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Schedule Proposal-Photo with Yukiko Sugihara
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Schedule Proposal-Photo with Yukiko Sugihara
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Alexis Herman's Files
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FOIA Number: 2012-0741-F
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the William J. Clinton
Presidential Library Staff.
Collection/Record Group:
Clinton Presidential Records
Subgroup/Office of Origin:
Public Liaison
Series/Staff Member:
Alexis Herman/Ruby Moy
Subseries:
OA/ID Number:
5074
FolderID:
Folder Title:
Schedule Proposal-Photo with Yukiko Sugihara
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S
29
5
11
2
send copy to A. Mcgine
for letters attached
Bwcan woh at
February 1, 1995
This one last time
MEMORANDUM TO ERSKINE BOWLES
PAT GRIFFIN
BILLY WEBSTER
FROM:
DORIS MATSUI
RE:
SUGIHARA SCHEDULING REQUEST
It has come to my attention that the scheduling request for a
photo-op with Yukiko Sugihara has been rejected. I would like
you to revisit this request.
Since submitting the original request, I have received more
newspaper articles from major California newspapers as well as
letters of support for this event from Senators Feinstein and
Boxer, and Congressman Matsui in addition to the previous letter
submitted by Congressman Mineta. Sugihara has also meet with
Congresswomen Pelosi on her visit to the U.S.
The regret of this photo-op would not reflect positively on the
administration to the Asian and Jewish communities, especially in
the large communities in the key states of California, where she
was honored last week, and New York where she is being honored
this week. In addition, we have been informed by the Oral
History Project staff that both the Japanese and Israeli Counsul
Generals to New York will be attending the ceremony recognizing
her husband's work. She is staying in New York the entire week
and is prepared to fly to Washington on several hours notice.
It would be a great sign to the Japanese and Jewish communities,
as well as the nation as a whole, for the President to meet with
a widow, who with her husband saved approximately 8,000 lives
from one of the most horrifying atrocities we have ever known,
for no personal gain.
I have enclosed a copy of the original request, letters of
support and newspaper clippings. Thank you.
2/3-AH give to opinion
2/6
-
Ruby,
Please ask Alexis
to respond for
Marold.
01/31/95 16:03
002
BARBARA BOXER
1700 MONTGOMERY STREET
CALIFORNIA
SUITE 240
SAN FRANCISCO. CA 94111
COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT
(415) 403-0100
AND PUBLIC WORKS
COMMITTEE ON BANKING.
United States Senate
2260 EAST IMPERIAL HIGHWAY
SUITE 645
HOUSING, AND URBAN AFFAIRS
EL SEGUNDO, CA 80245
(310) 414-8700
HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING
COMMITTEE ON THE BUDGET
SUITE 112
625 B STREET
SUITE 990
JOINT ECONOMIC COMMITTEE
WASHINGTON, DC 20510-0505
SAN DIEGO, CA 92101
(202) 224-3553
(619) 239-2884
DEPUTY WHIP
2300 TULARE STREET
SUITE 130
FRESNO, CA 93721
(209) 497-5109
February 1, 1995
The President
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
I would like to introduce to you Mrs. Yukiko Sugihara. Mrs.
Sugihara would like to meet with you during her stay in
Washington, DC on January 29 through February 5, 1995.
Mrs. Sugihara is the spouse of Chiune Sempo Sugihara who
serve as the Japanese Consul to Lithuania during World War II.
During the month of August in 1940, Mr. Sugihara courageously
issued exit visas to 6,000 Jews fleeing the Nazi occupation of
Poland. These visas were issued as a matter of conscience
against the orders of the Japanese government.
In 1945, Mr. Sugihara and his family were arrested by Soviet
troops and moved to a Soviet prison camp. Upon return to Japan,
Mr. Sugihara was forced to resign his diplomatic post in
disgrace. Finally, in 1991 the Japanese government issued an
official apology to the Sugihara family and awarded Mr. Sugihara
the Nagasaki Peace Award.
Historians credit Mr. Sugihara with saving the second-
largest number of Jews during the Second World War.
Thank you for your consideration and I hope you can
accommodate Mrs. Sugihara's request.
Sincerely,
Babera Boxer
Barbara Boxer
United States Senator
BB:rj
TAN 31 '95 03:44PM SENATOR DIANNE FFINSTEIN
P.2
DIANNE FEINSTEIN
CALIFORNIA
Anited States Senate
WASHINGTON, DC 20510-0504
January 31, 1995
The Honorable William J. Clinton
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
I would like to bring to your attention an extraordinary person who would be
honored to meet briefly with you during her visit to Washington, D.C. I am referring
to Mrs. Yukiko Sugihara, who, with her late husband Chiune Sugihara in 1940, signed
transit visas to allow over 6,000 Jewish refugees to escape Lithuania for the Far East.
