MOTHER SUPPLEMENTED

THE INCOME BY TAKING

IN BOARDERS.

AND THE INTERESTING PART ABOUT

THAT WAS, IN EUROPE, MY MOTHER

NEVER WENT INTO THE KITCHEN

OR COOKED OR ANYTHING BECAUSE

THEY HAD A COOK, THEY HAD

A MAID.

>> Man: MY FATHER OPENED

A MEAT MARKET AND MY MOM WORKED.

IN FACT, SHE DELIVERED MEAT

TO HER FRIENDS BY CARRYING

THE BAGS AND WALKING,

MAYBE TWO OR THREE MILES A DAY.

>> MY FATHER FOUND A JOB ALMOST

IMMEDIATELY.

AND MY MOTHER, I DON'T KNOW WHEN

SHE STARTED, BUT SHE WAS

A GOVERNESS TO A SMALL

AMERICAN BOY.

>> THE HALF-DOZEN
FAMILIES IN

THE JEWISH COMMUNITY
WHO COULD

AFFORD IT WERE DONATING A

PORTION OF THEIR
INCOME EVERY

MONTH.

THEIR DONATIONS
WERE AS HIGH AS

$2,500.

THAT WOULD BE ALMOST

$40,000 TODAY.

BUT IT WASN'T ENOUGH.

BACK IN THE STATES, THE

FRIEDERS CONTINUED
TO RAISE

FUNDS FROM JEWISH REFUGEE

AGENCIES TO SUPPORT
THE GROWING

RESCUE OPERATIONS.

IN MANILA, THEY RAN FIVE

COMMUNITY HOUSES
WHERE REFUGEES

WOULD SHARE EXPENSES.

>> Holzer: AND THERE WERE

A NUMBER OF FAMILIES IN THERE

BEFORE THEY SETTLED ANYWHERE IN

THE CITY WHO WERE LIVING IN,

I THINK IT WAS A LARGE, LARGE

ROOM.

AND WE SLEPT IN A ROOM THAT WAS

DIVIDED UP BY BED SHEETS.

>> THE PRESSURE BECAME PRETTY

BAD, AND PEOPLE WERE FIGHTING

WITH EACH OTHER.

FIGHTING OVER WHOSE --

THERE WAS A COMMON KITCHEN --

OVER WHOSE STUFF IN THE KITCHEN

HAD BEEN TOUCHED BY WHO AND

WHOSE KID DID THIS TO WHOM?

I REMEMBER THE ADULTS GOT INTO

IT ONE DAY, AND THEY WERE

FIST-FIGHTING, AND THEY WERE

BEATING EACH OTHER UP.

AND I RAN AWAY.

YOU DON'T GET THAT FROM ONE DAY

TO THE NEXT OUT, OF YOUR SYSTEM,

THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN,
YOU'RE A NOBODY.

>> AND WHILE THIS
NEW LIFE MAY

HAVE BEEN
DIFFICULT FOR THE

ADULTS, FOR THE CHILDREN,

IT WAS AN ADVENTURE.

>> Wachs: ONE TIME, MY MOTHER

AND MY SISTER AND I WENT HIKING.

AND WE STRAYED A LITTLE BIT

FAR OUT.

AND THE NATIVES IN THAT AREA

THAT WERE CALLED "IGORATS."

AND WE CAME TO A IGORAT VILLAGE

WHERE ON THE FENCE, ON THE GATE,

THEY HAD A COUPLE OF HEADS.

SO THEY WERE STILL HEADHUNTERS.

WE TURNED AROUND QUICKLY.

>> HARRY BRAUER, WHO WAS ONE OF

MY DAD'S BEST FRIENDS GROWING

UP, THEY WERE SO CLOSE THAT

UNCLE HARRY USED TO SLEEP OVER

IN THE PALACE.

>> I LED THIS STRANGE LIFE,

YOU KNOW.

I LIVED IN A SMALL HOUSE.

