The Shelter and the Fence: When 982 Holocaust Refugees Found Safe Haven in America

by Norman H. Finkelstein

“This chapter in World War II history is a well-kept secret. Make this title a first choice. ”  — School Library Journal  STARRED review  The story of Holocaust refugees who found shelter in the United States — with unique parallels to today's stories of asylum seekers.   In 1944, at the height of World War II, 982 European refugees found a temporary haven at Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York. They were men, women, and children who had spent frightening years one step ahead of Nazi pursuers and death.   They spoke nineteen different languages, and, while most of the refugees were Jewish, a number were Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Protestant Christians. From the time they arrived at the Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter on August 5 they began re-creating their lives and embarked on the road to becoming American citizens.   In the history of World War II and the Holocaust, this “token” save by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the War Refugee Board was too little and too late for millions. But for those few who reached Oswego it was life changing.   The Shelter and the Fence  tells their stories. 

Genres: Nonfiction, Holocaust, History, Middle Grade, Childrens

194 pages, Hardcover

Published June 8, 2021

About the author

Norman H. Finkelstein is the author of eighteen nonfiction books, mainly for young readers. He recently retired as a school librarian for the Brookline (Massachusetts) Public Schools but continues into his 32nd year of teaching history in the Prozdor Department of Hebrew College. Among his writing honors are two National Jewish Book Awards, the Golden Kite Honor Book Award for Nonfiction and a "highly recommended" award from the Boston Author's Club.

His interest in history and biography developed early. "I was the only kid in the sixth grade who regularly read the New York Times," he said. His books reflect an eclectic view of his world. From his love of old-time radio came Sounds in the Air: The Golden Age of Radio and from his fascination with plastics came a social and cultural history called, simple enough, Plastics. He also served as the series editor for the Jewish Publication Society's JPS Guides.

He is married to Rosalind who he calls "my first-line editor". They have three grown children and three grandchildren. Finkelstein lives in Framingham, Massachusetts.

(source)

Reviews

[Alex Baugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1944, 982 Jewish refugees living in Italy were allowed to come to the United States, "invited" by President Franklin Roosevelt. Their story is one that is often overlooked or just given cursory mention in the history of America and the Holocaust, especially where middle grade readers are concerned. Now, librarian and history teacher Norman H. Finkelstein has written a history of this event aimed at those young readers.
After providing some rudimentary information about the rise of the Nazis and their treatment of Jews through the 1930s in Germany and countries which they invaded, and ultimately Hitler's "Final Solution," Finkelstein turns his focus to those Jews who had sought safety in Italy. Italy had early on allied itself to Hitler, but Italians often refused to help them deport Jews. By 1943, Italy's fascist dictator had been overthrown and Allied troops had liberated southern Italy, but German troops were quickly moved into Central and Northern Italy, and immediately began deporting all the Jews they captured to death camps in Poland.

Then. in 1944, Roosevelt issued an executive order setting up the War Refugee Board to rescue as many "persecuted minorities of Europe" as possible. Immigration laws were bypassed because the refugees who would be rescued were considered guests of the president and would not be allowed to stay in the US once the war was over.

A diverse group of 982 refugees living in Rome were selected, most of whom were Jews, and after a rough two-week trip aboard the USS Henry Gibbons, followed by an overnight train trip from New York City to Oswego, New York, the refugees arrived at Fort Ontario on August 5, 1944. And though they were welcomed by the people of Oswego, for many refugees living in a confined space like the fort, surrounded by a chain link fence toped with barbed wire and watched by guards made many of them skeptical. And yet, the fort's barracks had been converted into furnished apartments for them, complete with laundry, bathing and toilet facilities for men and women, there was plenty to eat, though the refugees ate in dining halls instead of in their makeshift apartments.

Soon, many of the refugees found work, while their children were allowed to attend school outside the fort. They could speak on the telephone with their family members already living in the US, but they were not allowed to visit anyone (well, there were a few forays out of the camp by some teens that no one knew about). Creating a safe haven for the 982 refugees was not without its problems and Finkelstein doesn't skip over these. The biggest problem was what to do with them when the war ended. The refugees had all signed an agreement that they would return to their homeland once the war was over, but now many had adjusted to living in the US and had no home or family to return to, and wished to remain in America. This resulted in a long legal fight and Finkelstein devotes a lot of time to it.

The Shelter and the Fence is a great introduction to this overlooked part of World War II history. It is easy to read, and there are lots of photographs and text boxes containing personal reflections by some of the people who were part of the rescue effort. I did find that at times I found the writing was confusing and I had to go back and reread parts of the book. Some things were too glossed over and without knowing the history could be disconcerting. This would make it a book that is best used as a supplementary text for social studies classes. The book does describe the many kindnesses on the part of the people living in Oswego, as well as those who did not want the refugees in their town or country.

And while saving 982 people may seem like a token rescue compared to the overwhelming number of people who perished during the Holocaust and even the refusal to allow the 937 refugees aboard the St. Louis in 1939 to enter the US, it needs to be remembered that every life is important and so this rescue should not be trivialized.

The Shelter and the Fence is a compelling book and I think that the plight of the refugees will definitely resonate with today's readers when once again America's borders have become an issue.

The New York Times published an article a year ago (September 11, 2020) about the 982 refugees who lived in Fort Ontario in Oswego, NY and you can read it HERE.

This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was borrowed from the NYPL

[Lisa Cobb Sabatini · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a copy of The Shelter and the Fence: When 982 Holocaust Refugees Found Safe Haven in America by Norman H. Finkelstein from Goodreads.

