Turkey did not help during the holocaust, it oppressed its non-Muslim citizens

Submitted by Iskender (United States), Sep 28, 2011 at 15:22

The ship Struma loaded with 100's of Jewish refugees was refused and stayed in the sea until sunk by a torpedo near Istanbul during WWII. Some jews coming into Turkey were given permission to stay but only after paying heavy bribes (bahshish). And most importantly, during WWII Turkey instituted a wealth tax (Varlik vergisi) in order to break the back of all non-Muslim (infidel) entrepreneurs. The amounts levied on teh non-Muslims were often more than 100% of the taxed person's wealth. Those who could not pay were taken to Ashkale in eastern Turkey where they had to work in labor camps. Many died.

Turkish leaders explained that the purpose of this policy was to break the backs of the successful non-Muslims so that entrepreneurship would pass to the Muslims.

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