Americo/ lavish Periodical Ceder
CLIFTON AVENUE - CINCINNATI 20, 01110
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle
Friday. lune 28, 1946
The Voice of the WOMAN
Man in the Street
REPORT FROM
GERMANY
By IRVING HAYETT
Foreign Correspondent
7•he Flossenberg Concentration Camp Case
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"It was rather curious," she reminisced. "The draft process for tho
army was something that all Jews in Russia were eager to avoid. Life
for a Jew in the Russian army under the czar was full of hardships
Flossenberg concen- Court doesn't understand me,
and cruelty. My oldest brother left Russia. about the time he was to be
ployees of the
there
won't
be
a
thing
I
will
do."
3803
in
MRS. GERTRUDE BEAN,
called and came to the United States. He brought over the second
tration camp listened to the
So,
the
Flossenberg
case
got
off
brother and then the two of them managed to bring over a sister. The
Tyler.
dietment against them as their to a fiery start. It is going to be a
trial opened before a Military
I attend the synagogue only on three of them worked and saved
Iery
case
because
the
T.J.A.
Government Court recently at
and then brought over two more
Lt. Col. Robt. J. Shaw, from Des Rosh Hashona and Yom Kippur
sisters. Finally, they brought over
Camp Dachau.
Moines, Iowa, a man who has and on the holidays when I have
As the indictment was read Served in both wars and who does to say memorial services for my their parents and myself and here
some of the defendants smiled,
I have been in Detroit ever since."
not want to have his children to mother. I know I ought to attend
some shook their heads and others serve in another war. His feeling the synagogue more for religion
In Detroit, she went to school
murmured to each other• under
and was graduated from Cass Te-
about the Nazis were well ex- can be a real
their breaths. On one occasion one pressed when he said to mo, comfort to a
chnical High School. In school,
of the younger men put his hands "There ain't no such thing as a person.
she was interested in business
in front of his face as if to stop good Nazi, the others should all
However, I
courses. She was also very fond of
a burst of laughter.
dancing. On graduation, she went
be hung and I'm going to do my feel that it is
This easy going mood was not
to work as a secretary and sten-
see that they get their just much more im-
part
to
shared by all the defendants, how. desserts." Col. Shaw is a fiery, portant for men
ographer.
ever. Some of them looked ter- hardened, tough Army man and is to attend serv-
About fifteen years ago, she be-
ribly worried and concerned and just the man to prosecute a bunch ices than wo-
came tremendously Interested in
others like Theodor Retzlaff were of criminals and hardened con- men and the
the Labor Zionist movement and
quite serious and concerned. Retz- victs such as these defendants arc. men just don't
joined the Pioneer Women. At
laff, with some other defendants,
do
it.
Whatever
He is just the man to make
that time, there were three groups
was actually an inmate of the these men fearful of what is to the reasons for
in this organization which has
camp, which was a work camp come and to make them suffer this are, I —
since grown to eight. A new group
for habitual criminals, at first. throughout the trial some of the think men should be encouraged was then being formed and she
When asked if he understood the pangs of fear and terror and un- to attend and get the benefits became a member. It was the
charges Retzlaff jumped to his easiness that they made others from this attendance.
start of work that has continued
feet and shouted: "I will not say
ever since. She became secretary
suffer.
yes. I lost my wife and my bro-
The preliminaries over with, the
of the group and later its chair-
ther in a concentration camp. I T.J.A. then very dramatically SAMUEL NOVITZ, 3258 Tyler.
I am at the synagogue every man. —mom by Eric Bennett
was sentenced to 5 years in a made his opening address. The
MRS. EMMA SCHREIER
penitentiary and 8 yeas in a con- defendants did not smile when Saturday and on all Jewish holi-
"We have quite a program," she
centration camp and I will not Col. Shaw addressed each by name days. I think all Jews ought to explained. "We train girls and young women for agricultural and other
answer 'yes' to this false justice." and number and pointed his attend a great deal more than vocational work in Palestine. Special emphasis is being put on training
they do.
the youth that is now coming in from Europe.
