Anne Frank and her family were denied entrance into the US
Researchers recently discovered that before Anne Frank and her family went into hiding in the infamous attic in Amsterdam, the Franks sought permission to immigrate to America. "Walls of Paper" follows the desperate attempts by Anne's parents to overcome the harsh bureaucratic obstacles set up by the Roosevelt administration to discourage foreigners from coming to the United States. This episode sheds light on a deeply divided America, where former First Lady Grace Coolidge and other humanitarians lobbied for legislation to grant haven to German Jewish refugee children such as Anne, while opponents of immigration preyed on the public's fears and prejudice in order to keep America's doors closed.The episode called Walls of Paper can be viewed here. It certainly doesn't speak well of Roosevelt's own history.
Labels: anti-semitism, communications, Europe, germany, immigration, Netherlands, political corruption, United States