My Grandmother and Great Grandmother's immigration to the US and immigration policies

My grandmother, Genowefa Wojtkowska, in later years known as Jean Schmitz, arrived in Ellis Island on September 19, 1920 with her mother, Maryanna Wojtkowska.

Ellis Island Ship Manifest arriving Ellis Island port New York page 2. Credit

This when they immigrated from Poland to the United States via the vessel "New Rochelle". They left Danzig on August 29, 1920. It took them 32 days of travel. 

New Rochelle renamed in 1920 in which my grandmother and great grandmother sailed upon. Credit1 and Credit2 

Ellis Island Ship Manifest leaving Danzig page 1. Credit

What did they need upon arrival at Ellis Island? 

The answer is simple - Not much. They had to list where their final destination was and if they could read and write. It was this simple. This was the process at Ellis Island.

Didn't they have to have a visa?

The signing in of the law in 1917. Credit

The answer is No. The 1917 Act implemented a literacy test that required immigrants over 16 years old to demonstrate basic reading comprehension in any language. This my great grandmother did (above) as you can see by the column if they can read yes/no.

The US did bring in a quota system in 1921 under the Emergency Quotas Act of 1921. This was only to limit the amount of people because the ports were so busy. A really good explanation is here with a video. 

In fact, visas were not required until 1924 when stricter visa laws came into effect under the Johnson-Reed Act. 

By this point, many of the people in the US today had ancestors who already went through this, and many other ports, to settle into the USA.

During 2016-2019's culture of "my ancestors came over legally" doesn't stand up because today there are so many more hurdles to jump through to get into the US, than back in even in 1926 when my grandfather arrived.

"there were no numerical limitations on immigration, no requirements to have an existing family or employment relationship with someone in the country, and no requirement to obtain a visa prior to arriving" - American Immigration Council

When my grandfather, Mathias Schmitz, in later years known as Mathew Schmitz, arrived in Ellis Island in April 1926, he did have to have a visa, which he did and it was noted on the ship manifest. 

My grandfather, Mathias Schmitz, ship manifest in April 1926 when he came to the US page 1. Credit Not all manifests were capturing visa numbers at this point. 

The vessel my grandfather came over from Germany on. Credit1 and Credit2

1926 German manifest translated of my grandfather (in red) going to US. Credit

1926 German manifest in German of my grandfather (in red) going to US. Credit

By 1930, manifests paperwork had started to capture visa numbers. My grandfather went back to visit in Germany. His entry is the last on the cropped page above. Credit

My grandmother and great grandmother came over while their country was at war with Russia before the Iron Curtain fell. In fact, they could have even been classified as political refugees because of the fighting. 

They knew, just like many of the women and children today, if they were to be sent back, it would have meant they would have either been sent somewhere else or imprisoned. It would have more than likely meant death. These are the exact same problems some of today's immigrants are dealing with. 

Credit

In fact, if you look at my grandfather and where he lived during 1926, the area was part of  Occupation of the Ruhr where there was military occupation of the German Ruhr valley until 1925 due to defaulting on war payments in the 1920s by Germany. That's when a treaty called the Locarno Pact in 1925 took place.  This was to increase Germany's confidence among its people.  One point of the pact was to leave the area, Rhineland, where my grandfather lived as permanent demilitarisation of the area. One of the ideas of why my grandfather left was because I think he didn't believe this would continue once the area was released to Germany. I think this, combined with the German Mark falling, probably prompted him to leave Germany. 

The red dotted area was where in 1919 Treaty of Versailles prohibited a defensive wall or other reinforcement in the area. Another condition of the treaty was the area was to be returned to Germany by 1935. 

This was about 2 years before my grandfather left Germany. Credit

However, today is the day we celebrate my grandmother and great grandmother getting their dry feet on US soil and completing their journey to the USA. 

Credit

I believe all my ancestor's who came to the USA, including the ones who enter in September 1920, wanted what was written on the Statue of Liberty as it was the first beautiful, magical thing (my grandmother's words) they saw and believed in. Even today when I see videos, like below, it sends tingles down my spine.

I believe the "The New Colossus" says it all.

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Taken from The New Colossus page.

What is written and bolted to the Statue. Credit

I first saw these words when I was a child, and he ones bolded above are the most important and what we understand growing up. I consider these words very important next to the pledge of allegiance. 

There can be laws put into place, but everyone still needs to treat each other with respect due to a living person. There has to be a way to work through problems and not just send the people back to places where they might end up dead for trying to get a better life. They worked through problems like these back 100 years ago, and did it with respect and consideration. 

We're all adults and it's time adults started treating others like this as this is what is sorely lacking in today's society. I think everyone is forgetting one of the basic things they were taught growing up.