18 Friday, November 1, 1980
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Extremism, Anti-Semitism, and West German-Israel Relations -
By AXEL SPRINGER
(Editor's note: The fol-
lowing article by West
German publisher Axel
Springer appeared in Die
Welt Oct. 18 under the
headline, "Nip It in the
Bud!")
There is no doubt: The
signs of right-wing ex-
tremism are growing
bloodier in Europe. The seed
of violence is sprouting.
Since the mid-60s extreme
left terrorism has bombed
itself irresistably into the
underdeveloped conscious-
ness of some of the marginal
right-wing extremist
groups in our society.
A fatal reciprocal effect
with exchangeable slogans
but with the same blind and
damnable brutality is tak-
ing shape.
The track of insanity
leads from the blood bath in
Bologna railway station
over the massacre at the
Oktoberfest in Munich to
the attack on the synagogue
in Paris. Where will it end?
It would be premature
to attribute to right-wing
extremism a deadly peril
to political morality in
Europe. But it is impera-
tive to nip the beginnings
in the bud, with all our
watchfulness and rigor.
It is food for thought when
in a country which was re-
sponsible for the Holocaust
right-wing extremist ele-
ments ride the wave of hos-
tility to foreigners, when
the treacherous murder of
two Vietnamese in a foreign
workers' hostel in Hamburg
releases no storm of public
protest.
The writing is on the wall
of more than the house of
Germany. Heinz Galinski,
the untiring chairman of
the largest Jewish commu-
nity in Germany, a man
who survived Auschwitz,
has therefore taken the
right initiative at the right
time. He addressed the
passionate appeal to the
president of the European
Parliament, Simone Veil, to
throw in file whole weight of
her office to put the coordi-
nated fight against right-
wing extremism on the
agenda of the European
Parliament.
Galinski is right when he
points out that right-wing
extremism is not a problem
for this or that country but a
European phenomenon.
Certainly there is not
yet cause to dramatize
and attribute to the ex-
tremists of the right a set
of muscles which, thank
God, they do not possess.
The trammels of our free
communal body still
hold. Our political party
landscape is still un-
stained by the entry of
the incorrigibles as a
political force.
The German voter — up
to and including the last
elections to the Bundestag
— still proves his maturity
as a democrat. The crime of
Auschwitz is not yet waste
paper of history.
But the young German
democracy has not yet been
called upon to stand the ul-
timate test. If we were in
misery, in a grave economic
crisis, with millions of un-
employed, crumbling inter-
nal security and under
stress in our foreign politics
— would we be proof against
the slogans of yesteryear?
We are witnesses to the
determination with which
right-wing extremism tries
to get on to the political
stage via hostility to for-
eigners. Our sensitivity,
sharpened by the tragedies
and the guilt of our history,
4%.
shows us that extremism of
AXEL SPRINGER
the right again feeds on
anti-Semitism.
the outcome of the Bundes-
Here we are im- tag elections, which again
mediately up against the brought in the social-
unholy relation between democratic-liberal coali-
anti-Semitism and anti- tion. Was that really sur-
Zionism. It is not a prising? After all the West
polemic contrivance but German government is a
provable that in every partner in the EEC Venice
place where indifference resolution, which
to the fate of Israel guides shamelessly favors Israel's
the pen, or where even Is-
enemies. After all Bonn un-
rael's right to existence is
blushingly shares in raising
questioned, anti-
Arafat's stock and that of
Semitism raises its hide- his PLO, which is still proud
ous head. A recent exam-
of being a murder organiza-
ple:
tion.
With 20 adherents the
After all the West Ger-
"Fuhrer" of a right-wing ex-
man government favors the
tremist group is reported to
establishment of an inde-
have been trained early this
pendent Palestinian state
year for two weeks in a
in which exactly those
Lebanese training camp of Arabs would rule who till
the terrorist organization
this day have written on
"El Fatah."
their flags the intention to
We have of course enough annihilate the Jewish state.
to sweep at our own
Must not the insanity of
doorstep, but it is people who hark back to
presumably no stupid coin- Hitler feel strengthened
cidence that in France of all
when the West German
countries anti-Semitism is Foreign Minister, Herr
stretching its muscles again Genscher, as good as files
— in a country which in the
away the "special rela-
European Community in
tions" between the Fed-
recent years has assumed a
eral Republic and Israel,
pro-Arab pilot function writing in large letters his
striking at Israel.
sympathies for the Arab
Just as left-wing ex-
camp and favoring be-
tremism needed a mental
field of trivialization and
sympathy which allowed Jewish Film
the terrorists to move in it Guide Printed
like' fish in water, so must
NEW YORK — The first
we take care that ex-
tremism of the right is de- comprehensive guide to
prived of its humus at the films for children for use in
very beginning of thought Jewish education —
schools, camps, Jewish
on the subject.