Mrs. Sugihara is currently in Washington, after spending some time in California
where she was honored with tributes to her late husband from the Simon Weisenthal
Center in Los Angeles, and the Herbst Theater in San Francisco. She will be in
Washington until February 5, 1995.
Against the orders of his government, Mr. Sugihara, who in 1940 served as
counsel general in the Lithuanian city of Kaunas, displayed heroic courage in order to
do what he so selflessly believed had to be done. With the help of his wife, Mr.
Sugihara granted both freedom and life to thousands of Lithuanian Jews who would
otherwise have been among the six million to lose their lives during the Holocaust. It
would be an honor for Mrs. Sugihara, and a very meaningful tribute to her late
husband who passed away in 1986, to meet with you during her visit to Washington. I
understand that this is very short notice, but should your schedule permit, I would very
much appreciate your careful consideration of this request.
Thank you so much for your time and attention to this matter.
Sincerely yours,
Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator
DF:lmb
PAGE 2
FILE No. 649 02/01 '95 18:40 ID:CONG. MATSUI
ROBERT T. MATSUI
WASHINGTON OFFICE:
FIFTH DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA
2311 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING
WASHINGTON, DC 208 15-0805
COMMITTEE ON
(202) 225-7163
WAYS AND MEANS
SUBCOMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES
Congress of the United States
DISTRICT OFFICE:
cote FEDERAL BUILDING
850 CAPITOL MALL
SUBCOMMITTEE ON TRADE
House of Representatives
SACRAMENTO. CA 95814
(016) 00 1-2640
WHIP AT ARGE
Mashington, DC 20515-0505
January 26, 1995
President and Mrs. William J. Clinton
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear President and Mrs. Clinton:
I am writing on behalf of Mrs. Yukiko Sugihara, a truly
special individual who is currently visiting Washington D.C. I
strongly urge that, if possible, you schedule a short meeting
with her.
Mrs. Sugihara and her late husband, Chiune Sugihara are
models of political courage in the face of great personal peril.
Mr. Sugihara, a citizen of Japan who was Consul to Lithuania
during World War TI, violated direct orders from Tokyo and issued
transit visas to thousands of Lithuanian and Polish Jews in order
to help them flee Nazi persecution.
In 1940 Japan, visas had to be hand written. Mr. Sugihara
worked day and night personally writing hundreds of visas each
day. His wife, Mrs. Sugihara gave her husband the necessary
support to continue to write visas though it was an arduous task.
The total number of visas upon which he signed was more than
6,000. Many of those who received these visas literally owe
their lives to the sacrifices made by these brave individuals.
The contributions that Mr and Mrs. Sugihara made to the
Jewish community have only recently been recognized. The cost of
Mr. Sugihara's work resulted in his dismissal from the foreign
service and public shame.
Mrs. Sugihara is here in Washington D.C. until February 5.
I can only reiterate what my collcagues and friends have said,
and urge you to arrange a brief meeting with Mrs. Sugihara. Your
attention to this matter is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
ROBERT T. MATSUI
Member of Congress
THIS STATIONERY PRINTED ON PAPER MADE WITH RECYCLED FIBERS
himan Y. MINETA
WASHINGTON OFFICE
MEMBER OF CONGRESS
2221 RAYBURN House OFFICE BLOG
15TH DISTRICT. CALIFORNIA
WASHINGTON, DC 20515-0515
TELEPHONE (202) 225-2631
DEPUTY WHIP
Congress of the United States
DISTRICT OFFICE
1245 SOUTH WINCHESTER BOULIVARD
SUITE 310
CHAIRMAN
house of Representatives
SAN Jose. CA 95128-3963
PUBLIC WORKS AND
TELEPHONE (408) 984-8045
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY:
Washington, DC 20515-0515
TELEPHONE (408) 438-4819
SUSCOMMITTERS:
AVIATION
TDD NUMBER (408) 884-5409
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
INVESTIGATIONS AND OVERSIGHT
PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND CROUNDS
January 26, 1995
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION
WATER RESOURCES
President and Mrs. William J. Clinton
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear President and Mrs. Clinton:
I am writing in the hopes that you could spare a few moments of your time to meet
with Mrs. Yukiko Sugihara, a truly extraordinary woman who will be visiting our Nation's
Capital in the next week.
Mrs. Sugihara and her husband, Chiune Sugihara, the former Japanese Consul to
Lithuania. were stationed in the Lithuanian capital of Kaunas when the Russian Army
invaded in June of 1940. At the time, the Soviet Union was allied with Nazi Germany. and
thousands of Jews descended on the Japanese Consulate seeking transit visas to escape to
Japan. Three times, Mr. Sugihara asked Tokyo's permission to issue the visas. hut his
request was denied. In direct defiance of his government's order, he began issuing visas
anyway.
