Moses Schorr - Schorr and Political Life

Schorr and Political Life

Though Schorr did not take an active part in political life, he participated as a scientific expert in a questionary campaign about the problems of the Jewish community in Poland arranged in February 1919 by the Governmental Commission. The protocols of the campaign were published in a separate book, W sprawie polsko-żydowskiej. Ankieta ("Concerning the Polish-Jewish question. Questionnary").

Schorr concentrated mainly on scientific work, teaching, and social activities, rather than politics, but in 1935, the president of Poland Ignacy Mościcki named him Senator in the parliament. In his parliamentary speeches, along with articles in the Jewish press, such as Nasz Przegląd and Chwila, Schorr expressed his concern about the growth of antisemitism in Poland and the passive conduct of the authorities in this regard. He led the Jewish immigration and colonial committee, which aimed to make possible the Jewish immigration from Poland to countries other than Palestine. He participated in the Évian Conference in France on the problem faced by 500,000 Jewish refugees from Germany and Austria with the advent of the Nazi regime and the Anschluss of Austria in 1938. The Évian Conference, held in Évian-les-Bains on the French shore of Lake Geneva, was convened at the initiative of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who invited European, American, and Australian delegates for an open discussion on organising the resettlement and immigration of those who experienced persecution on the basis of religion or race. Schorr was one of the key speakers in Évian and was highly involved as many Jews fled Germany for Poland. Golda Meir represented Palestine as an observer.