64

Friday, June 8, 1919

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

The Protocols of Elders of Zion: History of a Forgery

By DULCY LEIBLER

The Protocols of the
Learned Elders of Zion first
appeared in Germany 60
years ago. It was published
by a group of Russian
monarchist refugees in
their journal, "The Sun-
beam," and almost im-
mediately enjoyed
worldwide success.
The Protocols consisted of
24 chapters which were al-
legedly written by a leader
of Zion to a secret gathering
of Elders. It contained
schemes to overthrow all
governments — using ter-
rorist tactics, exploiting the
Jews' so-called monopoly of
gold as well as their control
of the press — and set forth
their proposals for organiz-
ing a Jewish world empire.
While the specter of a
worldwide Jewish conspi-

racy aimed at reducing gen-
tiles to slavery — or worse
— flourished as early as the
Middle Ages, it only gained
popular credence in 1919.
One historian suggests that
people felt compelled to be-
lieve the Protocols in order
to justify such tragic events
as the pogroms which took
place in Russia between
1918 and 1920.
Several editions had
been released in Russia
between 1903 and 1917.
One publisher, G. Butmi,
even claimed that his
manuscript was taken
from the vaults of the
Zionist Central Head-
quarters. In 1917, Sergei
Nilus made an attempt to
connect his edition of the
Protocols to Theodore
Herzl and the Basel
Zionist Congress.

