America's Awisk Periodical Cotter

3, 1 91

Sep tember 13 1940

CLIPTON AVENUE - CINCINNATI 20, OHIO

DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and the Legal Chronicle

p urely Commentary

Nazi Revival of Yellow Badge

they
ndon,
on 93
the
istian
-Semr

,

ution

the

es is
calm.

eon.
Liver

Zei•
orate
'd on

The
'hich,
;It in
de.
Ger-
fear-
most
ation
y.

.

the
vhile
eyed
Then
dis-
rges

rem-

on
'ray,
rob;
ted:

,

rea-

?ace
Mr.
fan-
his
son.
ern,
hu-
out
ex-
Ted
)ry,
bus
. .
tra-
trel

'ke-
en-
ime
of

tiro

in
kel
!es.
af-
led
hat
eir
cy.
ing

)e-

ew
on.
in-
ith
to

Revival by the Nazis of the Yellow Badge to
be worn by Jews and the effort to introduce it
„ ay bol of shame" in conquered lands is cause
degrada-
hat this "mark of Antwerp
y of
ew,ing t he histor
907 : e‘-v ini
came from
ormation t
hc
inf
. " T
tion
e hat the non-J e ws of the community protested
the introduction of this badge b y wear-
against
g it as a mark of sympathy with the Jews is
in f great interest. This action helped to thwart
o
Nazi • s c heme in the Dutch community.
the
In a recent issue of The Catholic World, edit-
d by the Rev. James M. Gillis, Miss Dorothy
e
Penn wrote an article on "The 'Rota' Worn by the
Jew in the Middle Ages" in which she reviewed
interesting fashion the history of the Yellow
in Badge. In the course of her article, in which
references to Dr. Solomon
she made' several
hc Church and the Jews 'in the Thir-
"T he
teenth Century," Miss Penn wrote:

"It is said that the origin of the idea of
s eparating believers from non-believers by
special dress for the latter, originated with
the Mohammedan Calif Omar in the year 634,
when he ordered that in his kingdom unbe-
lievers should wear different headgear and
girdle, and a patch on their outer garment
on the s houlder,—Jews a yellow one, Chris-
tians blue, and Magi black. This custom
spread through all Islamic lands. In the ninth
century in Sicily the Mohammedans made the
Jew wear a white symbol with the image of
a m onkey, and the Christian one with the
image of a pig. The same images were af-
fixed to the houses of Jew and Christian.
(This fact is quoted from Dr. Grayzel's book).
"In Christian Europe as early as 1204 we
find Pope Innocent suggesting some distin-
guishing mark for Jew and Saracen. At the
famous Lateran Council (1215) it was first
officially established that 'Jews and Saracens
must be distinguished from Christians by a
difference in their clothes.' The reasons giv-
en were several: to prevent Christians by
mistake having relations with Jewish and
Saracen women; that Moses had commanded
the Jews to wear dress different from Gen-
tile; that otherwise the Jew had a too aris-
tocratic appearance.
"It seems the enforcement of the decree
and the details of the insignia were left to
local kingdoms and communes. In the dio-
cese of Paris and in France in general the
ruling was probably first carried out. A pas-
sage from 'Or Saura' of R. Isaac ben Moses,
a Jew of Vienna, tells us: 'And when I,
the author, was in France, we used to wear
round signs (wheels) upon the clothes, for
thus it was decreed against the Jews at that
tim e . . . Some used to sew them into the
garment . . Others used to make a circle
from parchment and attach it to the gar-
ment . . This was in Paris about 1217, a
little over a year after the Lateran Council
decree.
"In general this sign was known as the
'rota,' or wheel, or disk. The insignia were
made by the civil authorities and sold to the
Jew s much as bicycle or auto tags are sold
today. This wheel had to be worn by Jews
of both sexes, boys of 13 or over, girls of 11
or over.

"The accepted form of this badge came
to be a circl e of yellow felt, about a palm's
width in diameter, sewed on the outer dress,
over the left breast or near the left shoulder.
Sometime s this disk was half red, half white.
Ulysee Robert, French scholar of the last
century, sees in this round badge the symbol
of the piece of money paid to Judas, or
simply a symbol of gold (money) always as-
sociated with the Jew. Yellow paint, too,
was put on the houses of insolvent debtors
in the Middle Ages. To explain the use of
a badge half red, half white, Robert points
to a medieval legend, very popular and often
heard when anti-Semiti c feeling ran high.
A Jew is supposed to have stolen one of the
consecrated wafers, and as he ran carrying
th e white Host, drops of red blood were seen
to come out of it. Hence the red and white
badge.
"Naturall y the Jew s sought to prevent the
enactment of such decrees, even going so
fa r as to send representatives to the Pope.
When such measures failed, they depended
on economi c pressure. Thi s latter recourse
worked well in Spain where Jews could mi-
grate to Moorish lands, taking their money
and trade, and s o indirectl y aid the Moslem
enemie s of Spain. In France and Germany
the us e of economi
c threat does not seem to
hav e
been so effective in mitigating the en-
forcement of the decree. Charles V. is re-
corded to hav e permitted the Jews to omit
the badge whe n
traveling. The insignia seems
to have dropped out of use in the fifteenth
century."

