No Reply

May 13, 1939. The MS St. Louis ocean liner pulls out of Hamburg harbor and begins a long journey across the Atlantic Ocean toward Cuba. On board are more than 900 German Jews fleeing Hitler, including Hermann and Rita Goldstein and their 10-year-old son, Heinz. The passengers hope to stay in Cuba while they wait for visas to enter the United States. However, once the ship arrives in Havana's harbor, the Cuban government refuses to let the passengers enter. An urgent request goes out to America, seeking permission to dock. But a plea sent all the way up to the White House is ignored. Passengers are told that, without visas, they cannot come into the United States. The ship's captain has no choice but to turn back to Europe, where many passengers will be delivered into the lethal hands of the Nazis. "NO REPLY: A Jewish Child Aboard the MS St. Louis and the Ordeal That Followed" tells the story of Heinz and his harrowing flight for safety.