MY PARENTS WERE RUNNING

A LITTLE RESTAURANT,

AND EVERY SATURDAY, A

CHAUFFEURED LIMOUSINE CAME AND

PICKED ME UP AND TOOK ME TO

MALACANANG PALACE.

>> I REMEMBER THE PAPAYA TREES.

THE MARVEL OF THE PAPAYA TREE IS

THAT IT'S A TALL TREE,

BUT IT'S FLAT.

IT'S FLAT, IT'S ANGLED.

SO THE ADVENTURE OF CLIMBING UP

WITH YOUR FRIENDS ON A PAPAYA

TREE, IT WAS FUN.

>> FOR MANY CHILDREN,

TEMPLE EMIL, THE
ONLY SYNAGOG

IN THE PHILIPPINES,
WAS THE

CENTER OF THEIR LIVES.

>> Loewenstein: THE JEWISH

COMMUNITY WAS A COHESIVE

COMMUNITY.

AND WE ALL GOT INVOLVED IN A

SYNAGOG AND IN THE JEWISH

COMMUNITY PER SE.

SO WE ALL GOT TO KNOW EACH

OTHER.

>> Weston: THE CHILDREN OF THE

REFUGEES WERE DOING

A PURIM PLAY.

AND THEY WERE ACTING OUT HOW THE

JEWS WERE TREATED IN PERSIA.

>> Wachs: WE HAD SOME RATHER

ELABORATE COSTUMES, YOU KNOW,

CONSIDERING IT WASN'T JUST

MAKESHIFT STUFF.

AND WE HAD REHEARSALS, AND THEN

WE HAD THE PLAY,

AND IT WAS A BIG THING.

>> THE ANCIENT
STORY OF HOPE IS

IN DIRECT CONTRAST
TO GERMAN

TANKS ROLLING INTO

DENMARK AND
NORWAY, HAPPENING

AT ALMOST THE
SAME MOMENT.

AS THE NUMBER OF REFUGEES

SWELLED, PRESIDENT QUEZON

DONATED A PORTION OF HIS

COUNTRY ESTATE FOR

A COMMUNITY HOUSE.

IT WAS NAMED
"MARAKINA HALL."

DOZENS OF REFUGEES
ATTENDED THE

OPENING CEREMONY,

A CELEBRATION FOR

THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

>> MARAKINA HALL WAS ACTUALLY

PROPERTY THAT HE HAD BOUGHT

THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE NEST

EGG FOR MY FATHER.

IT WAS GOING TO BE THE LAND THAT

WOULD MAKE SURE THAT MY FATHER

WOULD HAVE A GOOD LIVING AFTER

HIS FATHER WAS PRESIDENT.

THIS IS WHAT THEY DEVOTED FOR

THE PLACE THAT THE REFUGEES

WOULD STAY IN.

>> Hershfield: AT THE DEDICATION

OF MARAKINA HALL, THERE WERE

THE SPEECHES, AND THAT WAS

VERY EVIDENT THAT THEY WANTED

10,000 JEWS, QUEZON AND THE

FRIEDERS WERE HELPING,

TO COME TO THE PHILIPPINES.

>> PRESIDENT QUEZON WAS

SPEAKING OF A
PLAN TO BRING

TENS OF THOUSANDS
OF JEWS TO

ESTABLISH A
FARMING COMMUNITY

ON THE REMOTE ISLAND OF

MINDANAO.

KEEN OBSERVERS
OF WORLD EVENTS,

THE POKER PLAYERS
WERE WELL

AWARE THAT TIME
WAS RUNNING OUT

FOR EUROPEAN JEWS.

SO THEY ONCE AGAIN UPPED

THE ANTE.

PAUL McNUTT
INFORMED THE STATE

DEPARTMENT THAT
QUEZON WAS

WILLING TO TAKE
AS MANY AS

30,000 JEWISH FAMILIES.

ACCORDING TO
PHILLIP FRIEDER,

PRESIDENT QUEZON
WAS IN FAVOR

OF SETTLING AS
MANY REFUGEES AS

POSSIBLE ON MINDANAO,

SAYING HE'D BE HAPPY

IF A MILLION ARRIVED.