Until he was ordered from the country, Mr. Sugihara continued to write visas day
and night with his wife massaging the cramps from his hand. He wrote hundreds of visas
each day, and by the time he and his family were finally forced to leave he had written
transit visas for more than 6,000 Lithuanian and Polish Jews.
When he returned to Japan after the War, Mr. Sugihara was fired from the Foreign
Ministry and it has only been in recent years that his story has become known outside of
Israel. There is little doubt that, if it were not for the Sugiharas' courageous actions, these
individuals would not have survived. When the Nazis invaded Lithuania, the vast majority
of the country's 240,000 Jews were killed.
Mrs. Sugihara will be in the Washington, D.C. area from January 29 through
February 5. It would be a tremendous sign of respect for the sacrifices she and her husband
endured if a brief meeting could be arranged, and I would greatly appreciate anything you
can do to help.
Sincerely yours
NORMAN Y. MINETA, M.C.
Chair
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
PHIN IEV UN MELTCLED
JAN 27 95
46 PM
P
5
Page
2
SF Chronicle
1/26/94
Japanese 'Schindler'
BURGLARY
From Page A15
Widow Burglarized
Sacramento yesterday to find the
Sugihara family and reimburse
them for the lost cash and their
By Ken Hoover
climbing and crawling along a pas-
return airline tickets to Japan. The
Chronicle StaffWriter
sageway designed to insulate
executive also took along a camera
rooms from traffic noise, Banta
to shoot new passport photos.
The widow of a Japanese diplo-
said.
mat who saved thousands of Jews
The story of the burglar has al-
from the Nazis during World War
Hiroki Sugihara phoned the ho-
ready appeared in the Japanese
II lost airline tickets, passports and
tel switchboard, and a security
press, where It seems likely to re-
about $3,000 in yen and dollars to
guard searched without success
ignite Japanese fears about crime
an early-morning intruder in the
for the burgiar.
in American cities.
San Francisco hotel room she shar-
Yukiko Sugihara's husband,
"These cases are a big part of
ed with two relatives.
Chiune, was Japanese consul gen.
the Japanese press, unfortunately.
eral assigned to the Lithuanian
People are alarmed to a certain de-
The cat burgiar, who has not
city of Kaunas when war broke out
gree," said Hiroshi Furusawa,
been caught, slipped into the
in Europe Defying his govern-
press officer for the Japanese con-
ground floor
ment's orders, he and his wife is
sulate in San Francisco.
hotel suite of
sued thousands of transit visas to
Potential Japanese visitors to
the Miyako
Jews trying to escape after the
Hotel in Ja.
the United States have been fright-
German invasion of Poland forced
ened by a number of high-profile
pantown at
many to flee to Lithuania, which
crimes committed against Japa-
5:30 a.m. Tues-
was then invaded by both Germa-
nese in the United States, among
day as Yukiko
ny and the Soviet Union.
them the killing of a Japanese stu-
Sugihara, 81,
Chiune Sugihara, who died in
dent in Louisiana and in 1993, the
slept in one
1986, has been called 'the Japa-
bedroom and
slaying of an exchange student
nese Schindler," after German
her son and
whose body was found at a Con-
businessman Oskar Schindler, who
cord BART station.
his wife slept
saved many Jews during World
in another. Su-
Sugihara
War II and became the subject of
"We certainly hope that this
gibara had
the Steven Spielberg movie,
case will not be blown out of pro-
come to the United States to be
portion here In the states," Furusa-
"Schindler's List."
honored in tributes to her late hus-
wa said. "There are quite a few
Her emotional U.S. tour is not
band.
crime cases, that's a fact, but there
only a chance to meet many of the
According to hotel manager
are many good people that we en-
survivors and their families, but to
John Banta, Sugihara's son Hiroki
counter daily here in San Francis-
promote B "higher awareness" of
co."
woke up to a noise in his bedroom
war and suffering
closet that he initially thought was
The "hot-prowl burglary." as
his wife, Michi. When he noticed
Banta sald he believes the Sugi-
police call it, did not deter the Su-
his wife was still in bed, he jumped
haras were the victims of a burglar
giharas from maintaining their
up and shouted.
who struck at random.
busy schedule. Yukiko Sugihara
The intruder shined à flash-
We just feel terrible about it,"
was in Sacramento Tuesday and
light in Hiroki Sugihara's eyes -
said Banta, who added that he is
yesterday. She attended a private
evidently to prevent him from
aware of only one other similar
luncheon in a state Senate confer-
identifying the burglar and ran
crime at his 600-room, 16-story ho-
ence room with legislators and oth-
away. The man gained entry
tel during the past four years.
er dignitaries, then attended a
through an unlocked sliding glass
A hotel executive was sent to
press conference.
door facing Laguna Street after
BURGLARY: Page A17 Col. 1
JAN. 27 95
PM
P
5
Page
3
The Oakland Tribune.
