International Settlement Shanghai

Refers to a historical district in Shanghai established in 1863 under the jurisdiction of Western foreign powers. The British established a presence within the city of Shanghai to facilitate trade in the 19th century. They were later joined by other countries, including the U.S., France, Italy, Denmark and Germany. A treaty with the Chinese government established a self-governing International Settlement at Shanghai. Because of its status as a free port under international administration, Shanghai—and the International Settlement specifically–became a destination for many Jewish refugees from the late 1930s until the city fell under Japanese control in 1941.