>> Sasser: QUEZON WAS A GOOD

CATHOLIC, AND HE THOUGHT THE

MOST UNRELIGIOUS THING HE

COULD THINK OF WAS TO THINK

BADLY TOWARDS THE PEOPLE

THAT GAVE THEM THEIR SAVIOR.

AND I JUST LOVE THAT QUOTE.

>> THE REACTION
FROM THE U.S.

STATE DEPARTMENT
WAS NEGATIVE.

ONE MEMO SAID
THAT 2,000, NOT

30,000, WAS A
MORE REALISTIC

NUMBER AND
WARNED THAT "FEW

MEMBERS OF THE
CAUCASIAN RACE

CAN ENDURE THE
HARDSHIPS OF THE

JUNGLE ISLAND."

IN MANILA, GENERAL

EMILIO AGUINALDO,
QUEZON'S

POLITICAL RIVAL,
GRUMBLED THAT

"JEWS ARE DANGEROUS
PEOPLE TO

HAVE AROUND IN
LARGE NUMBER."

DESPITE THIS OPPOSITION,

QUEZON KEPT
PRESSING TO SETTLE

REFUGEES ON MINDANAO,

ALTHOUGH THE
PLAN WAS LOWERED

TO 10,000 FAMILIES AND

STRETCHED OUT
OVER A PERIOD OF

MANY YEARS.

THE FRIEDERS
NEVER GAVE UP ON

MINDANAO, CONDUCTING LAND

SURVEYS AND
LOBBYING FILIPINO

LAWMAKERS.

ON NOVEMBER 21,
1941, THE FINAL

CONTRACT FOR THE
PURCHASE OF

LAND IN MINDANAO ARRIVED

IN NEW YORK.

THE POKER PLAYERS
HAD BET THE

POT, AND THEY HAD WON.

THOUSANDS MORE
REFUGEES COULD

COME TO THE PHILIPPINES.

BUT CIRCUMSTANCES QUICKLY

CHANGED EVERYTHING.

DAYS LATER, ALL
ATTEMPTS AT

RESCUE AND
RELOCATION ENDED

AS JAPANESE WAR PLANES

ATTACKED PEARL HARBOR.

WITHIN HOURS,
JAPANESE BOMBERS

ALSO APPEARED
OVER MANILA.

AND THE BOMB
ATTACKS CONTINUED

EVEN AFTER MacARTHUR
PULLED THE

AMERICAN TROOPS
OUT OF MANILA

AND DECLARED IT
AN OPEN CITY.

IT WAS AN ATTACK
THAT MANY

AMERICANS HAD DREADED.

>> MY MOTHER KEPT CYANIDE PILLS

IN HER MEDICINE CABINET SO THAT

IF THE JAPANESE EVER CAPTURED

US, SHE WAS PREPARED TO...

TAKE, AS I SAY, CYANIDE PILLS

AND GIVE THEM TO MY BROTHER

AND MYSELF.

>> PHILLIP FRIEDER
WANTED TO

STAY AND RUN THE
BUSINESS AND

CARE FOR THE REFUGEES.

IN THE END, PAUL
McNUTT HAD TO

TRICK PHILLIP
INTO LEAVING

BY TELLING HIM
THERE WAS A

FAMILY CRISIS BACK IN

CINCINNATI.

>> Dick: ON THE BOAT GOING BACK

FROM MANILA TO SAN FRANCISCO, WE

PASSED THE JAPANESE FLEET.

AND I REMEMBER WHEN WE PASSED

THE JAPANESE FLEET, THERE WAS

GREAT TERROR ON THE DECK.

>> IN A MATTER OF MONTHS,

MacARTHUR AND THE
QUEZON FAMILY

HAD BEEN FORCED
TO EVACUATE

AND MANILA WAS OCCUPIED

BY THE JAPANESE.

IT MARKED THE
BEGINNING OF

YEARS OF PRIVATION,
SUFFERING,

AND DEATH FOR FILIPINOS

AND REFUGEES ALIKE.

