Overview

In the late 1930s, as the Nazi persecution of Jews in Germany and Austria intensified, five distinguished gentlemen met half a world away for regular late-night poker games. What began as an excuse to drink whiskey, smoke cigars, and discuss the political events of the day resulted in an ambitious plan to rescue as many Jewish refugees as possible from the clutches of Hitler’s Gestapo.

This small group of men in Manila—Lieutenant Colonel Dwight D. Eisenhower, Philippine president Manuel L. Quezon, US high commissioner of the Philippines Paul V. McNutt, and Jewish American businessmen Alex and Philip Frieder—shared a sense of humor, a mutual respect for one another’s cultures and people, and an innate desire to help a persecuted population. They hatched an effort to welcome thousands of Jewish refugees to the Philippines, facing off against antisemitic and anti-immigrant resistance in their own countries, the spreading Nazi menace in Europe—and eventually the Japanese invasion of their Pacific safe haven.

Drawing on recently released archives and original interviews with some of the last remaining Holocaust survivors, journalist Mark Sy shines a light on the humanitarian partnership between Filipino and American freedom fighters and the harrowing experiences of some of the Jewish families they helped to rescue, when the rest of humanity chose to turn its backs on them. It’s a little-known tale of courage and compassion that ultimately saved more Jews than Oskar Schindler.

Reviews

“Detailing an heroic effort reminiscent of Oskar Schindler, The Manila Poker Club reveals the extraordinary story of a handful of Filipino and American leaders who devised a daring plan to rescue thousands of Jews as the horrors of war swept across Europe. Through a kaleidoscope of voices, journalist Mark Sy illuminates this inspiring chapter of courage, ingenuity, and moral conviction with urgency and grace.” —James M. Scott, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of Black Snow, Rampage, and Target Tokyo

“Carefully researched, The Manila Poker Club is a captivating and intimate narrative of the events surrounding the immigration of Jews to the Philippines during the Nazi pogroms on the eve of World War II. The role of members of the Frieder family, Philippine president Manuel Quezon, High Commissioner Paul McNutt and Lt. Col. Dwight D. Eisenhower in the initial planning stages of the migration sheds a unique light on this little-known story of the efforts of regular citizens to do what they could to save persecuted Jews during this critical time.” —Susan Eisenhower, author of How Ike Led and granddaughter of President Eisenhower

“This book is timely: a Filipino effort written from a Filipino perspective, about a chapter in the formation of the modern Philippines that has only begun to be properly fleshed out. Assiduous and remarkable research, combined with a real flair for navigating the confluence of cultures and personal stories of the era, makes this book a genuine contribution to the effort to understand the Commonwealth of the Philippines both in terms of its lasting impact and the fleeting nature of some of its most vivid and interesting moments.” —Manuel L. Quezon III, writer, historian, and grandson of former Philippine president Quezon

“With deft prose and a knack for storytelling, Mark Sy’s Manila Poker Club opens a new window on an often-neglected corner of World War II history. It serves as a sobering reminder of the far reaches of the Holocaust and brings to life the people who fled it and those who helped them. It’s an intriguing read.” —Theresa Kaminski, author of Angels of the Underground: The American Women who Resisted the Japanese in the Philippines in World War II

“Mark Sy has written a fascinating account of a little-known chapter in both Holocaust and Southeast Asian history. Tracing a bold humanitarian plan hatched during intimate social gatherings among a small group of powerful and influential men, Sy reveals how chance encounters can shape the course of history, and yet also how geopolitical risks and obstacles can threaten the loftiest goals. A chronicle of Holocaust escape for some—and foiled rescue for others—The Manila Poker Club is a particularly essential story for students of WWII in the Philippines, of the Asian Jewish diaspora, and of immigration and resettlement in resource-strapped lands. This is a history few of us know, yet more of us should.” —Tracy Slater, author of Together in Manzanar: The True Story of a Japanese Jewish Family in an American Concentration Camp

“Mark has shared the lives and circumstances that brought these extraordinary people together. Every person mentioned played a role, no matter if they were a rescuer or one of the rescued. It is such an unlikely story of people from many backgrounds and religions, working together to save Jewish lives. This book tells it all.” —Dr. Barbara W. Sasser, producer of the documentary Rescue in the Philippines: Refuge from the Holocaust

“This beautifully descriptive World War II tale, though grounded in meticulous historical research, reads like a spy thriller. The Manila Poker Club is a triumph!” —Kathryn J. Atwood, author of Women Heroes of World War II and The Belgian Girls: A Novel

“Paul V. McNutt aspired to the presidency but never occupied the White House. Yet history may judge him by a greater measure. At a moment when Washington’s immigration system offered little hope to Jews fleeing Nazi persecution, McNutt used the extraordinary authority as high commissioner to help create a refuge in the Philippines. Acting with determination, political courage, and deep humanity, he helped save more than a thousand lives. The Manila Poker Club restores this overlooked story and reminds us that the most enduring leaders are often those who use power not for personal advancement but in service to others.” —John L. Krauss, professor emeritus, Indiana University, and member of the extended family of Paul McNutt

Author Biography

Mark Sy was born in Vancouver and raised in Manila and Hong Kong. He is a graduate of Tufts University with a BA in political science. During the summer of 2020, he spent countless hours talking with a ninety-three-year-old Holocaust survivor in Jerusalem, an American president’s granddaughter in Washington, DC, and a Philippine president’s grandson in Manila to research The Manila Poker Club.