It was explained to Retzlaff by the finger at them and said:
I have noticed that there are
Court that he was not being asked
"A large part of our work consists of fund raising but we do. a
((Continued on Page 7
usually only older people there. great deal more than that. We carry out all sorts of cultural activate: .
to plead guilty but merely whether
We have to at- • the organization. We celebrate all the holidays in a way that makes
he understood the charges against
tract the young
.
er group to at- them more meaningful. We always have a speaker, usua y on
end services. If from our own group. We have discussion on current events at all our
meetings. Then we have cultural meetings and socials. We have con-
we fail to do
this, then the stant education in the field of Zionism, particularlyLabor
By LEON SAUNDERS
"It is our business to keep our women alert and informed. We have
synagogii e
would die out legislative committees who check tip on all the laws that are being pro-
us
when the older posed and then report back to the group. We see to it that all of
the
vote.
All
of
our
members
are
liberal
and
progressive."
gene ration is go out and
Under this title W. SomersetiMaugham makes his entry on name
The Pioneer Women support many children's homes in Palestine.
gone and I
literary stage once more. As in politics, so it is in literature. The
think this Their biggest project in Detroit is the Kfar Saba Home which has just
is still the thing, Shakespeare notwithstanding. Had anyone else come
would be the been completed in Palestine at a cost of $25,000. This home will house
out with an opus like this, it would be lost amidst the thousands of
greatest calam- eighty children.
novels published each year.
"Next season," enthused Mrs. Schreier, "we will raise the money to
The author calls it "A Novel of the Renaissance," as though any ity that could befall the Jewish
for
nation.
it will have separate
intelligent reader could not perceive it. It is like the famous inscrip-
which
t. Pet
I practice orthodoxy myself and I furnish
the home.
When
completed,
the
different
age
groups,
a
large
dining
hall
for
dinners
and
assem-
tion on the stone figure at the entrance of old S w
necessary which
says, "This is a lion, not a dog." Such warning as as it I feel that the orthodox syna- blies, a large recreation hall and many other parts."
gogues are sadly lacking in atten-
was doubtful which of the two species of fauna it represented.
When asked to explain the setup of the Pioneer Women's Organi-
The device Maugham used is an old one. He took a around
historical
him. dance on the part of the younger zation, Mrs. Shreier went into great detail.
tle plot
figure, placed him in certain milieu and wove alit olo Machiavel li , the element.
"The Pioneer Women are a sister organization of the Moatzoth
In this book, the hero is the unsavory Nicc
Hapoaloth (Working Women's Council in Palestine) and we work with
Mephisto of political science, the author of "Il Principe" the Prince. MOLLY LEVITT, 3293 Tyler.
them. We are a part of the Histadrut but we work independently of
Machiavelli, who was born in Florence, Italy and worked for the
Not very often, I'm sorry to say. them. There arc now eight groups of the Pioneer Women in Detroit.
government, was sent to appease the rising power of
in facrt,
Italy,
the whoele I attend only on the high holidays. Each group sends two or three delegates, according to its membership.
Borgia, known as Il Valentino. Italy, and as matter pr
I am orthodox and I notice that in to a Council that constitutes the executive boafd. We have one big
of Europe was not unlike the present Europe
of
e-waays.
rob- the synagogue where I go, the function each year, the annual donor, at which we raise the bulk of
like the novel, and , p Pr-
haps, Maugham had this in mind when he wrote the famous trips of families all
our funds. This usually comes in' January.
ably, this trip of Machiavelli to Borgia looked
come with their
"Our organization is very unified. We have both old and young
Chamberlain to Hitler, except that Chamberlain was a dunce and children. How-
women in the Council. We speak both English and Yiddish there. Many
Machiaveli was clever and trusted nobody.
ever, on Satur-
young women who join us are at first completely at sea if they do not
Thus, the substance of the novel evolves completely around Machi_
in a days, there are
speak Yiddish but they all manage to pick up enough of the language
avelli's sojourn in Imola, the seat of Borgia's
reign.
