1964-TH E DETR OIT JEWISH NEWS- 2
Purely Commentary
Is the Nazi Spirit Being Resurrected?.
During the picketing of "The Deputy," on the play's
opening night, a placard prominently displayed the slogan:
"the lie of the 6,000,000."
A prize-winning Princeton University freshman wrote to
the student newspaper deriding "the image" of the 6,000,000.
Wayne State University's student newspaper published a
letter written by an Arab ridiculing the Jewish cry of persecu-
tion and similarly reviving a Nazi slogan.
The Arab propagandist, it is true, attempted a pose of
sanctimony by saying he would join in the fight against Hitlerism.
Was that the case with the Arab nations during the war, when
they were aligned with the Nazis and played both ends to attain
all their objectives? What about the former Mufti of Jerusalem
who went to Germany as an advisor for the extermination of the
Jews by the Nazis? Didn't the WSU Collegian's correspondent
follow a similar line when he spoke out for homelessness for
Jewry? Who are these propagandists who would condemn Jewry
to permanent wanderers on the face of the earth?
Is it possible that a new corruption of the human Mind has
set in and that the Nazi spirit is regaining its influence?
It has been said that Arab propaganda, financed by "oil
money," is in some measure responsible for the renewed neo-
Nazism. Perhaps it is, simply, the Nazi idea which may not
have perished except that Hitler and his hordes were defeated.
Yet, during the past few days there has been presented evidence
that should shame all who have not been deranged by insanity
at the very .thought that mankind had failed to come to the
aid of our kinsmen who were marked for death. Here are two
items, in a single week's news that has been filled with evidence
of Nazi brutalities, that should cause those who have demon-
strated anti-Semitically (including our Arab Semitic cousins)
to hang their heads in utter disgrace:
BRUNSWICK, German y,
FRANKFURT, Germany,
Feb. 25 (UPI) — A former
March 2—(UPI)—A woman
Nazi storm trooper told a
doctor today told the Ausch-
West German war crimes
witz death camp trial that
court today how his SS (elite
she watched Gestapo guards
guard) unit forced Jewish
burning babies alive.
children to watch their
Dr. Ella Lingens, a former
Auschwitz inmate, said the
fathers being shot to death
before they were herded to
camp commandant ordered
their own deaths in front of
the babies burned because
machine guns.
there was no room for them
Otto Kielhorn testified for
in the jammed gas chambers.
* *
the prosecution in the trial
of five former SS officers
The Vienna woman doctor,
accused of directing the mas-
thrown into the camp by the
sacre of 5,200 Jews in Pinsk,
Nazis for "political reasons,"
Byelorussia, during World
said she worked in the
War II.
women's hospital. There was
He said the Jews were
almost no medicine but about
rounded up, marched out of
7,000 starving patients, She
town after being stripped of
said babies were born in
their valuables by security
wards filled with women suf-
policemen, forced to strip to
fering from typhus, cholera
their underwear and killed
and other diseases.
as the children watched.
"One of the children even
"The children then were
lived for nearly a year," - she
driven into the line. of fire
said.
of light machine guns," he
said.
This disgrace is not that of the American Nazis alone, but of
those who have given them a platform. We would not deny to any
one—even to an anti-Semite, and certainly to our Arab cousins.
But the line must be drawn when correspondents incite to riot
and to murder. That's what the Princeton freshman did: yet he
was given high honors two days after his letter was published.
That's what the Arab studying in Detroit did: yet our university's
newspaper gave a platform to someone inciting to hate and bigotry.
In Germany, in Austria, in Romania, there were university
professors and college students who were the leaders of anti-
Semitic movements who had set the tone for bigotry and the
perpetration of massacres against Jews. It is possible that this
can happen also in universities in our great land of freedom and
justice?
Genocide ... Fulbright ... the National Interest
Congressman Seymour Halpern made a strong statement in
the U.S. House of Representatives, urging that the U.S. Senate
ratify the Genocide Convention, which aims to outlaw the
persecution of religious and national groups, and . which already
has been adopted by more than 60 nations, including the Soviet
Union.
But the United States and Great Britain still are hesitant
to declare that anything like that approximating the Nazi holo-
caust should be outlawed by humanity!
What a sad commentary on an American shortcoming!
And possibility of getting action in support of the Genocide
Convention is so remote!