Robe
Is
Pb
A Pulitzer Prise-Winning Newspaper
Chur
Assistant Managing To
Chr
Assistant Managing Edt
TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 1995
PAGE A-12
CONGRESS shall make no kno respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people
peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grietances.
FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. RATIFIED DRC. 15, 1791
EDITORIALS
Remembering an act of
humanity and courage
T was 1940. Polish Jews were fleeing
family and reunited them with some of the
I
the Nazl persecution in Poland. They
survivors he saved.
made it to Lithuania any way they
Three of the Bay Area survivors and their
could, looking for a way to escape to
children met the family at the airport. That
a country where they might be safe
night at dinner, they all wept together.
from the escalating horror of the Holocaust
"Oh yes, It was very nice," said Hiroki Su-
They lined up outside the Japanese Em-
gihara. "It's always a wonderful thing to see
bassy, seeking visas. Chiune Sugihara,
them." The family first met some of the sur-
consul general, asked the Japanese govern-
vivors in 1968 when they traveled to Japan
ment If he could sign the visas. He was told
and searched for the man who had saved
no.
them. That visit led to the first newspaper
He asked again. The answer was again no.
accounts of Sugihara's courageous act; the
He asked a third time. His government
family had never before told anyone what
didn't budge.
they had done.
And then, be-
"I saw the children
The popularity
tween July 29 and
of Steven Spiel-
August 30, against
standing in line. My father
berg's Schindler's
the explicit orders
List, a similar story
of his government,
told me they would be
about an Industri-
Sugihara signed
alist who saved the
close to 2,100
killed if he didn't save
lives of hundreds
visas. A family
them."
of Jews, and the in-
could travel on each
dependence of
visa. Sugihara's act
saved between 6,
- Hiroki Sugihara
Lithuania and re-
lease of historical
000 and 8,000
records. have
lives.
drawn more atten-
According to his family, it was the faces
tion to the Suglhara story.
of the children that moved Sugihara to defy
his government
Although his courage was recognized be-
"I saw the children standing in line. They
fore his death at 86 in 1986, Sugthara paid a
were my age," said Hiroki Sugihara, a son
price for his deflance. He had to resign his
who was 5 at the time. "My father told me
office, ending his diplomatic career. After
they would be killed If he didn't save them. I
the war he went to Romania. The family was
asked him why don't we help them."
captured by the Soviets and stayed in a
With those precious visas, the Jewish ref-
camp for one year.
ugees traveled to Japan through Siberia,
Hiroki Sugihara attributes his father's act
where they tried to get visas to the United
to his "love, kindness and courage. His first
States, Canada or Australia. Most were
thought was the humanity of the people."
turned down. The majority ended up
The lesson? "If I can borrow my father's
spending the rest of the war in Shanghai,
words, he always said, 'If you understand
then migrated Ln the U.S. or Israel.
their language, you can be more friendly.
The dramatic history came home recently
And you can avoid war.'
when the San Francisco-based Holocaust
We salute the courage of Chiune Sugihara
Oral History Project sponsored an event that
and the wisdom of his words. They ring as
honored Sugihara's widow, Yukiko, and
true today as they ever have.
JAN 27 95
12:41 PM
P
5
Page
2
BY PETER DeSIIVA/THE CHRONICLE
Yukiko Sugihara, widow of diplomat who gave visas to Jews in World War II, was greeted by Solly Ganor (left) and Jerry Milford
Widow of Japanese 'Schindler' Visits S.F.
World War II survivors, descendants honor couple who saved 6,000 Jews
By Benjamin Pimentel
ternational Airport.
"The suffering and pains we
San Francisco.
Chronicle Peninaula Bureau
went through, the messy parts of
He said he does not remember
Sugihara, accompanied by
the war, young people don't
Yvonne Ryzak warmly grasp-
her four grown children, flew in
meeting Yukiko Sugihara during
know about them," Sugihara, 81,
from Los Angeles, where she met
the war, but at the airport, he
ed the hand of the woman who,
said through an Interpreter.
with other World War II survi-
shook her hands, thanking her
with her husband, saved the lives
of 6,000 people, Including Ryzak's
vors and movie personalities In:
Sugihara discovered the pain
repeatedly in Japanese.
father, 50 years ago.
cluding Steven Spielberg. Spiel-
of war when her husband was as
"Arigato, arigato," he said.
Yuklko Sugihara, widow of
berg directed the Academy
signed to the Lithuanian city of
Moshe Langer, 82, of San
Chlune Sugihara, the Japanese
Award winning film "Schindier's
Kaunas shortly before the war
Francisco, who also escaped from
List," about the life of the Ger-
consul general who helped Jews
broke out in Europe.
