ABSTRACT
In his recent book China – West-o¨stliche Schaupla¨tze, Bo¨hlau (2007), Mat-
thias Messmer surveys the life and times of Jews who lived in China during
the pre-State period. From his depictions, it becomes clear that the Jewish-
Chinese nexus was not at all insignificant, in fact, Jews, because of their refugee predicament, were one of the most active foreign elements in China
during one of its most turbulent periods of revolution and change. In Part I,
Chapter 2 of the present book, Messmer gives detailed descriptions of those
Jews who had official status in China as ‘‘Foreign Experts’’. The next para-
graphs are an incomplete collation of some of the exceptional people who
lived and/or worked in China for varying periods before the establishment
of the PRC, and some during the Cultural Revolution. Some of their stories
are nothing less than intriguing. Some became national heroes for the Chinese people, others were recognized as heroes of humanity or to the Jewish
people. A number of books and movies have already been written about
their exploits and adventures, and many more books and movies deserve to
be made about those who have till now been forgotten.
