Answer:
During the Holocaust, Jewish refugees who had fled to other countries were more vulnerable than German Jews who had not yet been deported to concentration camps. This was because the refugees lacked the protection of their home countries and often faced discrimination and persecution in the countries where they had sought refuge. Additionally, the Nazis specifically targeted Jewish refugees for deportation and murder, viewing them as a particular threat to their ideology.
This vulnerability of Jewish refugees suggests that the society's universe of obligation, or the group of people to whom they felt responsible and accountable, was limited and exclusionary. The societies that rejected Jewish refugees, or even actively turned them over to the Nazis, did not consider them part of their universe of obligation. Instead, they saw the refugees as outsiders and threats to their own interests and security.
This limited universe of obligation was shaped by deep-seated prejudices and biases, including anti-Semitism, nationalism, and xenophobia. These attitudes made it easier for societies to turn a blind eye to the plight of Jewish refugees and to justify their exclusion and mistreatment.
Overall, the vulnerability of Jewish refugees during the Holocaust highlights the importance of expanding our universe of obligation to include all people, regardless of their background, identity, or nationality. It also serves as a powerful reminder of the devastating consequences that can result when we fail to do so.