Lithuania with Sugihara's help,
escape from Lithuania during
man businessman who also help-
said he wished that he could have
World War II, was welcomed yes-
ed Jews escape the Nazis during
In 1940, Chiune Sugihara de.
seen Chiune Sugihara before he
the war.
fied the orders of the Japanese
terday to San Francisco by survi-
died in 1986.
government by Issuing transit vi-
vors of the war and their descen-
Chiune Sugihara has been re-
sas to thousands of Jews trying to
Another survivor was Jerry
dants.
ferred to as the "Japanese Schin-
escape after the Nazl invasion of
Ryzak who, his daughter Yvonne
dler."
"It's not every day that you
Poland forced them to Lithuania,
sald, went to Sugihara's house in
Sugihara said she came to the
which itself was invaded by both
Lithuania early one morning to
get to meet the person who, In
essence, saved your life by saving
the Sovlet Union and Germany.
ask for his help.
United States to meet some of the
your parent's life," Ryzak, a 38-
survivors that she and her hus.
One of them was Barek Win-
He got a visa to Japan, moved
year-old public affairs consultant
band helped and to promote a
to China and arrived in the Unit-
ter, who escaped to Japan and
from San Mateo, said after greet-
"higher awareness" about war
ed States after the war. Ryzak,
then to China before coming to
ing Suglhara at San Francisco In-
and suffering.
the United States. He now lives in
SAVIOR: Page A16 Col. I
Fram the Sain Franciscon
-1
104 inno
JAN 27 '95
12:45 PM
P
5
Page
3
SAVIOR: Widow Visits S.F.
From Page A15
Recent publicity about the tale
also sparked the interest of some
who died three years ago, is surviv-
high school students who came to
ed by three daughters and six
welcome Yukiko Sugihara.
grandchildren.
One of them, Christine Lopez,
"My sisters and I wouldn't be
16, asked her to sign her autoblog.
here If not for her and her hus-
raphy, which was a best-seller in
band," Yvonne Ryzak said. "We
Japan.
are really the fruits of their labor."
"Great honor to meet her," she
For his heroism, the Israell gov-
said. "It's not in our textbooks. We
ernment honored Sugihara in
don't know about it, so finding
1985, the year before he died.
about it Is a great experience."
Lani Silver of the Holocaust
Sugihara will be honored dur-
Oral History Project, which helped
ing a gala tribute in San Francisco
organize Yukiko Sugihara's visit,
on Sunday. She will then visit oth.
said they hope to make the Sugi-
er U.S. citles, including Sacramen-
haras' story as popular as those of
to and New York, before returning
other World War II heroes.
to Japan in early February.
5
Page
4
JAN 27 '95,
12:45 PM
P
Japanese 'Schindler'
finally gets his due
about their experiences," said Ry-
S.F. tribute to
On Sunday, his widow, Yukiko
zak of San Mateo. "But while the
Sugihara, will attend a gala tribute
Holocaust was always talked about
little-known lifesaver
at San Francisco's Herbst Thentre
in the world, Sugihara - whom
organized by the Holocaust Oral
my father called a great man, a
History Project and 10 other Jew.
By Ánnie Nakao
righteous man - was almost
ish and Japanese American organi-
OF THE EXAMINER STAFF
mythical to us because no one else
zations. Project officials count a
Yvonne Ryzak grew up listening
talked about him."
dozen survivors or their family
to her father talk of his miraculous
The late Sugihara, who may
members who were aided by Sugi-
escape from the Nazis and about
have' saved between 6,000 and
hara in Northern California.
Chiune Sugihara, a Japanese diplo-
10,000 Jews by issuing them transit
"This is an obscure man, but he
mat who made it possible.
visas to the Far East, is being re-
"My parents believed in talking
vered as an example of moral cour-
[See SUGIHARA, A-10]
age that still shines 54 years later.
SUGIHARA from A-1
young sons, Sugihara was sta-
his gates. Sugibara cabled his gov-
Little-known hero
tioned in the Japanese Consulate
emment three times, asking per-
in Kaunas, then the capital of Lith-
mission to grant visas. Each time,
saved WWII Jews
uania. That small country soon be-
it was denied.
came a tiny oasis for thousands of
Then, after consulting with his
rose to great heights in a moment
Jewish refugees who had fled Hit-
,wife, he began issuing them on his
in time," said Hillel Levine, direc-
ler's juggernaut in Poland.
own. Between July 9 and Aug. 31,
tor of Boston University's Center
Lithuania hadn't fallen, but the
1940, Sugihara issued 2,139 visas,
for Judaic Studies, who is writing a
Soviets were poised to invade. Jews
according to archival records in the
book about Sugihara. "He knew
flooded the country, hoping to es-
Japanese Foreign Ministry uncov-
these people were doomed, 80 he
cape to other nations.
ered by Levine. Since these were
issued visas with wild abandon."
