I Must be a Part of this War: A German American's Fight against Hitler and Nazism

Chapter 2: How to Become an American: 1937–1942

2 How to Become an American: 1937–1942 On 3 February 1937, a cool and sunny day, the SS Paris arrived in New York Harbor. Korf nervously waited in line to enter the country . Finally his turn came. When the immigration inspector asked him the purpose of his trip, Korf replied that he was on a business trip and presented his letters of invitation from DuPont and General Motors. This did not impress the inspector, who asked if anyone was meeting Korf. He replied in the negative, and was ordered to stand in a corner. There he waited for about an hour. By that time the crowds had thinned out. Korf did not know that being met by an American was a condition for entry into the country, and he was understandably fearful that he would be shipped back to Germany. His friend Henry Marx had already been met by his uncle, and the two had left for the latter’s home in Little Rock, Arkansas. There was no one to help Korf. Suddenly he saw a young man with whom he had played table tennis on deck accompanied by the American uncle who had met him. As they walked past him, Korf quickly whispered to the uncle, ‘‘Please say that you’re here to meet me.’’ The uncle asked Korf for his name. Korf told him, but he was terrified since he was fairly certain that the inspector had overheard the exchange. But after the inspector spoke briefly to the uncle and shook his hand, he told Korf he was free to go. Korf was dumbfounded. He asked the uncle why the inspector had let Korf go when he knew that he and the uncle had just met. The uncle explained that he had given the in- How to Become an American: 1937–1942 | 25 spector a handshake practiced only by Freemasons. Since the uncle was a fellow Mason, the inspector inferred that he was telling the truth about Korf.1 When Korf stepped onto American soil in 1937, there were 1.6 million people of German extraction living in the United States. Approximately 600,000 of this number had immigrated since the end of the First World War.2 Of this number a little over half were still German citizens.3 As was true of all immigrants, Korf’s first concern was getting a job. After taking a small room in a hotel in the West Thirties, he assessed his financial situation. His funds were meager indeed. He had been allowed to take only $120 out of Germany . He had left tips for first-class service on the SS Paris in the amount of $50. The expenses of arrival had left him with a grand total of $60. He needed sponsorship and employment as soon as possible. He wasted no time in seeking out his only contact in the United States, his sister’s friend Julie Vogelstein. Korf called Julie Vogelstein at the Plaza Hotel. Her brother Theodore answered the phone and explained that his sister was out of town. Theodore agreed to meet with Korf at the Plaza for lunch. Over lunch Vogelstein asked Korf what he intended to do in the United States. Korf replied that he wished to work. When Vogelstein asked what kind of work, Korf replied that he would be willing to do any kind, including menial jobs. Vogelstein huffily replied, ‘‘Dr. Korf, in our circles we don’t do that kind of work.’’ Korf had forgotten what a snob Vogelstein was. He had been a lecturer at the University of Frankfurt but never made professor; he became a success only when he inherited his brother’s money. Vogelstein continued, ‘‘Unfortunately, I am in no position to help you. I am flying to London tomorrow.’’ Then he added lightly, ‘‘You can send my sister’s suitcase either to me here at the Plaza or to my sister at the Pierre [Hotel].’’ Korf left the Plaza without a job and obliged to shoulder the cost of transporting the suitcase to the Pierre Hotel, which came to $20, leaving him with less than $40.4 26 | ‘‘i must be a part of this war’’ After the Vogelstein fiasco, Korf checked more names and addresses that he had been given in Berlin and decided to contact Father Joseph Ostermann, head of the Catholic refugee committee, located at Leo House on West...