The story of Paraguay as a land that invited and welcomed foreigners arose from the Paraguayan Government's adoption of a welcoming immigration policy to help rebuild the country after two devastating wars. However, in the first half of the century, this policy was subject to constant changes in opposite directions. Thus, Paraguay became a safe haven for both victims and perpetrators of the Holocaust. And while domestic politics play a part in this issue, dealing with the uncomfortable reality of having welcomed both Jews who were trying to escape the Holocaust and Nazi officials, leads us to the questions of: How can Paraguay reconcile being a safe haven for victims and perpetrators of the Holocaust? And how does this dichotomy live in the memory of the Jewish community and the larger Paraguayan community?
María del Pilar Ferreira Romero (Wed,) studied this question.