Word somehow got out that the
issued to heads of households, it is
Sugihara may be the least
Japanese consul was giving out vi-
estimated that between 6,000 and
known hero of the Holocaust.
sas, and crowds swelled outside the
10,000 Jews may have been helped.
Swedish diplomat Reoul Wallen-
consulate's gates.
Among the lucky recipients of
berg is credited with saving 100,000
Scholars can only speculate on
those visas was Ryzak's father,
Hungarian Jews by setting up safe
why Sugibara did what he did. He
then a 32-year-old mill worker who
houses and intervening personally
probably knew few Jews himself,
had escaped Poland, where most of
after their arrests. And thanks to
although it is known that he had
his family had perished. It was A
director Steven Spielberg's "Schin-
befriended A young Jewish boy
dangerous journey.
dier's List," we know the story of
Chiune Sugihara may have saved
named Solly Ganor who had gone
"He ran from town to town, and
Oskar Schindler, a freewheeling
as many as 10,000 Jews.
to his consulate asking for stamps.
every time he looked over his
German capitalist who used his
The young stamp collector in-
shoulder, he saw the town on fire,"
wiles and charm to save 1,200 Jew-
times, a young provincial Japanese
vited Sugihara to his home for Ha-
Ryzak said-"That's how close he
ash factory workers.
growing up in the early 20th centu-
nukkah, and Sugihara was delight-
came to not making it."
But Sugihara, a minor diplomat
ry.
ed with the Jewish "Festival of
Ryzak's father, too, heard the
Little known to the world, in a sense
Sugihara didn't even attend the
Lights," which reminded him of
rumors about the Japanese Con-
outshined them both, Levine says.
University of Tokyo, the preemi-
some Japanese celebrations.
sulate. Never one to join the
Unlike Wallenberg, who was back-
nent institution that made careers.
crowds, however, he got up at at
ed by his government, Sugihara
He graduated from second-rated
A special Hanukkah
dawn, went to the consulate,
acted against the direct orders of
Waseda University.
There, the family told him of
picked up Sugihara's morning pa-
his government.
But a remarkable talent for lan-
Nazi atrocities. It is likely that they
per and waited. When the diplomat
And unlike Schindler, who at
guages - he spoke seven landed
had a strong effect on Sugihare's
emerged in his white morning robe,
least initially profited by using
him a job with the Foreign Minis-
decision to help the Jews, the Ho-
Ryzak gave him his paper and
Jews as cheap labor, Sugihara had
try. He was especially good in Rus-
locaust Oral History Project be-
made his request.
no personal motives.
sian.
lieves.
"He was told very nicely to
In many ways, Sugihara acemed
In the summer of 1940, at 40
In any case, it was hard to ig-
come back in a few hours," Ryzak
an unremarkable product of his
years old, with a wife and two
nore the flood of humanity outside
said. "He came at the appointed
from The San Francisco Examiner
Tuesday, January 17, 1995
5
Page
2
5
95
03:25 PM
P
093563
Holocaust Oral History Project
January 5, 1995
President Bill Clinton
Dear Mr. President,
We at the Holocaust Oral History Project in San Francisco request your
assistance in helping us honor one of the great humanitarians of our time
We would like to bring Mrs. Yukiko Sugihara to Washington D.C. to meet
with you at the end of Januaryl Present plans call for her to be in Washington
from January 28th to February 6th.
In August, 1940, the Japanese Consul-General to Lithuania, Chiune Sugihara,
was moved by the plight of the Polish Jews attempting to flee Nazi
persecution. Their only hope was to escape to the East, as the occupation of
Poland had been well established for some time. Hundreds of Jewish families
lined up on Sugihara's doorstep in Kaunas, Lithuania, hoping to receive
visas for the flight through Russia. Sugihara asked his government three
times for permission to write the visas, and was denied each time.
Encouraged by his wife Yukiko, Sugihara defied his government and hand-
wrote some 2,000 visas, saving the lives of between six and ten thousand
Jews, the second largest number saved after Raoul Wallenberg. Sugihara,
while answering to a higher authority than the Japanese government, was
still not beyond its reach and was stripped of his position and treated as a
pariah for the rest of his life until his death in 1986. Until very recently, his
great deed went unrecognized.
We were very pleased at the success of our mission to Japan in August of this
year, which honored Mrs. Sugihara. We held many wonderful events, and
were even fortunate enough to have Ambassador Mondale attend and speak
at one. The one drawback of our trip is that we could not reunite as many of
the "Sugihara Survivors" (those that received visas and were saved) with
Yukiko as we would have liked. Out of thousands, she met only two.
