Political Department/Department of International Affairs

The Political Department was established in 1936 under Nahum Goldmann and Marc Jarblum in Paris, the Political Department was charged with the protection of the basic rights and freedoms of Jews in the political and diplomatic fields. Conditions resulting from the rise of Hitler, however, created for the Department the additional task of obtaining political relief for refugees. Following the move of the WJC's main office to New York in 1940, Maurice L. Perlzweig was named director of the Political Department. In 1947, Perlzweig became permanent representative from the WJC to the United Nations and Robert S. Marcus took over as political director. Following Marcus' death in 1951, Perlzweig resumed direction of the newly renamed Department of International Affairs and United Nations (New York Branch) and continued in that capacity until his retirement in 1974. The New York branch of the Department of International Affairs concentrated on the western hemisphere, while the London branch (directed by Alexander L. Easterman) covered the eastern hemisphere.

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. Departmental activities included intervening with individual governments, acquiring and maintaining a special status with the United Nations, appearing before international courts, and educating the public and governments on matters of Jewish interest. These activities are reflected in subjects dealt with in Series B., including anti-Semitism, 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). Materials in this series include correspondence, reports, memos, publications, releases, mimeographed materials, and submissions.