This forgery became a bureau ofanti-Jewish in-
staple of anti-Jewish prop- vestigation and sponsored a
aganda in the 20th Century. series of articles devoted to
It was translated into every the "international Jewish
of the Learned Elders of
European tongue, as well as conspiracy" based on the
into Arabic and Japanese, Protocols. (Seven years la-
and was exploited to suit a ter, however, Ford retracted
I O N
number of political crises. and apologized for this pub-
lication, claiming he had
The Protocols is said to been duped by his assis-
have been more widely cir-
THE MOST DIABOLICAL PLOT IN WORLD HISTORY.
tants.)
culated than any other book
The Protocols were
PROOF THAT COMMUNISM IS A JEWISH WORLD PLOT
of modern times. It even
also circulated in
TO ENSLAVE THE GENTILES BY CREATING WARS AND
reached the United States
England, where they
in 1919, when a small group
REVOLUTIONS, AND TO SEIZE POWER DURING THE
created somewhat of a
of reactionaries operating
RESULTING CHAOS AND TO RULE WITH THEIR
sensation. Once again,
out of New York attempted
those responsible feared
CLAIMED SUPERIOR INTELLIGENCE AS THE CHOSEN
to mobilize support for the
that the British govern-
PEOPLE.
White Russians. It tried to
ment would seek some
convince public opinion form of compromise of
FULFILLMENT STEADILY PROGRESSES WHILE THE
through the Protocols that
rapprochement with the
GENTILES, AS PREDICTED BY THE PROTOCOLS, SIT
the Russian Revolution was
Bolsheviks.
SUPINELY BY FROM ONE EVENT TO ANOTHER, UN-
part of an international
in - i921, the Arabs of
Jewish conspiracy.
AWARE OF THE OVERALL PLAN WHICH IS FAST EN-
Palestine and Syria ex-
The following year,
CIRCLING THEM.
pressed opposition to
Henry Ford, the motor car
Jewish settlement in Eretz
magnate, set up a secret
Yisrael, and in Damascus
an Arabic translation of the
$1.00
Protocols appeared. Its ob-
vious purpose was to rouse
Arab passions against the
Jews by suggesting that the
Translated from the Russian of Prof. Nilus by
establishment of a Jewish
equivalent of the Yiddish state would be the first step
VICTOR E. MARSDEN
words.
in an eventual Jewish -
Shown is the cover of the first English translation
The authors did not select takeover of the world.
of the anti-Semitic forgery, "Protocols of the Elders of
words beginning with Tof
In the same year, an edi-
"because all Yiddish words tion of the Protocols Zion," first published in Russia in 1903.
which begin with Tof have emerged in Italy at a time
It was cited in Spain in Soviet Union and Saudi
been taken directly from the when Benito Mussolini's
December
1939 a few Arabia.
Hebrew. There are no Yid- Fascists were gaining
days before Franco's
dish words beginning with strength.
When all the evidence is
anti-Semitic New Year's
Sof," it is explained in a pre-
In 1921, however, one speech, and emerged considered, it seems obvious
fatory note.
Philip Graves, the Constan-
In an afterword, the tinople correspondent for there again as late as that there was an interna-
1963, probably as an at- tional conspiracy. But far
authors state:
the Times of London, proved tempt to prevent the re- from being sponsored by the
"Yiddish is a full-fledged that the Protocols was in-
language with rules for deed a blatant anti-Semitic vision of the Catholic Jews, this all-too-successful
conspiracy was one of reac-
grammar and an extensive forgery. In the midst of the Church's traditional atti
tionaries, Fascists and
tude
toward
the
Jews
at
and colorful vocabulary. furor roused over its au-
The 37 words illustrated in thenticity, Graves sent the Vatican II Ecumeni- anti-Semites united in their
our book can only hint at the word to his editors that he cal Council. Recently, the attacks first against Jews
richness and variety of this had been given a book by a Protocols have turned up and ultimately against
language which once served Russian in Constantinople, in such places as the democracy.
as the chief means of com- who had obtained it from a
munication for over 10 mil- former officer of the Czar's
lion people. That vast political police. Graves was
number was depleted by the struck by the similarity be-
combination of the emigra- tween this volume and cer-
tion from European ghettos, tain sections of the Pro-
NEW YORK — "By Spe- thentically Middle Eastern.
the choice of Hebrew as the tocols.
cial Request," the first Also included in the album
official language of the state
He became convinced
of Israel, and, tragically, the that the little book — album with both Israeli and is Abanibi, an Israeli song
Arabic music since the which won the 1978 Eurovi-
Holocaust.
Dialogue Aux Enfers
"For a while it seemed entre Machiavel et Mon- Egyptian-Israeli peace sion Song Contest.
as though Yiddish would tesquieu, by Maurice treaty signing, has just been
Appearing on the record
survive only as the lan- Joly — had served as released by the Messengers cover itself are "Salaam,
guage of television com- basis for the Protocols. In Orchestra, a local musical Shalom, Peace," the words
ics and delicatessens, but Joly's book, Machiavelli group specializing in Israeli for peace in the three lan-
somehow, the innate dig- explains, to the dismay of music.
guages of the Egyptian-
nity and beauty of the Montesquieu, how easy it
In honor of the historic Israeli peace treaty.
language have survived would be to overcome a peace-treaty, copies of the
"We're not politician
and Yiddish is enjoying a modern democratic state album were sent to
political people. We jus
new vitality."
and to establish absolute President Jimmy Carter of in our hearts that peace 14...s
The book's producers be- control over it.
the United States, Prime finally come. And so, we
lieve the book will be espe-
Minister Menahem Begin of wanted to make a musical
Nevertheless, in spite of
cially useful for the youth.
Israel, and President statement about peace —
There is no doubt that it will Graves' testimony — and Anwar Sadat of Egypt. -
Israeli and Arabic music to-
suits
and
various
other
law
be an inspiration to all lov-
"As Jews, we felt a sense gether, on the very same re-
exposes
which
took
place
in
ers of Yiddish and to all who
of euphoria when the peace
aspire to see the language the early 1920s — the Pro- treaty was signed," ex- cord," said Isaacs.
"What's most interesting
gain strength and being put tocols were continuously plained Yehuda Isaacs,
employed all over the world.
is that the words of the
into use.
executive
producer
of
the
"The Yiddish Alphabet In 1925, Adolf Hitler record. "And as musicians," Arabic tunes mean "I want
Book" was published by praised the publication in he continued, "we wanted to to get close to you."' We
P'Nye Press, at the Printer's Mein Kampf, and indeed
express our feelings in the were told it is the plea of one
Shop, 4047 Transport, Palo during World War II this universal language of lover to another. But poetic
became an implicit justifi-
license — and the recent de-
Alto, Calif. 94303.
cation for the genocide of music."
velopments in the Middle
"By Special Request" is a East — allow us to inject our
the Jews.
long playing album featur- own meaning: "I want to get
In 1935, it was used by
anti-Jewish members of the ing an Israeli hit, Sim close to you," reflects the de-
Shalom (Grant Us Peace) sire of both Jews and Arabs
Gray Shirt organization in
and a medley of three to live together in peace."
South Africa, who spread
Arabic hits. The medley
the story that a document
The album is available
outlining a plot similar to contains Arabic, Druze and
Middle Eastern Oriental from M.O. Records, 517
that described in the Pro-
el - ' 11 _Pd., Far Rocka-
melodies.
tocols had been discovered
There is -a
The arrant)
-- _a—synagogue in Port
_
conternr

PROTOCOLS

'Yiddish Alphabet Book' a Joy
for New Linguists or Scholars

Bonnie Stone and Fre- tated in this remarkable
derica Postman, two San book, there are the
Francisco Bay area explanatory definitions,
loyalists, believe Yiddish is translations, translitera-
very much alive. Else they tions and impressions at-
would not have produced tached to each letter of the
their attractive and alphabet.
The alphabet is, of
beautifully-illustrated "The
course, the same as in
Yiddish Alphabet Book."
Miss Postman wrote the Hebrew. To each large
text and Miss Stone is the letter of the alphabet are
added the transliteration
illustrator.
As the accompanying re- of the letter, a word or
production of the Hey, words in Yiddish, a trans-
which is representative of literation of the Yiddish
the entire alphabet anno- words and the English

11171

Peace Recordings Feature
Israeli and Arab Medleys

hoyz

house

arm

heym

home

hey

Yoputtrizz4 1
nntrivipyliba

.