Now, in the twentieth century, this nasty sym-
bol of the Middle Ages is being revived again.
It is difficult to imagine that enlightened Chris-
tian peoples, knowing that the early Christians,
too, were subjected to such humiliation—just as
Christians were the first to suffer from the ritual
murder libel, later using the libel themselves
against the Jews—should tolerate it.
It is interesting to make note of the fact that
the sale and distribution of the yellow badges
was a matter of business with the states in the
Middle Ages. Nevertheless, it was the Jew who
was branded as being always associated with
gold and money.
important fact, in relation to the
"badge
badge of shame," will be of interest at this
tune, 'Writing in the year 1645, John Evelyn
stated: "The Jews in Rome wore red hats, till
a Cardinal of Lyons, being shortsighted, lately

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

saluted one of them, thinking him to be a Cardi-
nal as he passed by his coach; on which an or-
der was made, that they should use only the
yellow colou•." This anecdote, which is an his-
torical fact, ought to open the eyes of clea•-
thinking men and women on the question of im-
posing badges of shame upon a group of people
living in their midst. It ought to prove the ridic-
ulousness of spreading hatred among men, in-
stead of encouraging a feeling of good will. There
were times—and we have recorded incidents to
prove them—when Popes stopped their coaches
to chat with Jews. We have instances in our
own times of honest men and women—in Ant-
werp—pinning a yellow patch on their clothes
in order to register protest against indignities
heaped upon a persecuted Jewish minority. Let
this be a lesson for Christians who are abusing
their faith. True religion does not know and
never should know hatred. Nazism which tries
to impose bigotry upon friendly peoples is the
very antithesis of true religious faith.

CONFERENCE ON REFUGEE WORK IN
LANSING SEPT. 22

Dr. William Haber, Fred M. Butzel, Isidore Sobeloff,
Rabbi Adler and Others to Address the Sessions

The Michigan State Resettle- Welfare Fund of Chicago, will
ment Service, together with the review the refugee work carried
Council of Jewish Federations on by the Joint Distribution Com-
mittee; and Rabbi Morris Adler,
and Welfare Funds, is sponsor- of
Congregation Shaarey Zedek,
ing a Michigan State Confer- Detroit, will describe the present
ence, to be held Sunday, Sept. program of the United Palestine
22, at Hotel Olds, in Lansing, Appeal. The luncheon is sched-
Mich. Representatives of the uled for 12:45 o'clock.
American Jewish Joint Distribu-
The afternoon session of the
tion Committee, the United Pal- Michigan State Conference will
estine Appeal and the National b e given over to the specific topic
Refugee Service will participate of community organization of the
in the day's discussion of vari- small communities of Michigan.
ous points in the resettlement Speaker of the afternoon will be
program.
Isidore Sobeloff, executive direc-
Divided into three periods, the tor of the Detroit Jewish Wel-
Conference will open with a fare Federation, who will discuss
morning's session devoted to an "Developing Organized Jewish
intimate discussion by the Mich- Community Effort."
igan delegates on the refugee
'Congressional Record'—By J. Thorkelson situation of adults and children. Interested members of Detroit's
community are invited to
Fred M. Butzel, president of De- Jewish
this conference.
The issue of the Congressional Record of Satur- troit's Resettlement Service,
who
day, Sept. 7, carried a total of 28 columns of will preside, will review reset-
trash from reactionary and fascist sources by tlement and refugee work in
Congressman J. Thorkelson of Montana.
Michigan. Participants in the dis- Brochah Goldstein of J. C.
That issue should have carried a masthead read-
include: Mrs. Arthur Du-
R. S. to Meet Sept. 18
ing: "CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, By J. Thor- cussion
Bois, Flint; A. B. Roman, Bay
kelson."
City; Harry Polasky, Saginaw;
The Brochah Goldstein Auxil-
That's the way this Congressman and his fel- Alfred Frank, Petoskey; Mayor iary of J. C. R. S. will hold an
low travelers will make use of this material in Norman Wiener of Albion and open meeting on Wednesday,
an effort to spread hatred against the Jews and Manuel Brown of Grand Rapids. Sept. 18, 1:30 p. m., at the home
in an attempt to undermine the democratic forces Mrs. Samuel R. Glogower, who of Mrs. Emil Edelson, 3784 Cort
in this country.
serves as chairman of the Chil- land Ave.
The Sept. 7 issue of the Congressional Record dren's Department of the Detroit
Plans are being completed for
is certainly not to the credit of the other members Resettlement Service, will give the auxiliary's second annual
of Congress who permitted such nonsense to be a resume of the present day sta- donor luncheon to be held Jan.
printed at Government expense.
tus of refugee children.
21, at Pereira's on Dexter Blvd.
Dr. William Haber, executive The chairman, Mrs. Sam Zinges-
director of the National Refugee er, has appointed her committee
LaMed's Literary Foundation
Service, will address the lunch- to include Mrs. Al Goldfeder,
eon meeting of the Conference, banks, Mrs. Phillip Robinson,
Formation of the Louis LaMed Foundation detailing the program of his or- rummage; Mrs. Henry Greenburg
should attract nationwide attention.
ganization. Samuel A. Gold- and Airs. Ruben Golds, charity
A former Hebrew teacher who later studied smith, secretary of the Jewish books.
law and subsequently entered the furniture busi-
ness, Air. LaMed is keenly interested in the cause
of Yiddish and Hebrew culture. What he is doing,
in creating the foundation, is a most commend-
able undertaking and he should be encouraged in
every possible way in expanding the idea.
You'll like our fine foods, our large variety, our efficient and
Mr. LaMed's liberal effort in this direction is
of particular significance at this time. The center
courteous service, our modest prices. An assortment of
of Jewish learning is being shifted to this coun-
delicatessen and dairy dishes always on hand.
try. With the destruction of freedom in Poland
and other East European countries, the United
States will become the pivotal point from which
Jewish learning will henceforth emanate. This
holds true for Hebrew as well as Yiddish, since
60 CADILLAC SQUARE
HARRY DERMER, Prop.
the Jewish population of this country is ten-fold
that of Palestine.
Yiddish and Hebrew writers have been without
encouragement. With few exceptions, most of
them practically had to peddle their wares before
they could secure sufficient financial assistance to
ONE OF THE MOST MODERN IN THE STATE
aid them in their work. While the LaMed Founda-
NEW PUPILS NOW BEING ENROLLED
tion provides very limited funds, it will be of
some encouragement and should go a long way
at 11812 Linwood Ave., corner Tuxedo, upstairs
towards creating new interest in Jewish culturai
SIMON RICHARDSON, Principal
values.

