Meet our Digital Projects Coordinator, Ryan Sun
Ryan Sun’s research explores the largely untold story of the exodus of WWII Jewish refugees to Hong Kong and Singapore.
In this Q&A, he shares his passion for Holocaust studies as well as insights into his research and on the future of Holocaust education.
Q: What brought you to the VHEC, Ryan?
A: As a PhD student, my life is rather isolating. It revolves around doing research, writing papers, and presenting at conferences. I wanted something more. When Dr. Letitia Henville, the co-op coordinator, suggested this opportunity at the VHEC, I immediately jumped for it. It felt like the perfect bridge between my own research and working with the public. As the Digital Projects Coordinator, I’m excited to see how I can help make their collection more accessible and to highlight specific holdings.
Q: What inspired you to pursue Holocaust studies?
A: I started off wanting to learn more about my birthplace, Hong Kong. However, when I was at the University of Toronto for my undergrad, I took two courses on the Holocaust taught by Dr. Doris Bergen who mentioned in one of her lectures that Shanghai was a Jewish refuge. That got me thinking about Hong Kong. I knew Hong Kong was a British colony and an important hub of trade with shipping networks connecting to Shanghai and across the British Empire. It made me curious: ‘there had to be a Hong Kong connection’, I thought. This motivated me to research the topic further for my MA, and now at the PhD level, I can say it’s been one of the best questions I’ve asked!

Docked at port, the Victoria was one of the passenger liners with a route to Shanghai from 1936-1940. Source: O7-5-9
Q: Tell us about your research. Why did Jewish refugees come to stay in Hong Kong and Singapore?
A: For starters, Shanghai was the main destination because it did not require a visa. In contrast, both Hong Kong and Singapore required visas to stay. There were only two ways to legally enter Hong Kong or Singapore: get a work visa or be sponsored by a local family member. For most Austrian and German Jewish refugees who entered either colony, they came in through a work visa. Musicians, doctors, and engineers – with some bringing their families – found jobs working with local companies. The other option was rarer and I have only found one exceptional case in archives. Herman Korcyzn, a Hong Kong resident, sponsored: his mother, his brothers and their families, his son, his wife, and his ex-wife. They all were able to escape to Hong Kong.
Before the outbreak of the Second World War, Jewish refugees in Hong Kong and Singapore were able to reclaim some sense of normal life. They participated in local Jewish life or went to work, and children attended schools. But being in the colonies, it was their first-time in a non-European environment. While many were fascinated by Chinese, Malay, and Indian culture and foods, some Jewish refugee families adapted to the colonial European way of life and hired locals as servants and cooks.

A telegram sent by Ronald Hall, the Anglican Bishop of Victoria, to the Colonial Office in Britain alerting officials in London about the expulsion of Jewish refugees from Hong Kong. Source: The National Archives (TNA): CO 323/1797/13, Internment of Enemy Aliens, Hong Kong Part 2, f 44. Source: Hong Kong | The National Archives.
This all changed on September 4, 1939, when Britain declared war on Nazi Germany. As Jewish refugees were technically still German nationals, they became ‘enemy aliens’ with men aged 18-45 sent to internment camps. Here, the two colonies chose different actions: while Singapore exempted genuine refugees from internment, Hong Kong did not and interned them at La Salle Internment Camp, a requisitioned school.
One internee, Gerhard Neuman, wrote in his memoir that the local authorities made sure internees were treated in a manner appropriate to European standards in the colonies. Despite living a regimented life, internees were able to play sports, read books in the library, and use the school’s theatre. After a few weeks, most internees – including all Jewish refugees – were released with restrictions but allowed to stay.
However, everything changed in summer 1940 when Nazi Germany defeated and occupied France and the Low Countries. This prompted the Hong Kong colonial government to issue an order of expulsion against all ‘enemy aliens,’ including Jewish refugees. Ignoring local protests and inquiries from London, Hong Kong officials clarified that all ‘enemy aliens’ will be reviewed by a panel, but that any hint of subversion would result in expulsion. In late-July, Jewish refugees in Hong Kong left for Shanghai. In Singapore, the Governor ordered a similar action. But rather than expulsion, ‘enemy aliens’ were transferred to internment camps in Australia. By September 1940, both Hong Kong and Singapore could no longer be considered Jewish refuges.
Q: Why has this story of Jewish refugees in Hong Kong and Singapore been mostly overlooked?
A: There are a few reasons. Firstly, numbers. Approximately 100 and 150-200 Jewish refugees found refuge in Hong Kong and Singapore, respectively. These numbers are small in comparison to Shanghai and the Philippines. Shanghai’s role as a shelter for over 17,000 Jewish refugees also makes a stronger claim to significance and is reflected in the wealth of academic publications. Second is timing. Unlike Shanghai, which housed Jewish refugees until 1949, Hong Kong and Singapore only lasted until June/July 1940 as refuges. Thirdly, both colonies (more so in Hong Kong) were concerned with the much larger number of Chinese refugees fleeing China due to the Japanese invasion. Although it may have been overlooked, the pieces of this unique story are still there. All you need to do is follow the escape routes of individual Jewish refugees and/or families.
Q. What do you think is the future of Holocaust education?
A: I think Holocaust education may become more comparative. Not in the sense of creating a ‘hierarchy of suffering’, but more in finding connections between shared traumas and violences that can allow for productive discussions between survivors of different atrocities. The recent uptick in antisemitism, anti-Asian violence, and systemic anti-Black racism, coupled with the mass graves of Indigenous children found near Residential schools demonstrates clearly that Holocaust education is still needed in Canada.
Ryan’s position is supported by Innovate BC’s Innovator Skills Initiative and TECHNATION Canada’s Career Ready Program.