On May 13, 1939, the St. Louis was carrying 937 passengers who were just trying to escape the effects of the Holocaust that were beginning to spread wildly throughout all of Germany. Almost all of these passengers were Jews fleeing the Third Reich. The German transatlantic liner was to depart and sail from Hamburg, Germany to Havana, Cuba (2). Their trip was expected to last about two weeks, after which they would be cleared of all Nazi and German wars. They would remain in Cuba until they met the quotas required to enter the United States. That was the idea, but that's not what happened. Jews desperately wanted to escape what was happening in Germany (2). When they finally had their chance, they jumped at it. This trip was expensive and because many Jews had recently lost their jobs, only a few could afford it. Most families could only pool enough money for one family member to go, and they then hoped to be able to earn enough money in America to pay for their family's trip (1). Many Jews worried about the end of the voyage and the harsh treatment they would receive since a Nazi flag flew on the ship. But to their surprise, they were treated quite pleasantly. The St. Louis was a luxury liner, so they were treated to good food and entertainment. The ship arrived in Havana on May 27, 1939. Unfortunately, the passengers had no idea what happened while they were on the ship. Just a week before, the Cuban government had changed and the new government no longer allowed visas. They would only allow 28 passengers into the country because they were the only ones with a valid passport (1). The passengers quickly became worried. The ship was stranded off the coast of Cuba for 5 days while the crew members decided what to do...... middle of paper ......then they were arrested in Paris, and transported to Gurs internment camp. . During the summer and fall of 1941, the entire family had obtained visas to leave the country. They leave France, cross Spain and leave Lisbon for the United States (3). This is one of many stories of families who left Germany in search of refuge in another country. Everyone was trying to escape Germany and the few hundred who had the chance were turned away by various countries. Clearly, no one was generous enough to welcome the Jews when they needed them most. Regardless of the inhospitable countries, they eventually found refuge for a short time before finding themselves back in the arms of the Germans. The St. Louis incident was a good attempt at seeking refuge for the Jews, but ended in unsuccessful attempts for the Jews..