•

•

EAT AT HARRY DERMER'S!

DERMER'S KOSHER RESTAURANT

KADIMAH HEBREW SCHOOLS I

•

The Transformation of a Name

A story that has caught on and has been going
going the rounds, regarding a repentant soul,
runs as follows:
1900
"Hello, Mr. Levine"
1910
"Hello, Mr. Levin"
1920
"Hello, Mr. Le Vine"
1925
"Hello, Mr. La Verne"
1930
"Hello, Air. Livingston"
1940
"Hello, Air. Levine."
These few words cover a lot of ground—in a
brief period of time. Look at the record of time,
and you will find that it is applicable to all times
and all climes. Its moral is universal, and until
now has been unending.
•

An Early Lesson in Sacrifice

"Deborah," women's editor of the London
Jewish Chronicle, tells us that: "Little Laura
Judelson, aged 3, of 76, Broomfields Avenue,
Edgware, has the right "win-the-war" spirit, a
spirit which could and will be emulated by older
folk. She has presented her aluminum toy tea-
set to the aluminum fund, and it was displayed
in the shop-window of Mr. Leigh, in Edgware
Way, among the other gifts presented by local
Jewish residents towards this latest win-the-war
effort."
Thus, children are learning very early in life
to make sacrifices for their country and in de-
fense of their freedom.
"Deborah"
The little incident recorded by
should set people to thinking in comparative
terms of the wealth and security we enjoy in
this country as contrasted with the pressure of
life in England. We still throw out our empty
cans after we have consumed our food and drinks.
In England the garbage collectors are using mag-
nets to draw out pieces of metal which have
been thrown out accidentally by housewives. Our
children still have toys to play with. In England
3-year-olds are sacrificingly giving up their tea
sets.
All of which is added reason why we should
be jealous of our rights and why we should be
determined to fight to the bitter end to retain
our liberties.

Private Lessons Can Be Arranged

Transportation furnished for children who live at a
distance from the school.
For information call TOwnsend 6.1698

BUICK'S Best Bet

GET IN TOUCH WITH

Jack Al kon

You Will Do Much Better

ALKON MOTOR SALES

Detroit Phone I
Vinewood 2-3060

--BUICK—.

SALES AND SERVICE

2400 Biddle Avenue

Wyandotte
Phone 0650

Wyandotte, Mich.

EXPERIENCE
ABILI TY — SERVICE
APPROVED F.H.A. MORTGAGES

We invite your mortgage business.
It will receive our careful considera-
tion frog inception to completion.

General Discount Corporvion

1605 BARLUM TOWER

f.

