What was the “Europa plan?
The Europa plan was the brainchild of a Rabbi Weissmandel and Gisi Fleischmann, two Czech Jews, who presented a forged letter to the Nazi authorities requesting the expulsion of Jews under Nazi occupation all over Europe be stopped in exchange for several million dollars. The letter was represented as being from Jewish leaders. The Nazis were interested in the deal and entered into serious negotiations. As a sign of Weissmandel’s earnestness, the Nazis demanded an advance payment of $200,000. Weissmandel’s appeal to the Warburg-run Joint Distribution Committee and the Zionist movement for money to keep negotiations going were rejected. After several months of talks, no deal was made and the Weissmandel’s attempt to stop the deportations failed from his inability to generate support from Jewish organizations outside Europe.
The Europa plan was the brainchild of a Rabbi Weissmandel and Gisi Fleischmann, two Czech Jews, who presented a forged letter to the Nazi authorities requesting the expulsion of Jews under Nazi occupation all over Europe be stopped in exchange for several million dollars. The letter was represented as being from Jewish leaders. The Nazis were interested in the deal and entered into serious negotiations. As a sign of Weissmandel’s earnestness, the Nazis demanded an advance payment of $200,000. Weissmandel’s appeal to the Warburg-run Joint Distribution Committee and the Zionist movement for money to keep negotiations going were rejected. After several months of talks, no deal was made and the Weissmandel’s attempt to stop the deportations failed from his inability to generate support from Jewish organizations outside Europe.