>> WE HAD GONE FROM

THE FRYING PAN INTO THE FIRE.

>> Owens: IT WAS ABOUT 3:00 OR

4:00 IN THE MORNING, I BELIEVE,

AND THIS GREAT BIG BANG-BANG

ON THE FRONT DOOR.

THEY WERE LITERALLY

TEARING IT DOWN.

AND THEN THEY CAME UPSTAIRS,

AND WE WERE ALL ASLEEP.

AND THEN WAKE UP, THERE'S

BAYONETS LOOKING DOWN AT YOU.

I CAN PICTURE US WALKING DOWN

THE STREET, AND THE SUN WASN'T

UP YET.

AND IT WAS DARK, AND WE'RE ALL

FOLLOWING MY DAD.

WE COULDN'T EVEN LOOK AT

ANYTHING THAT WE LEFT BEHIND.

SO WE JUST...

FROM THE BED TO THE STREET.

AND THEY MADE OUR HOME THEIR

OFFICERS' QUARTERS.

>> THE JAPANESE
CONQUERED THE

REST OF THE PHILIPPINES,

STARVING OUT THE
LAST AMERICAN

MILITARY OUTPOST
ON BATAAN

AND CORREGIDOR

AND MARCHING THE SOLDIERS

OFF TO BRUTAL
PRISON CAMPS.

>> Wachs: WE WERE THERE FOR THE

DEATH MARCH WHEN THE AMERICANS

CAME THROUGH THE STREETS.

WE WERE KIND OF PEERING OUT THE

WINDOW AND IT WAS HORRIBLE.

IT WAS JUST...

PEOPLE DRAGGING ALONG THE

STREET, MARCHING ALONG WITH THE

JAPANESE GUARDS ON EITHER SIDE.

>> IT WASN'T JUST

MILITARY PRISONERS
OF WAR,

CIVILIANS WERE
ALSO ROUNDED UP.

AMERICANS,
BRITONS, AND OTHER

ENEMIES OF JAPAN
WERE INTERNED

WITH LITTLE FOOD
OR MEDICINE.

>> MY BROTHER AND I USED TO

BRING FOOD.

MY FATHER GAVE IT TO US.

AND WHEN THE JAPANESE WEREN'T

LOOKING, WE'D THROW IT OVER THE

FENCE SO THEY'D HAVE SOMETHING

TO EAT.

>> IRONICALLY,
THE JAPANESE

TREATED MANY
JEWISH REFUGEES

AS ALLIES,
ALLOWING THEM TO

RETURN TO THEIR HOMES.

>> Woman: THE JAPANESE WOULD

LOOK AT MY PARENTS' PASSPORTS

AND SAY, "OH, YOU'RE AUSTRIAN.

OH, THAT MEANS YOU'RE GERMAN."

[ CHUCKLES ]

"THAT MEANS YOU'RE THE GOOD

GUYS."

THEY WEREN'T ANTI-SEMITIC.

THEY SAID, "IF YOU'RE GERMAN,

YOU'RE ON OUR SIDE."

>> BUT THE
REFUGEES HAD NO

DOUBT WHOSE
SIDE THEY WERE

REALLY ON.

>> Ambrunn: ONE OF THE STUPIDEST

THINGS MY BROTHER AND I DID WAS

WE STOLE HAND GRENADES FROM THE

JAPANESE AND GAVE IT TO THE

FILIPINO GUERILLAS.

IF MY PARENTS WOULD HAVE FOUND

OUT, I DON'T THINK

WE'D BE HERE RIGHT NOW.

>> THE JAPANESE
RULED MANILA

WITH A CRUEL AND
BRUTAL HAND.

>> IF THEY CAUGHT SOMEBODY

STEALING, THEY'D STRING THEM UP

ON A TREE.

AND EVERY JAPANESE THAT WALKED

BY WOULD KICK OR SLAP OR HIT

THE PERSON ON THE TREE.

>> THEY'D BEAT THIS GUY

FOR HOUR AFTER HOUR AFTER HOUR.

AND...

