Exploring traces of Jewish Olomouc

Perl's action

In response to the "travel agency" known as the Black Rose and other hustlers, the organizers of illegal transports attempted to diminish the influence of these middlemen by opening a satellite office in Olomouc. The Prague "Emigration aid" was the real organizer of illegal immigration, hiding under the name of "Perl's Action".

William Perl was a Prague native living in Vienna who initially organized illegal transport to Palestine only for members of the Betar movement. Gradually, however, he built up such a network of contacts among the Nazis and the smugglers that he decided to try to get as many young Jews as possible out of Europe through bribes. He was successful in eluding both the Gestapo and the British secret services and as a result rescued around ten thousand people.

The picture shows one of the advertisements in German which informed the Jewish public about the "Perl Action" and its branch in Olomouc.


ContinueBack to map

Terms and Privacy

© 2025 USC Shoah Foundation, All Rights Reserved