The Shelter and the Fence: When 982 Holocaust Refugees Found Safe Haven in America by Norman H. Finkelstein is an excellent, poignant history of eighteen months in time in Oswego, New York, the only place that provided refuge for Holocaust victims in the entire United States. This easy to read book is written for young readers, but all readers will find the book informative and moving. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of life in the shelter and includes photos and small vignettes that further focus on individuals, families, or other items of interest. Reading this book and learning what the Oswego community did for nearly one thousand refugees is inspirational. The Shelter and the Fence is perfect for both the classroom and the home library.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was thrilled to receive this book as a Goodreads Giveaway. It is a simply written book that can be read in a couple of hours yet it introduced me to a new subject in American history. The story of the 982 Holocaust refugees that were given temporary sanctuary in our country during the latter half of WWII is compelling and begs for a deeper dive into the subject. Mr. Finkelstein's book does a masterful job of introducing the subject with enough detail to let you decide if you have enough or if you want more. I compare it to attending a well presented lecture where you leave knowing Who, What, Where and Why, but know that if your interests take you there, there are many other layers to explore. So, I'm off to look for more on this subject as well as some of the other offerings on Mr. Finkelstein's impressive backlist.

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Shelter and the Fence is a rudimentary look at 982 WWII refugees ensconce in Fort Oswego in New York State. The target audience is young adults but there is good information for anyone wanting to know more about this small facet of history. There are plenty of illustrations and captions. It was interesting to peruse the citations. It’s a quick read. The one thing that marred my reading was the digital formatting. The main text was hard to distinguish from the captions. Some sentences were disjointed and I had to go 1-2 pages farther to read the rest of it because new sentences were inserted. It made for frustrating reading, which I hope is corrected upon publication. Thanks To the Chicago Review Press and NetGalley for the early read.

[Madeleine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the beautiful and courageous story of how 982 refugees found a safe haven in New York during World War II. From a young age I was interested in the history of our nations’ wars and this book certainly did not disappoint. These brave women, men and children (most of whom didn’t even speak English) arrived at the Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter on August 5 (my birthday!) and they began re-creating their newfound American lives on the road to becoming US citizens. This is such a great read for the young and the old. Instead of a ring a depressing book, this read is enlightening and engaging. I highly recommend it!

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author is Norman H Finkelstein and not Dr Norman Finkelstein. I had mistakenly thought it was Dr Finkelstein's book I had picked from my library as I am a fan of the outspoken human rights professor. However, I found this account by Mr Norman H Finkelstein, teacher and librarian, very informative. It deals with almost a 1000 refugees, almost all of them Jewish, most of them brought to America from German-occupied camps in Italy and housed in a facility at Fort Ontario, New York state. They were kept there for 18 months and although it was not a concentration camp, at times many of the refugees yearned for more freedom than was given to them.
Worth reading.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up because we live near Fort Ontario, and I thought I might include it in NYS History reading for my kids, but I'm not sure if I will at this point. It doesn't necessarily offer anything that a trip to the museum wouldn't also cover. Maybe I am just spoiled by all the "living books" we read, but I found it very dry and textbookish. The pictures were an excellent inclusion, though, and I was saddened to see the picture of the tunnel they used to have to go through to reach the city, because I used to live on that street - and they tore it down in the past few years. 😔

[Anne Vandenbrink · Rating 4 out of 5]

During WWII the US had restrictions on immigration. But public opinion and pressure changed that. Roosevelt allowed (only) 1000 people to seek refuge in the US. These people had fled from one country to another trying to flee the Germans and death. They were settled in Fort Ontario in Oswego, New York with the stipulation that after the war, they would be sent back to their homeland. They were welcomed with open arms and assimilated well in the US. Public opinion and pressure again forced Truman to rethink the stipulation and allow the refugees to stay in the US.

[Alexa Hamilton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Illuminating book about a refugee camp I had never heard of. Covers issues related to having a refugee camp--like how people adjusted, what it was like to live there, issues of freedom and immigration. An interesting read. I would have loved a few more in depth profiles, especially of some of the kids.

[Maryclaire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all the books available about the Refugees at Fort Ontario and their crossing the Atlantic to come here with Dr. Ruth Gruber. This author researched the history, the refugees and the people of Oswego who played an important part in making the transition to a safe life. The Safe Haven Museum has information and pictures but this book tells the stories of the people.

[Nicole Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

While browsing in the children's section I came across this gem!

There is so much accessible history and personal connection packed into this easy to read and understand book. There are tons of pictures that really bring the people and places to life.

[Michael Projansky · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enlightening story of a very specific time and a very specific incident in American history. Surrounded by the larger issues and backstories of the us governments policies and the horrific events in Europe.

[Deanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting and a good read for students.

[Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

2021 - Lilly Lib - 940.53 - Non-Fiction - HB - YA

[DaveNelda Eitreim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another piece of history that I found heart warming.

[Jack Fenster · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a book I was not completely expecting. I found it to be incredibly interesting, but was also not a book I will probably read more than once or twice more.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book chronicles an important but little known chapter in American history. It is very accessible, illustrated with lots of photographs and interesting sidenotes.

[Josie Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book went into talking about one of the concentration camps and a lot of history about the holocaust. It was really cool in the end to see how some of the people in the end made it to a better life. Something I really enjoyed about this book was all the pictures that were shown to look at while reading.