1935 Inauguration of the Philippine Commonwealth

The five Frieder brothers from Cincinnati, Ohio (Philip, Henry, Alex, Morris, and Herbert) made their fortune in cigars, which they manufactured in the Philippines. The brothers took turns managing the cigar production. Every two years, one of the brothers (excluding Henry) and his family would relocate to their home at 44 Brixton Hill, Santa Mesa, Manila. The Frieder brothers were passionate poker players and often played with influential individuals, such as President Manuel L. Quezon, the US High Commissioner Paul V. McNutt, and Army Colonel Dwight D. Eisenhower. In the late 1930s, together, they devised a way to provide refuge in the Philippines to German and Austrian Jews. President Quezon stipulated that those who came not be a burden on the Philippine economy, so the tiny Jewish community in Manila accepted that responsibility. While McNutt pressured the US State Department to keep Philippine borders open to refugees, the Frieder brothers (working with the Joint Distribution Committee) arranged transportation and visas for European Jews who possessed skills in fourteen occupations, one being cigar manufacturing. President Quezon provided a temporary home for the refugees where they could live and grow their own food on the land he was developing for his son. The haven was named Mariquina Hall. Between 1937 and 1941, the Frieder brothers, McNutt, Quezon, and Eisenhower aided in the rescue of over 1,300 Jews. In December 1941, the Japanese invaded the Philippines. All Frieder brothers had returned to the US a month earlier in anticipation of the invasion. Between December 1941 and September 1945, Manila was under Japanese occupation. Ironically, during that time, unlike all other internationals who were interned in a make-shift prison in Santo Tomas University, the Jewish refugees were considered Germans - therefore allies of Japan - and not imprisoned. A few refugees were killed in the crossfire between US and Japanese armies as the battle for Manila ended. Birthdates: Alex Frieder - December 2, 1893 Corinne Rosenberg Frieder - March 11, 1893 Edna Frieder Lichtig - August 7, 1918 Louise Frieder - June 12, 1922 Alice Frieder Weston - July 1, 1926 Inauguration of the Philippine Commonwealth (of the United States). The Commonwealth was created by the Tydings-McDuffie Act, which was passed by Congress in 1934. When Manuel L. Quezon was elected president in September 1935, he became the first Filipino to head a government of the Philippines. The Commonwealth Government was inaugurated on the morning of November 15, 1935, in ceremonies held on the steps of the Legislative Building in Manila. The event was attended by a crowd of around 300,000 people. 01:18:03 American flag. Large crowd (mostly Filipino) seated for the ceremony. High-level (cabinet/military) members proceed to their seats. View of the crowd, official news cameras, and military band. More high-level personnel take their seats. "Legislative Building" inscribed on building. More shots of the podium, crowds, and cameramen from the stage, where Alex Frieder was seated with his daughter Alice. 01:20:14 President Manuel Quezon shakes hands as he makes his way through the crowd after the inauguration. Parade with flag-bearers in the crowd below. 01:20:34 CUs, Filipino women in traditional dress pose with Corinne and Alice Frieder on the street.