The World Jewish Congress New York office records. Series B (Political Department)

The World Jewish Congress (WJC) is an international organization founded by resolution of the First World jewish Congress, which took place in August 1936 in Geneva. The organization goal is to defend the political, social, and economic rights of Jews throughout the world. Its governing bodies were elected at the First World Jewish Congress: the executive committee headed by Stephen Wise (also the organization’s chairman), an administrative committee, headed by Nahum Goldman, and a central council headed by Louis Lipsky. At the first session of the executive committee, Sept. 6, 1936, it was decided to establish regional offices of the WJC in Geneva, New York, and London, and a central bureau in Paris. The central bureau coordinated the WJC’s work, collected information on the situation of Jews in various countries, published materials, and also lobbied at the League of Nations. In 1940, with the Second World War under way, the central bureau was transferred to New York, and a European office was established in London. Contains records of the Political Department represented the WJC with governments and international organizations such as the United Nations, the Organization of American States, and the Council of Europe. Records relate to the departmental activities reflected antisemitism, human rights, migration, minorities, genocide, statelessness, prosecution of war crimes, relations between Christians and Jews, peace and disarmament, reparations, the situation of Jews in specific countries (notably the USSR and North Africa). Contains also papers of three persons: Maurice L. Perlzweig, Robert S. Marcus, and Oscar Karbach ( personal materials, alphabetical files of special assistance cases for persons seeking assistance with immigration/visa problems during the years 1946-1948, correspondence and publications). Materials in this series include correspondence, reports, memos, publications, releases, mimeographed materials, and submissions. Copyright Holder: American Jewish Archives