Paul Komor

Paul Komor was a Hungarian businessman and diplomat.

He had lived in Shanghai since 1898, and had been involved in relief work as trustee of the Komor Charity Fund and chairman and treasurer of the Hungarian Relief Fund since 1924. Komor held the title of Honorary Consul General for Hungary in Shanghai in 1938-1941. He co-founded the International Committee for the Organization of European Refugees in China (I.C.), which was established in August 1938 and financed primarily by Victor Sassoon. The IC provided housing, jobs and financial assistance for the 18,000 German, Austrian and other refugees who came into Shanghai. The IC also issued international passports to the Jews of Shanghai whose Nazi passports were confiscated or no longer valid. Stateless refugees received identification cards signed by Paul Komor. These documents were accepted by the Shanghai Municipal Council as well as the Japanese authorities, and even by some foreign countries, such as Australia. These passports gave the refugees "legal" status so they could emigrate to the United States, Canada, Australia and elsewhere.