Community Centers and
Nobody who utters youth groups — has been
reservations against Is- prepared by the Jewish
raeli policies or who Media Service-Jewish Wel-
gives equal weight to the fare Board.
interests of the Jewish
Compiled and edited by
state and to the Arab Nama Frenkel, program
camp (if there is such a associate of the Jewish
thing) must be assumed Media Service, the 25-page
to be deliberately em- evaluative guide — "Films
bracing the cause of for Children of All Ages" —
right-wing extremism. describes 90 films in the fol-
But every responsible lowing subject categories:
German politician should Values; Jewish Life Cycle;
face the question of con-. Torah • and Tradition;
science as to. whether; if. - Atewigii..Batboy • and Arche- •
he takes a critidaI ant; (Aber, - North American
tude against Israel, he is Jewish Life; Holocaust; Ag-
not unwittingly ing; Soviet Jewry; Jewish
encouraging those who Identity; and Jewish
say Israel but mean Folklore. The films are
anti-Semitism.
listed with a suggested age
There is something wrong range extending from age 5
in a political landscape in to teens. Many films can
which the Federal Chancel- also be used with college
lor's words calling Prime audiences.
Minister Begin "a danger to
The guide includes an
world peace" can circulate, index to 40 film-rental com-
at first without demiti (offi- panies, many of which pro-
cial denial), then only after vide a discussion guide with
protest by Israel followed by each film.
a dementi.
Copies of "Films for Chil-
Government circles in dren of All Ages" are avail-
Bonn were outraged when able from the Jewish Media
the Israeli press carried Service JWB, 15 E. 26th
worried commentaries on St., New York, N.Y., 10010.
leaguered Israel merely
with statesmanlike cool-
ness?
How shall a brain un-
trained in politics digest the
Federal Chancellor's neut-
ral declaration, given a few
days before the Bundestag
elections, that "We are
friends of Israel, but we are
also friends of Saudi Arabia,
Jordan and Egypt?"
How must one interpret
the sad fact that during the
entire election campaign no
single responsible 'German,
politician uttered a word
demonstratively for all to
hear on the special German
obligation towards Israel,
especially in the present
Malvina Kottler
Malvina Kottler, a
pianist who was active in
music and women's organ-
izations, died Nov. 5 at age
75.
Born in Russia, Mrs. Kot-
tler studied in Odessa under
the director of the Imperial
Conservatory from which
she was graduated. Follow-
ing her graduation, she
went to Vienna where she
studied at the Meister
Schule under Leopold Gow-
ofsky.
In Vienna, she met
pianist Mischa Kottler,
whom she married. The
couple came to Chicago, Ill.,
where they lived one year
prior to coming to Detroit.
Mrs. Kottler was a
member of the Detroit
Symphony Women's
Association, Detroit
Women's City Club, the
Tuesday Musical Club
and Women's American
ORT.
Besides her husband,
Mrs. Kottler leaves a
nephew, Gregory Dean; a
niece, Mrs. Stanley (Lucy)
Ellis of California;
grandnieces and
grandnephews. Services
2:30 p.m. today at Ira
Kaufman Chapel.
J. Luxenberg
Jack Luxenberg, a ptetired
furniture salesman`; died
nov. 1 at age 67.
Born in Poland, Mr.
Luxenberg lived 40 years in
Detroit. He was employed
by Lasky Furniture and
Hallmark Furniture.
Mr. Luxenberg was a
World War II veteran, who
served in the South Pacific
with the Army Medical
Corps.
He leaves his wife, Beth;
children, Evelyn Miller,
Marsha Rosenberg of
Chadds Ford, Pa., Michael
D. of Fairfax, Va., Steven M.
of Baltimore, Md., and Jef-
fery A. of Boston, Mass.; his
mother, Mrs. Ida Luxenberg
of Syracuse, N.Y.; two
brothers, Manny of Wood-
land Hills, Calif., and Bill of
Granada Hills, Calif.; a sis-
ter, Mrs. Aaron (Rose) Bos-
kin of Manlius, N.Y.; and
seven grandchildren.
You may depend upon it
that he is a good man whose
intimate friends are all
good, and whose enemies
are decidedly bad.
—Lavater
dangerous situation in the
Middle East?