To
bring
hardly
any
makes the elderly hero evolve
to understand it. Originally we started out as a Yiddish speaking;
little
me
humor,
Maugham
and
y
o
u
ngsters
at
ro anc
t
group. As a national organization, we have nearly 20,000 members.
seduce a young matron. which enables the author to utter
a pl ot to sedu
mouth of his hero some clever and some platitu- all.
Here in Detroit, we have about a thousand."
mo
I don't know
thrgh
ou the arks concerning
love, marriage and life in general. As one
Mrs. Schreier is representative of her group in the Jewish Com-
what
to
suggest
ous the
rem
cynical
din
reads
novel,
one finds that the only pages which are amusing are to improve this
munity Council of Detroit.
those which narrate this effort of the elderly Lothario to force his love situation. On
"I feel that the Council has done some wonderful work," she said.
on the young woman. The political facts, the wars and struggles be- the one hand, it
"However, I feel that the delegates meetings ought to take place every
tween the factions and principalities in Italy are given in h
month Instead of once in three months. In this way, there would be
might help to
form and are based on the biography of Caesar Borgia, y
have some social activities which more opportunity for the delegates to voice their opinions."
Being an experienced craftsman, the author of "Cakes and Ale," s the younger folk would enjoy. But
Although the Pioneer Women's Organization takes up the bulk
"Moon and Sixpence" and "Of Human Bondage," weaves a have
ca nva s after all, a synagogue is not or- of her spare time, Mrs. Schreier finds opportunity to work in other
and paints a picture, but it is not worthy of Maugham. To
ganized for social activities but for organizations. She belongs to the Zionist Emergency Council and the
such meaty characters as Machiavelli and Caesar Borgia in the cast, the practice of 'religion.
Jewish National Fund Council. She is a member of the American Jew-
an experienced narrator like Maugham should have produced a nove: a
This is a real problem but I ish Congress, the League for Labor Palestine and the Old Folks Home.
of more gusto and spice rather than a flimsy Boccacian st. story
"On the whole," she summed up, "Detroit has quite a unified Jew-
W of tht • gues some wiser head than mine
lover whom circumstances prevent from keeping a tryhile
ish community. The setup here with the Federation and the Council
will have to solve it.
author did not intend to write a treatise on "Il Principe," Machiavelli
offers opportunity for real constructive work on a democratic basis. I
is pictured as "human, too human." Maugham presents to us, not ∎.; DAVID KEYWELL, 18911 Roslyn think, however, that we must attract more people into having a com-
Machiavelli the author and the statesman, but a glutton with a sic
munity interest."
Road.
stomach and a sensual Lovelace. Some exegesists believe that "Il
Some day. she plans to go to Palestine for a visit. If it is humanly
I think I go as often as is re-
Principle" is a didactic treatise, advocating autocracy, others think
possible,
she thinks, she will go this December for the Zionist Con.
quired.
By
that
I
mean
that
I
at-
e
because the conditions in Italy wre desperate, and
some Sat- gress.
how successful Il tend on all holidays,
that he
"The situation in Palestine is very had right now," she said. "But
he felt the need of a strong, unifying hand, and saw
ud
s and
r on ay
Valentino was in his domain in stamping out graft, corruption and
what I knori,
uite often at many of the reports we get are very exaggerated. From epidemics
and
disorder. Machiavelli is now a symbol of craftiness 16th
and and
treachery
in
think the Jews there are much more worried about
Friday
night
17th
cen-
I
lose
diseases in cattle than they are about curfews which are regarded as
and
the science of politics and statescraft. But in
services.
turies, medieval speculators took Empire and Church for granted,
I go to Tem- only a nuisance.