Only a few months ago. Senator J. W. Fulbright, chairman
of the U.S. Senate Foreign , Relations Committee, wrote to an
American Jewish Congress representative:
"It is my impression at the moment . . . that the situation
in the Senate has not yet developed to a point where a two-
thirds vote is likely. Under these circumstances there is serious
doubt whether the national interest would be served by pro-
moting a debate at this time which might lead to a defeat
of the subject matter."
Under such circumstances, what hope is there for action
by the Senate? Why is the issue suddenly turned into a matter
into which is dragged the question of "national interest"? It's
a sad situation!
The Jewish Apologists for the Anti-Semites
It has happened so often in history—that Jews, renegades
or misled—have come forth to defend anti-Semites!
There were some of that ilk in Germany, just as there
were a few in Spain.
There is a group in Poland that maintains a front for
Communism and is antagonistic to Israel and to Jewish traditions.
They are to be found in Russia, where, several months ago,
the Sovietishe Heimland crew repudiated Jewish claims for just
rights to Jews in the Soviet Union.
Must Human Minds
Remain Brutalized
by Hatred for Jews?
By Philip !Rothschilds at
Slomovitz 'Bond Conference
Now, in spite of appeals by such distinguished non-Jewish
men of fame like Bertrand Russell and others, a few apologists
have been found to justify the death sentences for Jews who
have been accused of speculative tactics. While non-Jews
similarly branded have gotten off with prison sentences, Jews
are marked for execution—and Jews have been found in Russia
to defend such a policy by the Kremlin!
It is in the Soviet Union that the atrocious blood libel
charge has been spread in recent years. Yet the Jewish apologists
are sprouting their own brand of libels against their own kins-
men.
The most recent anti-Semitic tract published officially in the
Ukraine is a typical example of the trampling of justice in
Communist countries.
Is it possible that all the appeals for fair play in the
USSR is falling on deaf ears?
Extortionists Who Took Ransom from Nazi Victims
YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, one of the major col-
lectors of documentary evidence of the period of the hurban, of
the holocaust during which six million Jews lost their lives, has
brought us to an important exhibition—"Life, Struggle and Up-
rising in the Warsaw Ghetto."
During the coming few weeks, and at the annual event that
marks the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto rebellion against
Nazism, our community will have an opportunity to view much
of the actual material dealing with the struggle that was con-
ducted by a few thousand Jews against the vast armies of Ger-
many, the available documents, photographs, books and replicas
of weapons that were resorted to by the heroic fighters in the
resistance.
The Warsaw Ghetto uprising brings to light again not only
the heroism of the Jews who were determined not to be sent to
their doom to the gaS chambers, but also the relationships of .J
with non-Jews and with those on the "Aryan side"—Warsaw
outside the ghetto—who were expected to help them but among
whom were betrayers of justice.
It is true that there were many Christians who helped the
Jews during the Nazi years. Many Jews were hidden and their
lives were saved. But there were by far too many non-Jews who
betrayed their fellow-men who happened to be Jews, and there
were extortionists who utilized the tragedy to acquire the wealth
of the Jews. That is how it has been throughout the ages: that
when the massacres and pogroms were perpetrated there were
often not in the name of religion but in calculated ways of den, -
ing financial debts to Jews or in whatever means were available
to confiscate Jewish wealth.
The manner in which extortion was resorted to against the
Jews who were battling for their lives and who sought refuge "on
the 'Aryan side' " was described by one of the survivors in his
reminiscences published in Warsaw in 1949. Tovye Bozhikosky,
in his memoirs, "Tsvishn Falndike Vent," had this to say:
Although we are hidden here on the "Aryan side," we
still maintain close contact with the Jewish underground. We
receive all the news about the life and suffering of the thou-
sands of Jews hidden on the "Aryan side." A great part of the
relief work of the Jewish National Committee and the Co-
ordination Committee is organized here. Active are: Izhak
Cukierman (Hechalutz-Dror), Dr. Arolf Berman (Poale Zion
Left), and Leo Feiner "Mikolay" (Bund). We have in our
hiding place the files of the Jews who receive assistan,:e.
From here go out the contacts to the various hiding places
of the Jews in all corners of Warsaw. Some come to us to
report about their work.... .