EVENTUALLY, HE DIED.

>> AFTER ALMOST
THREE LONG

YEARS OF JAPANESE
OCCUPATION,

GENERAL MacARTHUR
MADE GOOD

ON HIS PROMISE
TO RETURN AND

LIBERATE THE PHILIPPINES.

>> Loewenstein: I RECALL, VERY

VIVIDLY AT ONE TIME, ONE OF THE

PURSUIT PLANES WHO WAS FLYING

DOWN QUITE LOW, AND I WAS ON THE

STREET IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE.

AND APPARENTLY THE PILOT SAW.

AND HE DID A 360 AND FLEW BACK

AND DROPPED A HERSHEY CANDY BAR

TO ME.

WE SPLIT IT.

YOU KNOW, LIKE, 30 DIFFERENT

WAYS.

EVERYBODY GOT A TASTE OF IT.

UH...

YEAH, IT WAS GREAT, BECAUSE IT

WAS ONE STEP CLOSER TO

LIBERATION, YOU KNOW?

[ GUNS BOOMING ]

>> BUT THE WAR
WAS NOT OVER.

DESPITE MacARTHUR'S
RETURN,

THE WORST WAS
YET TO COME.

JAPANESE SUPREME
COMMAND ISSUED

ORDERS TO KILL OR BURN

EVERYTHING IN THEIR PATH

AS THEY RETREATED
FROM MANILA.

[ AIR-RAID SIREN WAILS ]

>> Owens: YOU COULD SEE MANILA

BURNING FOR A WHOLE WEEK.

AND IT WAS SO BRIGHT,

AND IT NEVER DIED FOR A WHOLE

WEEK OR SO.

AND THE FIRES WERE JUST BURNING

AND BURNING AND BURNING.

AND WE WERE RIGHT IN

THE MIDDLE OF IT.

>> THE HORROR
OF BEING CAUGHT

BETWEEN TWO ARMIES
SEEMED LIKE

IT WOULD GO ON FOREVER.

>> MY FATHER BROUGHT MY

MOTHER AND ME TO A SAFE PLACE.

HE WENT BACK INTO THE HOUSE, GOT

A FEW MORE THINGS, AND WHEN HE

CAME OUT, THE JAPANESE SAW HIM,

AND THEY KILLED HIM --

THEY BAYONETED HIM.

IT WAS PRETTY BAD.

>> Loewenstein: AND WE SAW THE

JAPANESE GO INTO A HOUSE

NEXT TO US.

THERE WAS A FAMILY IN THERE,

AND...

THEY HAD A BABY.

AND THE JAPANESE THREW THE BABY

UP AND CAUGHT IT WITH A BAYONET.

>> WE WERE LINED UP AGAINST

THE WALL.

AND THEY STARTED TO LOAD

THEIR RIFLES.

AND THEY WERE GONNA SHOOT US

ON A FIRING SQUAD.

AND WE BEGGED FOR OUR LIVES.

>> RIGHT NEXT TO OUR HOUSE,

IN THE BACK OF OUR HOUSE,

A HOUSE HAD BURNED A DAY

OR TWO BEFORE.

THE HOUSES HAD CORRUGATED ROOFS.

SO WE WENT UNDER THE CORRUGATED

ROOF TO LIE DOWN.

AND, UNFORTUNATELY, RIGHT NEXT

TO ME WAS A WOMAN WHO HAD BEEN

BAYONETED AND WAS DEAD.

IT WAS...

HER WHOLE BODY EXPOSED BECAUSE

SHE'D BEEN BAYONETED.

AND WE LAY THERE FOR TWO DAYS.

>> ALL AROUND US, THERE WERE

OTHER PEOPLE IN FOXHOLES.

AND THE LOUDER THE BOMBING,

THE LOUDER THE PRAYING.

>> Farquhar: I WAS THIS LITTLE

BABY, AND I WAS CRYING.

AND THEY WERE STUFFING

HANDKERCHIEFS IN MY MOUTH

TO "SHUT THE BABY UP,

SHUT THE BABY UP!"