This indifference is a
product of a false political
and moral approach. The
words slip with frightening
ease from German lips, that
a peace settlement in the
Middle East can only be
reached by stablizing the
Arab camp. Arab unity —
this we know — has only
existed, if at all, in the
common fight against the
Jewish state.
As things lie, anyone who
calls for the amalgamation
of Arabia forces the cam-
paign against the Jewish
state and against the
Egyptian-Israeli peace set-
tlement. We must be on the
watch. We must not assume
the disguise of statesman-
ship in order to steal away
— in the dead of the night—
from Auschwitz.
Christian Defender of Israel
Casimir Lanowick Dies at
PARADISE, Calif. —
Casimir Lanowick, director
of the Christian-Israel
Frienship League, died Oct.
14 at age 63.
In various ways — by lec-
turing, fund-raising, writ-
ing, publishing, escorting
tour groups to the Jewish
state — Mr. Lanowick's zeal
for Israel became known
around the world.
Mr. Lanowick's involve-
ment with the concept of a
reconstituted Jewish nation
began at age 19, when he
read and immediately circu-
lated hundreds of copies of a
small book distributed by
the Pro-Palestine Federa-
tion of America, of New
York City, entitled
"Zionism in Prophecy —
The Return of Israel to the
Holy Land, A Fulfillment of
Biblical Promises," written
by the Christian scholar Dr.
Franklyn Hudgings.
In October 1947, Mr.
Lanowick began editing
and publishing a monthly
magazine designed to ac-
quaint Christians with
the developments
achieved by the Jews re-
turning to pre-state Is-
rael.
In 1973, Mr. Lanowick
was awarded the "King
David Club Award" by El Al
Airlines, given only to those
who have played a-key role
in the development of Is-
rael's civil aviation.
Mr.
In
1974-1975,
Lanowick created and
chaired the Lowdermilk
Memorial Forest project, re-
sulting in the planting of
10,000 trees near Mt. Turan
in the Galilee in memory of
the Christian Zionist, Dr.
Walter Clay Lowdermilk, of
Berkeley, Calif., the father
and founder of Israel's na-
tional water plan.
Mr. Lanowick acted as
the national coordinator in
the U.S. for the First Inter-
national Congress for the
Peace of Jerusalem held in
Israel in January-February
1978. He was a founding
member of the Interna-
tional Christians for Israel
organization which sprang
out of this Congress.
Philanthropist Swig Dies
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif."-fr
(JTA) — Benjamin Harri-
son Swig, chairman of the
board of the Fairmont Hotel
and a philanthropist active
in the Jewish and non-
Jewish communities, died
Saturday at age 86.
Born in Taunton, Mass.,
'A: Swig was a real estate
operator in Boston and New
York City from 1925 to
1945. In 1945, he bought the
elegant Fairmont Hotel on
famed Nob Hill and lived in
its penthouse suite. He also
was a partner in the real es-
tate firm of Swig, Weiler
and Arownow of San Fran-
cisco and New York City.
In recent years, he was
not active in the family
business and instead, de-
voted himself to philan-
thropy. He is the recipient of
more than 170 citations and
awards and was knighted
twice by the Vatican for
humanitarian work.
Mr. Swig was a member
of numerous organiza-
tions. Among others, he
was a member of the
board of directors of the
American Joint Distribu-
tion Committee and of the
national boards of the
United Jewish Appeal,
Israel Bond Organiza-
tion, American Jewish
Committee, Zionist
Organization of Ameirca,
Jewish Welfare Board
and the Jewish Tele-
graphic Agency.
Mr. Swig was also associ-
ated with the Hebrew
Union College-Jewish In-
stitute of Religion; the
American Society for
Technion; the board of trus-
tees of Brandeis University;
the board of overseers of the
Jewish Theological Semi-
nary of America; American
Friends of Tel Aviv Univer-
sity, the board of governors
of Hebrew University and
the American Friends of
Hebrew University; the na-
tional advisory committee
of Dropsie College and was
chairman of the north
California region of the
American-Israel Culture
Foundation.
Close Soviet Tie?
JERUSALEM (ZIN,
Shlomo Avineri, direcior
general of Israel's Foreign
Ministry, recently startled
a foreign policy symposium
by advocating closer ties be-
tween the Soviet Union and
Israel.
Avineri said peace in the
region would not be possible
without the help of the
Soviet Union, and he said
Israel should not be too de-
pendent on Washington.
Avineri said one proposal
that could be made to the
Soviets to reduce pressure
on Israel would be for Israel
to forego further Soviet
Jewish immigration.