Turkey: Selahattin Ülkümen
The Beyond Duty exhibition is dedicated to the Righteous Among the Nations
Turkey: Selahattin Ülkümen
“If I could [have], I would [have] save[d] all of them. But unfortunately, that was beyond my competence.” Selahattin Ülkümen, in a letter to Yad Vashem, March 30, 1989
In the 1930s, Turkey withdrew the citizenship of many Turkish Jews living abroad, and in 1938, a decree was enacted that prevented persecuted Jews from entering Turkey. When, in October 1942, Nazi Germany instructed neutral countries to repatriate their Jewish citizens, Turkey annulled the citizenship of additional Turkish Jews, and instructed its delegations to restrict repatriation. Only a small number of Jews were able to return to Turkey with the help of Turkish diplomats. Approximately 2,500 Jews of Turkish origin living in different European countries were murdered in the Holocaust.
Selahattin Ülkümen was the Turkish Consul General on the island of Rhodes. When, in late July 1944, the Germans began to round up the island’s 1,700 Jews, Ülkümen managed to save approximately 40 Jews from deportation to Auschwitz. In fact, only 13 of these Jews were Turkish citizens. Some had a Turkish connection through marriage or had lost their citizenship due to the Turkish state policy; others, such as Alberto and Renata Amato and their daughter Lina, who were Italian citizens, had no connection whatsoever to Turkey. Nevertheless, Ülkümen falsely claimed that they all were Turkish citizens and therefore eligible for his protection. He even managed to obtain the release of Albert Franko, who was already on a deportation train to Auschwitz, under the pretext that his wife was Turkish. The remaining Jews of Rhodes were herded into three boats and deported to Auschwitz. The Jewish community of Rhodes was almost completely decimated.
Selahattin Ülkümen was recognized as Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem in 1989.
Turkey: Selahattin Ülkümen
The Beyond Duty exhibition is dedicated to the Righteous Among the Nations
Turkey: Selahattin Ülkümen
“If I could [have], I would [have] save[d] all of them. But unfortunately, that was beyond my competence.” Selahattin Ülkümen, in a letter to Yad Vashem, March 30, 1989
In the 1930s, Turkey withdrew the citizenship of many Turkish Jews living abroad, and in 1938, a decree was enacted that prevented persecuted Jews from entering Turkey. When, in October 1942, Nazi Germany instructed neutral countries to repatriate their Jewish citizens, Turkey annulled the citizenship of additional Turkish Jews, and instructed its delegations to restrict repatriation. Only a small number of Jews were able to return to Turkey with the help of Turkish diplomats. Approximately 2,500 Jews of Turkish origin living in different European countries were murdered in the Holocaust.
Selahattin Ülkümen was the Turkish Consul General on the island of Rhodes. When, in late July 1944, the Germans began to round up the island’s 1,700 Jews, Ülkümen managed to save approximately 40 Jews from deportation to Auschwitz. In fact, only 13 of these Jews were Turkish citizens. Some had a Turkish connection through marriage or had lost their citizenship due to the Turkish state policy; others, such as Alberto and Renata Amato and their daughter Lina, who were Italian citizens, had no connection whatsoever to Turkey. Nevertheless, Ülkümen falsely claimed that they all were Turkish citizens and therefore eligible for his protection. He even managed to obtain the release of Albert Franko, who was already on a deportation train to Auschwitz, under the pretext that his wife was Turkish. The remaining Jews of Rhodes were herded into three boats and deported to Auschwitz. The Jewish community of Rhodes was almost completely decimated.
Selahattin Ülkümen was recognized as Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem in 1989.