The interviewing, selecting, and processing of refugees destined for Fort Ontario was a daunting process. I’ve written about it before, but like yesterday, when I asked you to consider how many proposals about Hungary the WRB considered and acted upon in such a short amount of time, I want you to think about this one too. FDR announced the creation of Fort Ontario emergency refugee shelter on June 9th, sending a message to Congress about it on June 12th. By July 16th, Ackermann and his team had been all over Allied occupied Italy explaining the program, interviewing refugees who were potentially interested, and making the final selection. The refugees leave in the third week of Italy, a mere five weeks after the announcement was made that would change their lives. Can you imagine the whirlwind–for them, and for Ackermann?
I was at the 70th anniversary refugee reunion a few weeks ago and met some of the refugees who came as children. They almost universally remember being in Italy, hearing someone say “do you want to come to the United States,” and thinking it was surely a joke but sure, yes, of course we want to go to the United States. And then they’re on the boat.