the question was only which one should govern. Nobody had any ides
"However, there is real danger in the recent Sevin statement on
ple Israel and I
of democracy or the rights of common people, and under the circum-
Palestine. I think that statement was simply outrageous. The whole
find quite
stances Machiavelli saw that a powerful despot was the only solution
large group of Labor movement is terribly disappointed with the government in
of the tu rnd suicidal wars with which Italy was torn.
younger people England. We had hoped that with a labor government, the English
theories produced a political motto, "L'Etat c'est moi."
there which I colonial policy would undergo a complete change. But no such thin::
Later on moil and
and Louis 14th ended on the guilotine of 1793.
regard as a is evidencing itself. The policy, if at all possible, is worse than it was
"Then and Now" is an obvious title which could be applied to any
fine thing. In under the Churchill government. I don't know how others in the labor
novel of any time or period in history. The world changes externally,
the orthodox movement react to this. I know that all my friends in labor just feel
but the same passions and personal interests take precedence over civic
synagogu es, terribly ashamed.
pride and duties, the same politicians under different names awl
"We have to go on working for Palestine," she continued, "and
I notice there is a great
however,
shiboleths with different slogans do their dirty work and as the popu-
hope for the best. After all we have accomplished, we can't give up
for absence of young folks.
now. European Jews who want to go there, and that includes almost
lation of the world is increased immeasurably and the machines
more
It is hard to analyze why the all of them, simply must have the opportunity."
slaughter are more deadly, more people are murdered and
young folks don't go to orthodox
She enjoys the work that she does rtnd gets a warm feeling of
efficiently.
synagogues. I guess it's because
W. Somerset Maugham wrote a novel which could have been signed
in Bl oods there is nothing there that at- satisfaction out of what is being accomplished.
"Our work for the Child Rescue Fund is very effective. We have
by Raphael Sabbatini whose swashbuckling heroes, the Ca p ta
nages tracts them. They don't have the
and Scaramouches. live and shoot in periods and deal wi perso
sent the Jewish Agency hundreds of thousands of dollars from th!s
necessary
education
to
understand
lust as those described in "Then and Now." The author of Human
country' in the last three years. This year, we expect to raise about a
Bondage did not add to his literary laurels with this novel, but, per- the prayers which are all in He. quarter of a million. We want people to know the importance of the
brew and in addition to that there movement. We want them to join. We want everyone to work together
haps he does not care.
are no social activities in which to help establish a Jewish National Homeland."
Jewish books available at the Zion Book Store, they could take part.
Hebrew, English and
9008 12th Street, near Clairmount.
With unperturbed curiosity, 52 him and the others. Still on his QUESTION: How often (lo you at-
tend the synagogue?
former officers, inmates and cm_ feet, Retzlaff said, As long as the
dr
Page Five
"My greatest interest in life outside of my home is the Labor Zion-
ist movement," said Emma Schreier who has just been reelected presi-
dent of the council of the Pioneer Women's Organization and who is
The Jewish Chronicle will pay accorded honor by the Chronicle and saluted as the Woman of tin
$1.00 to the person whose question Week,
is used in this column. Mail your
Mrs. Schreier was born in Minsk, in Russia, where she attended a
questions to the Jewish Chronicle, day school as a child. There she was taught Russian, arithmetic and
525 1Voodward Ave., Detroit 26.
Yiddish. At home she was taught some Hebrew,
Photos by ERIC BENNETT
"I don't remember too much of my childhood there," she said. "We
Staff Photographer
played just about the same type of games that little girls play here.
I felt perfectly free there. Minsk was an all Jewish city and was
quite free of anti-Semitism." .
afternoon.
TIME: Sunday .
She came to Detroit at the age of nine with her parents.
PLACE: Davison and Dexter.
Jewish Chronicle
∎ copyright 1946, All Rights Reserved)
This series of articles tells of the War Crimes
Trials in Frankfurt, Germany.
0
t
Then and Now