Therefore, we have invited Mrs. Sugihara to the United States!
Mrs. Sugihara, as well as her son Hiroki, will be arriving in Los Angeles
January 12, and will begin a four week tour of our major cities- Los Angeles,
San Francisco, Washington D.C., and New York. We presently have two
wonderful events planned: the first in Los Angeles on January 15 at the
Simon Wiesenthal Museum (with Steven Spielberg), and the second in San
Francisco at the Herbst Theater on January 22. However, we would be
eternally grateful if you would be so gracious as to meet with Mrs. Sugihara
and some of those she and her husband rescued. We sincerely believe that
on
Page 3
5
95
03:26 PM
P
Mrs. Sugihara and the memory of her husband deserve this recognition. We
would be honored if you would give it to her.
We are trying to coordinate her stay in Washington with the Holocaust
Memorial Museum, and hopefully they will host an event for her. We
would be even more grateful if you could invite her to the White House. We
would also welcome your presence at the San Francisco event on January 22 if
that is better for your schedule. Our goal is to have the name of Sugihara just
as well known as those of Schindler and Wallenberg, and we would like you
to help play a part in bringing this about.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Lani Silver
Lani Silver
Bill Schwartz
Executive Director
Event Coordinator
Eric Sand
S Smplicio
Eric Saul
Sean Simplicio
Archivist
Project Volunteer
Schedule Proposal
1/27/95
ACCEPT
REGRET
PENDING
TO:
Billy Webster
Deputy Assistant to the President
Director of Scheduling and Advance for
the President
FROM:
Alexis M. Herman
M
Assistant to the President
Director of Public Liaison
REQUEST:
Brief meeting and photo with Yukiko
Sugihara.
PURPOSE:
To recognize the heroic actions of
Yukiko and her husband, the late Chiune
Sugihara
BACKGROUND:
Chiune Sugihara was the Japanese Consul
to Lithuania in 1940 when the Soviet
Union, who at the time was allied with
Nazi Germany, invaded. Against direct
orders from Tokyo, he wrote 2,000
transit visas saving the lives of
between 6,000 and 10,000 jews. These
visas allowed Lithuanian and Polish Jews
to escape the Nazis via the far East.
Following the war, Sugihara was fired
from the Foreign Service. It is only
recently that his story has become known
outside of Israel.
The vast majority of the country's
240,000 Jews were killed. Sugihara is
known as the "Japanese Schindler".
Mrs. Sugihara is visiting the United
States where she and her late husband
have been honored for their heroic
efforts by many including Senators Boxer
and Feinstein, Congresswomen Pelosi,
Mayor Jordan of San Francisco and Steven
Spielberg.
PREVIOUS PARTICIPATION: None
DATE AND TIME:
She will be in Washington between
January 29 - February 5.
BRIEFING TIME:
None required
DURATION:
10 minutes
LOCATION:
Oval Office
PARTICIPANTS:
Mrs. Sugihara and her children (7)
OUTLINE OF EVENTS:
President greets Mrs. Sugihara and her
family, photos taken and the group
departs.
REMARKS REQUIRED:
None.
MEDIA COVERAGE:
White House photographer only.
FIRST LADY'S ATTENDANCE: NO
VICE PRESIDENT'S
ATTENDANCE:
NO
RECOMMENDED BY:
Doris Matsui
Sara Ehrman
CONTACT:
Doris Matsui 6-2930
Danny Wexler 6-2930
ORIGIN OF THIS PROPOSAL: Requests from Holocaust Oral History
Project in San Francisco and
Congressman Mineta attached.
SECOND LADY'S ATTENDANCE: NO
MAN Y. MINETA
WASHINGTON OFFICE:
MEMBER OF CONGRESS
2221 RAYBURN House OFFICE BLOG.
15TH DISTRICT. CALIFORNIA
WASHINGTON, DC 20515-0515
TELEPHONE (202) 225-2631
DEPUTY WHIP
Congress of the United States
DISTRICT OFFICE:
1245 SOUTH WINCHESTER BOULEVARD
SUITE 310
CHAIRMAN
house of Representatives
SAN Jose. CA 95128-3963
PUBLIC WORKS AND
TELEPHONE (408) 984-8045
TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY:
Washington, DC 20515-0515
TELEPHONE (408) 438-4819
SUBCOMMENTEES:
AVIATION
TDD NUMBER (408) 984-5409
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
INVESTIGATIONS AND OVERSIGHT
PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND CROUNDS
January 26, 1995
SURFACE TRANSPORTATION
WATER RESOURCES
President and Mrs. William J. Clinton
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear President and Mrs. Clinton:
I am writing in the hopes that you could spare a few moments of your time to meet
with Mrs. Yukiko Sugihara, a truly extraordinary woman who will be visiting our Nation's
Capital in the next week.
