As Nazi persecution of Jews increased in the 1930s, Foley used this position to help Jews to leave Germany by bending and often breaking the rules when issuing visas for Britain or Palestine, bypassing the strict British immigration laws of the time. He also hid Jews in his home and on a number of occasions entered Sachsenhausen concentration camp with visas to facilitate the release of Jews interned there.
Foley was defying his own government by issuing visas to people who did not qualify under British immigration restrictions. In fact, Head of the British Intelligence Service in Britain at the time believed the Government should stop all Jews from fleeing to Britain. He broke the rules set by his own government while risking his life if the Nazi’s found out. When the war started and Foley left Germany, he left behind thousands of already approved visas with instructions that they should be distributed to those fleeing the Nazi terror. It is estimated that he saved 10,000 people.
Images in this article: Holocaust Educationl Trust