Skipper Next to God

The play is based on the St. Louis affair, where a ship with Jews from Nazi Germany could not find safe haven anywhere and had to return, leading to the eventual deaths of those aboard. The play takes place in 1938 on the ship the Young Nelly, whose Dutch captain is bringing 146 Jews to South America. When they are not allowed to disembark in South America, the captain takes his ship to the United States where the Jews are also denied entry. Finally, he decides to sink his ship, with the hope that the Jews will be rescued, knowing that he is destroying his own career.