>> SO WITHIN A TWO-WEEK PERIOD

OF THE LIBERATION, OVER 100,000

CIVILIANS WERE KILLED

INDISCRIMINATELY.

THEY DIDN'T CARE IF THEY WERE

JEWS, THEY DIDN'T CARE IF THEY

WERE FILIPINOS -- THEY DIDN'T

CARE WHO THEY WERE.

>> IN THE FOG
OF WAR, IT WAS

HARD TO TELL
FRIEND FROM FOE.

>> Farquhar: THEY HEARD

FOOTSTEPS CLOSE TO THE FOXHOLE

STOPPING RIGHT AT THE EDGE.

AND THEY SAID, "WE'RE DOOMED.

THEY FOUND US.

THIS IS IT.

THE BABY GAVE US AWAY."

[ CHUCKLES ]

"WE'RE DEAD."

AND THE NEXT THING THEY HEARD

WAS, "ANYONE WANT

A CHESTERFIELD?"

>> THE GUY SLID DOWN.

HE HAD HIS RIFLE.

HE WAS LOOKING ALL AROUND.

IT WAS, I DON'T KNOW,

20, 30 PEOPLE IN THERE.

AND IT TURNS OUT WHEN HE CAME

DOWN, HIS HELMET FLEW OFF

AND HE WAS BLONDE AND BLUE-EYED.

AND WE GRABBED HIM,

AND WE KISSED HIM.

AND HE SAID TO US,

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, PLEASE.

I GOT A WAR TO FIGHT.

LET ME GO!"

>> FINALLY, THE WAR

WAS REALLY OVER.

WE WENT THROUGH SOME VERY HARD
TIMES THERE, IN THE PHILIPPINES.

IT WAS NO PICNIC THERE.

BUT AS YOU SEE, WE SURVIVED.

>> REFUGEES AND MANY OF

THE JEWISH
SOLDIERS WHO HAD

RESCUED THEM GATHERED AT

THE SAN LAZARO RACETRACK

FOR THE FIRST NIGHT

OF PASSOVER.

>> Lipetz: IT WAS

A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.

IT BROUGHT TO MIND AT THAT TIME

THAT WE WERE REALLY FREE.

>> THE BOY WHO ASKED THE

FOUR QUESTIONS
- WAS 10-
- YEAR-OLD

GEORGE LOEWENSTEIN.

>> WHAT WAS IT LIKE?

WHEN YOU LOOK OVER

THE VASTNESS OF ALL THESE

SOLDIERS IN THE STANDS,

IT WAS AWESOME.

IT'S ALSO GREAT SEEING

THE AMERICAN FLAG FLYING AGAIN,

RATHER THAN THE RISING SUN,

THE RED BALL AGAINST

THE WHITE BACKGROUND.

SO, THAT WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE

TO SEE THE STARS AND STRIPES.

STILL IS IMPRESSIVE.

>> BY SEPTEMBER 1945,

JAPAN HAD SURRENDERED AND

THOUSANDS GATHERED
IN MANILA

TO CELEBRATE THE
HIGH HOLIDAYS.

AMERICAN GIs REBUILT

TEMPLE EMIL,
WHICH HAD BEEN

DESTROYED BY
THE JAPANESE.

FITTINGLY, THE
FUNDRAISING FOR

THE NEW TEMPLE
BEGAN WITH A

CEREMONY ON
NOVEMBER 9, 1945 --

THE ANNIVERSARY OF

KRISTALLNACHT.

THE POKER PLAYERS
QUIETLY MOVED

ON, BUT THEY
REMAINED FOREVER

LINKED TO THE
LIVES OF OVER

1,300 JEWISH REFUGEES.

THE FRIEDER'S
CIGAR FACTORIES

HAD BEEN LEVELED AND THE

FRIEDER BROTHERS
BEGAN THE TASK

OF REBUILDING THE FAMILY

BUSINESS BACK
IN THE STATES.

PAUL McNUTT
RETURNED TO MANILA

AND LOWERED THE
AMERICAN FLAG

ON THE DAY THE
PHILIPPINES

GAINED INDEPENDENCE.

