Dezider Scheer Collection

Biographical Note Dezider Scheer was born on April 26, 1918 in Mošovce, Slovakia. Throughout the 1930s, Jewish persecution under the Nazi regime steadily increased in Central Europe. Working as a teacher in 1938, Scheer was told he could no longer teach because he was a Jew. As the political situation worsened, Scheer looked to emigrate.

In 1939, Scheer left Slovakia hoping to get to Palestine. In 1940 he was interned in a refugee camp near Salerno, Italy. A representative of the Dominican Republic Settlement Association came to the camp and selected a group of young people, including Scheer, to join a growing Jewish agricultural colony in Sosúa, Dominican Republic. Scheer spent 10 years in Sosúa clearing land, planting and raising vegetables, and establishing and maintaining a farm in addition to becoming the director of a school created for Jewish refugees and Dominican children. In 1950 Scheer left Sosúa to join his brother in Canada. Establishing a new life as a Canadian citizen, Scheer married in 1954 and remained in Montreal.

Scheer along with his wife, Shirley, and their three sons, Allan, Mark and Leonard attended the 50th anniversary of the settlement of Jewish refugees in the Dominican Republic in 1990.

Historical Note In 1938 many Jews in Central Europe were unable to find countries willing to take them in. The Évian Conference was convened at the initiative of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in July 1938 to discuss the issue of increasing numbers of Jewish refugees. In the end the Dominican Republic was the only country willing to accept a large number of Jews, offering citizenship for up to 100,000 refugees.

Dezider Scheer was born on April 26, 1918 in Mošovce, Slovakia. Throughout the 1930s, Jewish persecution under the Nazi regime steadily increased in Central Europe. Working as a teacher in 1938, Scheer was told he could no longer teach because he was a Jew. As the political situation worsened, Scheer looked to emigrate.

In 1939, Scheer left Slovakia hoping to get to Palestine. In 1940 he was interned in a refugee camp near Salerno, Italy. A representative of the Dominican Republic Settlement Association came to the camp and selected a group of young people, including Scheer, to join a growing Jewish agricultural colony in Sosúa, Dominican Republic. Scheer spent 10 years in Sosúa clearing land, planting and raising vegetables, and establishing and maintaining a farm in addition to becoming the director of a school created for Jewish refugees and Dominican children. In 1950 Scheer left Sosúa to join his brother in Canada. Establishing a new life as a Canadian citizen, Scheer married in 1954 and remained in Montreal.

Scheer along with his wife, Shirley, and their three sons, Allan, Mark and Leonard attended the 50th anniversary of the settlement of Jewish refugees in the Dominican Republic in 1990.

In 1938 many Jews in Central Europe were unable to find countries willing to take them in. The Évian Conference was convened at the initiative of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in July 1938 to discuss the issue of increasing numbers of Jewish refugees. In the end the Dominican Republic was the only country willing to accept a large number of Jews, offering citizenship for up to 100,000 refugees.