Lü Yiwen (, also known as Ro Gi-Bun; 1897–1950) was a Chinese diplomat who served as the ambassador of

Manchukuo Manchukuo, officially known as the State of Manchuria prior to 1934 and the Empire of Great Manchuria thereafter, was a puppet state of the Empire of Japan in Northeast China that existed from 1932 until its dissolution in 1945. It was ostens ...

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...

, since the German recognition of Manchukuo's independence in 1938. He subsequently took part in negotiating Manchukuo's entry into the

Anti-Comintern Pact The Anti-Comintern Pact, officially the Agreement against the Communist International was an anti-communist pact concluded between Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan on 25 November 1936 and was directed against the Communist International (Com ...

in 1940. Lü also served as the Manchukuo ambassador to

Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...

, a country that also had diplomatic relations with his country. He was accredited on 15 December 1941. In an interview with the Finnish press at the time he gave the estimate that he was the first Manchu to have ever set foot on Finnish soil. He said that although Manchus are not intimately familiar with Finland, they appreciate the country's war feats. When asked about snow and skiing, a popular Finnish pastime, he related that his large home country does get snow, but that in some places it is dry and hard and unsuitable for skiing whereas in other parts skiing is popular.

Rescue of Jewish Refugees During World War II

While serving as the ambassador of Manchukuo to Nazi Germany, Lü Yiwen was indirectly involved in efforts to rescue Jewish refugees. According to various accounts, his subordinate Wang Tifu played a key role in issuing visas through the Manchukuo embassy, enabling Jewish refugees to escape Germany. Wang Tifu later stated that he persuaded Lü Yiwen to allow these visas to be issued quietly and to continue assisting the refugees despite political risks. Lü Yiwen’s approval and oversight provided the necessary authority for these actions to proceed. This initiative is considered part of broader diplomatic efforts during that era, where diplomats took personal and professional risks to aid those in need. Historical accounts have highlighted Lü Yiwen's complex position as a diplomat representing a Japanese-controlled state, navigating delicate political tensions while facilitating humanitarian efforts. The story is documented through Wang Tifu's memoirs and scholarly research, including studies on Manchukuo-German relations and refugee assistance during the Second World War. Historians have recognized Lü Yiwen's role as supportive but emphasize that the specifics of his involvement remain subject to further research due to limited firsthand testimonies.

References

The Magic Background of Pearl Harbor
'. Department of Defense, Volume 4.
The Magic Background of Pearl Harbor
'. Department of Defense, Volume 3. Wang, Tifu (1988). ''Wei Man wai jiao guan de hui yi''. Harbin: Heilongjiang People's Publishing House. ISBN 7207012055. CLC 46906457https://search.worldcat.org/title/46906457). 何立注 (2005). "伪满外交官救助德国狩太人的历史秘密". 档案天地. 2005 (6): 19–21. NKI linkhttp://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbcode=CJFQ&dbname=CJFD2005&filename=DATD200506007). 王岩; 王佳玲 (2001). "民革有个'辛德勒'". 团结. 2001 (4): 32–34. NKI linkhttp://kns.cnki.net/KCMS/detail/detail.aspx?dbcode=CJFQ&dbname=CJFD2001&filename=TUJI200104009).

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lu, Yiwen 1897 births 1950 deaths Diplomats of Manchukuo

Rescue of Jewish Refugees During World War II

References

Further reading

External links