DWIGHT EISENHOWER
-- NOW THE

SUPREME COMMANDER
OF NATO --

MADE A LOW-KEY INSPECTION

TO THE RUINS OF
THE CITY WHERE

HE HAD SPENT
SO MANY YEARS.

MANUEL QUEZON
DIED IN EXILE

IN THE UNITED STATES.

HE NEVER GOT TO SEE THE

PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE,

WHICH HE HAD FOUGHT

SO HARD FOR,

BUT HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS

LIVE ON.

>> Jose: MOST FILIPINOS

ARE FAMILIAR WITH

"SCHINDLER'S LIST."

VERY FEW FILIPINOS KNOW THAT

QUEZON WAS, IN HIS OWN WAY,

A KIND OF SCHINDLER.

AND IT HAS COME OUT,

AND I THINK PEOPLE HAVE

BEEN PROUD OF THAT.

>> THEY WERE GOOD PEOPLE.

THERE WERE PEOPLE

THAT WERE SAVED.

YOU HAVE TO GIVE THANKS

FOR THOSE PEOPLE.

>> WHAT THE FRIEDERS CREATED

AN OPPORTUNITY TO ESCAPE.

BUT AN OPPORTUNITY ALSO TO

LIVE AND TO DEVELOP AND CREATE

A NEW FUTURE FOR SO MANY.

>> IT'S ONE THING TO

SIT AROUND A CARD TABLE

AND TALK ABOUT A WORRISOME

SITUATION, EVEN A DIRE

SITUATION.

IT'S QUITE ANOTHER TO ACTUALLY

TAKE SOME ACTION.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THIS IS

A STORY FOR ALL TIME.

>> IT WOULD BE MUCH SIMPLER TO

UNDERSTAND, "OKAY, THE FRIEDERS

SOMEHOW PUT UP MONEY AND FIGURED

OUT A WAY TO GET VISAS

AND DID IT."

OR SIMPLER TO UNDERSTAND QUEZON

SOMEHOW ACTING ON HIS OWN,

HAVING THIS EPIPHANY OF HELPING

SOMEBODY, AND, YOU KNOW,

DOING IT.

BUT THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, HE

AS A CATHOLIC, AND McNUTT AS A

PROTESTANT, AND THE FRIEDERS AS

JEWS COME TOGETHER, MAKE IT EVEN

MORE RICH AND INTERESTING

AND INCREDIBLE THAT IT HAPPENED.

>> IN THAT HISTORICAL MOMENT

THEY WERE HEROES,

BUT THEY DIDN'T NECESSARILY SEE

THEMSELVES AS HEROES.

THEY WERE -- IT LOOKS LIKE

THEY WERE JUST DOING THE

RIGHT THING, AND THEY RESPONDED

TO A CRISIS IN THE RIGHT WAY,

REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT

IT WASN'T NECESSARILY GREAT

FOR THEIR CAREERS AS A PRESIDENT

OR AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE

MILITARY -- OR EVEN FOR

A CAREER AS A CIGAR-MAKER.

>> SOMEBODY HAS TO TAKE A RISK.

SOMEBODY HAS TO PUT THEIR VALUES

ON THE LINE AND SAY,

"WE'RE GOING TO DO IT."

>> Asher: TO ME, HITLER LOST

TWO WARS.

HE LOST THE REGULAR WAR,

AND HE LOST THE WAR

AGAINST THE JEWS.

>> AT THE OPEN
DOORS MONUMENT

IN ISRAEL ARE
WRITTEN THE WORDS

OF PRESIDENT
MANUEL QUEZON.

"IT IS MY HOPE,
AND INDEED

MY EXPECTATION,
THAT THE PEOPLE

OF THE PHILIPPINES
WILL HAVE

IN THE FUTURE
EVERY REASON TO

BE GLAD THAT
WHEN THE TIME OF

NEED CAME, THEIR
COUNTRY WAS

WILLING TO EXTEND

A HAND OF WELCOME."