Mrs. Sugihara and her husband, Chiune Sugihara, the former Japanese Consul to
Lithuania. were stationed in the Lithuanian capital of Kaunas when the Russian Army
invaded in June of 1940. At the time, the Soviet Union was allied with Nazi Germany. and
thousands of Jews descended on the Japanese Consulate seeking transit visas to escape to
Japan. Three times, Mr. Sugihara asked Tokyo's permission to issue the visas. but his
request was denied. In direct defiance of his government's order, he began issuing visas
anyway.
Until he was ordered from the country, Mr. Sugihara continued to write visas day
and night with his wife massaging the cramps from his hand. He wrote hundreds of visas
each day, and by the time he and his family wcrc finally forced to leave he had written
transit visas for more than 6,000 Lithuanian and Polish Jews.
When he returned to Japan after the War, Mr. Sugihara was fired from the Foreign
Ministry and it has only been in recent years that his story has become known outside of
Israel. There is little doubt that, if it were not for the Sugiharas' courageous actions, these
individuals would not have survived. When the Nazis invaded Lithuania, the vast majority
of the country's 240,000 Jews were killed.
Mrs. Sugihara will be in the Washington, D.C. area from January 29 through
February 5. It would be a tremendous sign of respect for the sacrifices she and her husband
endured if a brief meeting could be arranged, and I would greatly appreciate anything you
can do to help.
Sincerely yours
NORMAN Y. MINETA, M.C.
Chair
Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
UN HELTCLED
5
95
03:25 PM
P
093563
Holocaust Oral History Project
January 5, 1995
President Bill Clinton
Dear Mr. President,
We at the Holocaust Oral History Project in San Francisco request your
assistance in helping us honor one of the great humanitarians of our time
We would like to bring Mrs. Yukiko Sugihara to Washington D.C. to meet
with you at the end of January! Present plans call for her to be in Washington
from January 28th to February 6th
In August, 1940, the Japanese Consul-General to Lithuania, Chiune Sugihara,
was moved by the plight of the Polish Jews attempting to flee Nazi
persecution. Their only hope was to escape to the East, as the occupation of
Poland had been well established for some time. Hundreds of Jewish families
lined up on Sugihara's doorstep in Kaunas, Lithuania, hoping to receive
visas for the flight through Russia. Sugihara asked his government three
times for permission to write the visas, and was denied each time.
Encouraged by his wife Yukiko, Sugihara defied his government and hand-
wrote some 2,000 visas, saving the lives of between six and ten thousand
Jews, the second largest number saved after Raoul Wallenberg. Sugihara,
while answering to a higher authority than the Japanese government, was
still not beyond its reach and was stripped of his position and treated as a
pariah for the rest of his life until his death in 1986. Until very recently, his
great deed went unrecognized.
We were very pleased at the success of our mission to Japan in August of this
year, which honored Mrs. Sugihara. We held many wonderful events, and
were even fortunate enough to have Ambassador Mondale attend and speak
at one. The one drawback of our trip is that we could not reunite as many of
the "Sugihara Survivors" (those that received visas and were saved) with
Yukiko as we would have liked. Out of thousands, she met only two.
Therefore, we have invited Mrs. Sugihara to the United States!
Mrs. Sugihara, as well as her son Hiroki, will be arriving in Los Angeles
January 12, and will begin a four week tour of our major cities- Los Angeles,
San Francisco, Washington D.C., and New York. We presently have two
wonderful events planned: the first in Los Angeles on January 15 at the
Simon Wiesenthal Museum (with Steven Spielberg), and the second in San
Francisco at the Herbst Theater on January 22. However, we would be
eternally grateful if you would be so gracious as to meet with Mrs. Sugihara
and some of those she and her husband rescued. We sincerely believe that
on
5
5
95
03:26 PM
P
Mrs. Sugihara and the memory of her husband deserve this recognition. We
would be honored if you would give it to her.
We are trying to coordinate her stay in Washington with the Holocaust
Memorial Museum, and hopefully they will host an event for her. We
would be even more grateful if you could invite her to the White House. We
would also welcome your presence at the San Francisco event on January 22 if
that is better for your schedule. Our goal is to have the name of Sugihara just
as well known as those of Schindler and Wallenberg, and we would like you
to help play a part in bringing this about.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Lanisilver
Lani Silver
Bill Schwartz
Executive Director
Event Coordinator
Eric Eric Sand
S Smplicio
Eric Saul
Sean Simplicio
Archivist
Project Volunteer
THE WHITE HOUSE
9661 9 - 9 - FEB
Harold-
is still to
My incluration
decline - -
as that ok-
Yes No
Big