November 4, 5, 1940: Don't Relax

Telegram from Opa to Marjorie Schauffler

Transcription:

Mrs. Marjorie Schauffler, American Friends Service Committee
 20 South 12 St Phila=

Received letter from Uhl today dated October 31, repeating order to leave. Does your telegram supersede this order. Should I remain here? Please wire advice=
Thomas Doeppner.
Uhl 31.

Letter from Opa to Byron Uhl of INS

Transcription:

Thomas Doeppner  McPherson, November 5, 1940.

McPherson College

McPherson, Kansas

Mr. Byron Uhl

District Director

New York District    ((99503/254))

Dear Sir,

I have your letter of October 31 advising me to leave the United States by November 5. I have also received a telegram from Mrs. Marjorie Schauffler of the American Friends Service Committee of Philadelphia saying that Mr. Salisbury of the State Department in Washington is attempting to arrange for a student visa for me. She also indicated that she had been in touch with your office, apparently after the date of your letter, and that you had agreed to take no action pending the outcome of Mr. Salisbury's effort. I am assuming that this is correct, unless I hear differently from your office.

Yours very truly,

Thomas Doeppner.

Telegram from Marjorie Schauffler of AFSC to Byron Uhl at INS

Transcription:

Byron H. Uhl          (November 5, 1940)

District Director

New York District

U.S. Department of Justice

Regarding Thomas Doeppner McPherson Kansas E.E. Salisbury is handling his case and has instructed him through our office to await Washington decision STOP Salisbury discovered two Washington files on case and one contains request from Doeppner dated July 21 requesting change of status to student visa STOP We have advised Doeppner remain McPherson until instructions received from Salisbury STOP If you advise otherwise please wire us collect

Marjorie  Page Schauffler

American Friends Service Committee

Telegram from Marjorie Schauffler to Opa

Transcription:

Thomas Doeppner          (Noveber 5, 1940)

McPherson College

McPherson, Kansas.

Have wired Uhl that Salisbury is handling matter and has instructed you through us to await his decision without further action STOP Suggest you remain McPherson until Salisbury advises otherwise 

Marjorie Page Schauffler

Letter from Marjorie Schauffler to E.E. Salisbury of INS

Transcription:

November 5, 1940.

Mr. E.E. Salisbury:

We have just received the following telegram from Mr. Doeppner:

"Received letter from Uhl today dated October 31, repeating order to leave. Does your telegram supersede this order. Should I remain here? Please wire advice."

and in reply and in accordance with the telephone conversation I had with you on November 1, in which you advised that Mr. Doeppner take no action until he or we had heard from you, I have sent the following telegrams to him and to District Director Uhl:

"Have wired Uhl that Salisbury is handling matter and has instructed you through us to await his decision without further action STOP Suggest you remain McPherson until Salisbury advises otherwise"

"Regarding Thomas Doeppner McPherson Kansas E.E. Salisbury is handling his case and has instructed him through our office to await Washington decision STOP Salisbury discovered two Washington files on case and one contains request from Doeppner dated July 21 requesting change of status to student visa STOP We have advised Doeppner remain McPherson until instructions received from Salisbury STOP If you advise otherwise please wire us collect"

We are sending you this letter for your record.

Very sincerely,

(Mrs.) Marjorie Page Schauffler

This whole exchange is a perfect example of what it means to be a refugee: your life is completely and totally in the hands of arbitrary decisions. One minute Opa can be consoled that all is well and he can relax, someone is taking care of things. The next minute he gets notice that he really needs to leave the country, despite the fact that he had been told that that person would not ask him to do that again. For Opa, his refugee status has meant that he must always be alert, always on task, never relaxing into the comfort of his home. At any moment, someone may have the authority to demand he leave. At any moment his freedom might be taken on the condition of a missed deadline, a missed communication, an arbitrary decision. I think Opa had sort of settled in and was feeling comfortable, but this letter exchange reminds him he has let his guard down and comfortable is a luxury he has not earned yet.

To be a refugee means that you have no idea where home is. It means that someone else gets to decide- always. This would throw me into a perpetual state of anxiety, high-alert, poised to move. A refugee must be in a position like a kitten that prepares its body to pounce, ready to go where it needs to go for safety- when at any moment, someone can grab you by the scruff of your neck and put you where ever they want you- rendering you paralyzed until you've been placed. Being a refugee means having little to no control over your life. These letters remind Opa that he is not a visitor, he is a refugee- and he cannot relax.