After the '' Kristallnacht '' in 1938 , the situation became rapidly more difficult for the almost 200,000 Austrian Jews . The only way for Jews to escape from Nazism was to leave Europe . In order to leave , they had to provide proof of emigration , usually a visa from a foreign nation , or a valid boat ticket . This was difficult , however , because at the 1938 Évian Conference 31 countries ( out of a total of 32 , which included Canada , Australia , and New Zealand ) refused to accept Jewish immigrants . The only country willing to accept Jews was the Dominican Republic , which offered to accept up to 100,000 refugees . Acting against the orders of his superior Chen Jie ( 陳介 ) , the Chinese ambassador to Berlin , Ho started to issue visas to Shanghai , part of which during this time was still under the control of the Republic of China , for humanitarian reasons . Twelve hundred visas were issued by Ho in the first three months of holding office as Consul-General
Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht
Ho Feng-Shan