And there is a lot to hear about. Every day many Jews
fall into the hands of the Germans. Many are recognized in
the streets by the Polish extortionists who demand large
amount of money. Those who do not have the ransom money
are delivered to the Germans and are not seen again. In cases
where a person has only part of the ransom the extortionists
rob him of his clothes. Many are caught in their shelters by
the Gestapo at night and brought to the "Pawiak" prison,
where they are executed. The Poles also pay dearly for hiding
Jews. If two Polish neighbors have an argument and one sus-
pects the other of hiding Jews, he may inform the Gestapo,
whereupon the Jews pay with their lives for the quarrel. If a
guest feels that something mysterious is taking place in the
house of a person he is visiting, he may confide his impres-
sions to a relative or friend. This is often enough for the
arrival of a Gestapo car at night. At best, the extortionists
come, and ransom has to be paid. But the house is then con-
sidered "burned out;" after such a visit the hiding persons
are afraid to remain there even one minute longer, for they
are not sure who the next intruder may be.
Why do some people wish to hide the facts? Why is it often
heard, "why recall the tragedy? why not forget it?" Does this
have some relation to the expose in "The Deputy?" How are we
to protect ourselves against the recurrence of Hitler-made holo-
causts if the facts about the one in our immediate past won't be
known?
Many should see the YIVO exhibit of the Warsaw Ghetto
material. It will keep them constantly aware of the horrors that
were imposed on all mankind, but especially on our people.
Baron and Baroness Ed-
mond de Rothschild were the
honored guests at the Israel
Bond conference held two
weeks ago in Miami Beach,
Fla. The upper photo shows
LOUIS H. BOYAR, who was
elected national chairman of
the board of governors of the
Israel Bond Organization, with
BARON de ROTHSCHILD. In
the lower photo are BARON-
ESS de ROTHSCHILD (left)
and MRS. JAN PEERCE,
chairman of the Israel Bond
national Women's Division.
Senators Condemn
Moscow for Latest
Sentences of Jews
WASHINGTON (JTA) — Re-
ports of new death sentences
imposed in a secret trial in Mos-
cow on six Russian Jews and
three non-Jews charged with
alleged economic crimes evoked
shock in Washington.
Sen. Jacob K. Javits, New
York Republican, called on the
Senate floor for stronger pro-
tests to let the world know how
the American people feel about
such "barbarous acts." Review-
ing the history of recent Soviet
persecutions of Jews, he said
"this makes it clear what the
aims of the Soviet government
are in this field."
Sen. Kenneth B. Keating,
New York Republican, told
the Senate that the newest
sentences were "a barbaric
manifestation of economic and
moral values" and that the
sentences were "a deliberate
attempt to encourage anti-
Semitism in the Soviet
Union."
Rep. Abraham Multer, New
York Democrat, said a report
on the newest sentences would
be presented when the House
Committee on Foreign affairs
starts debate on a pending reso-
lution condemning Soviet treat-
ment of Jews.
He presented to the House a
resolution adopted by the New
York Democratic congressional
delegation urging the Foreign
Affairs Committee to schedule
hearings on the resolution.
Council Urges Action Against Prayer Amendment
"Prayer Amendments" now
before the -U.S. Congress are of
serious concern to the American
Jewish community, according to
Louis Rozenzweig, vice presi-
dent of the Jewish Community
Council and chairman of the
Council's community relations
committee.
The purpose of these amend-
ments, Rozenzweig stated, is to
reverse the effect of the Su-
preme Court decisions outlaw-
ing Bible reading and other de-
votional exercises in the nation's
public schools. Already, 132
measures proposing constitu-
tional amendments have been
introduced into Congress, but
most of the opponents of the
Supreme Court decision have
united behind an amendment
submitted by Rep. Frank Becker
of New York. The Michigan
Legislature in recent weeks
adopted and submitted to the
Congress a recommendation for
such a constitutional amend-
ment.
In a letter to Council affiliated
organizations. Rosenzweig and
Sidney M. Shevitz, Council
president, detailed the reasons
for the Jewish community's op-
position to the amendments.
The proposed changes, they
pointed out, would threaten the
principle of church-state separa-
tion, endanger religious free-
dom, and weaken genuine reli_
gious expression by the rote
recitation of formalized prayer
in public school classrooms.
Noting that major national
Jewish bodies, secular, congre-
gational and r a b b i n i c, are
strongly opposed to the amend-
ments, Rosenzweig and Shevitz
stressed the importance of mak-
ing these views known to the
members of Congress. Organiza-
tions and individuals were
asked to write immediately to
members of the House from this
area, and to send copies of their
letters to Congressman Celler.