6 Friday, May 20, 1983

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

`Flashback: The Day Germany's Jews Became an Alien Race'

(Continued from Page 1)
workshops, out of
laboratories and operating
theaters, out of schools and
universities, out of practices
and libraries, out of theat-
ers and museums, out of
manufacturing, research
and art.
Foreign nationals were
to be treated with kid
gloves but German Jews
were to be hit hard.
At that stage there were
still people in Germany who
had the courage to protest.
The Vossische Zeitung, Be-
rlin, wrote:
"If the boycott ordered by
the Nazis is taken to its log-
ical conclusion it will spell
economic disaster for hun-
dreds of thousands of Ger-
man citizens of the Jewish
faith.
"It would mean the expul-
sion of the German Jews

from the national commu-
nity. German Jews, tried
and trusted in war and
peace, in good and bad days
of German history, have felt
committed to the national
community."
Deutsche Allgemeine
Zeitung appealed to the
authorities to reconsider
the situation in the hope
that other conclusions
might be reached.
On March 27, 1933, the
Nazi • leaders decided once
and for all to go ahead with
the boycott. German Jewish
organizations thereupon
appealed to the president,
the chancellor and the
Reich government.
"The German Jews are
profoundly shaken by the
Nazi call for a boycott," they
wrote. "In all the wars the
German Jews have fought
and died for their country.

"In the Great War, 12,000
of Germany's 500,000 Jews
laid down their lives, while
in the sector of peaceful
endeavor we have done our
duty with all our might .. .
"We are counting on
the president and the
Reich government to
ensure that we are not
deprived of justice and
our livelihoods."
The last day of March
weighed heavily on Berlin.
It was a Friday. In the eve-
ning Goebbels made a
speech on the radio. He out-
lined details of the boycott,
interrupted by thunderous
applause and cries of "Sieg
Heil."
Thousands of Jews sat in
front of their radio sets.
They were citizens like any
others. They lived in the
country where they were
born and had grown up.
Suddenly they were out-
casts and figures of fun.
Goebbels' words poured
down on them, harsh words
tempered and caustic wit
that prompted tumultuous
laughter.
For each of his Jewish
listeners this was a mo-
ment of personal tragedy.
What, they wondered,
was now going to hap-
pen? Families sat at
home, at their wits' end,
people were at the syna-
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gogue for prayer.
Jewish people.
Those who emerged alive
People despaired. The
The boycott was or-
smiles were wiped off chil- ganized with Nazi were forbidden ever to
dren's faces. Men who saw thoroughness. Over night talk about the torture
their life's work falling gangs of bill-stickers glued they had undergone."
Unerringly, unshaken,
apart felt like loading their posters with the word
revolvers. It must have been "Jude" on the premises of all Cardinal Faulhaber con-
tinued to give his much-
an appalling moment.
Jewish firms.
heeded sermons in Munich: ,
Boycott plans were
At 10 a.m. on April 1, SA
amended that same eve- men in uniform were on "Religious studies can now
ning. The official boycott guard ouuside Jewish prem- draw comparisons and are
was to be limited to one day, ises all over Germany. They bound to say of the people on
the Jordan: 'You outdid
April 1.
tried to prevent customers
all; among all the
The Nazis decided on this from entering and either
partial back-down for var- photographed them or took peoples of the Ancien,-1
ious reasons. Views still dif- t heir names and addresses. World you had the highest
religious values.' "
fered within the party as to
Many photos were pub-
The commandment "Love
what to do about the Jews.
1 ished in Der Sturmer Thy Neighbor" was a
Economic misgivings with consequences that
prevailed. The Jewish c an be imagined. SA Jewish one, he said. "I am
sector could not be ex- g uards at the gates of convinced," he ended one a
cised from the economy c linics stopped _patients his sermons by saying, "that c-
as a whole from one day t rom going to Jewish the tempest that is trying to
make the Germans suspect
to the next.
octors.
the Bible of being a Jewish
If it were suddenly
In Berlin, the streets were book and thereby destroy--
paralyzed the entire Ger-
man economy would have full of people from the early ing German cultural values
morning. Everywhere uni-
been shaken to the founda-
f ormed Nazis went from will end in fostering greater I
love of the scriptures on the
tions.
ouse
to
house
with
red
part
of both major Christia -a
Heed had to be paid to s
Hindenburg and the Nazis' t , tickers proclaiming: churches."
Beware! No Admis-
A drumroll of laws, regu-. 1
coalition partners, who re- s Jews!
ion!"
lalions and administrative 1
presented heavy industry.
In the course of the day measures descended on
A more important consid-
s hop windows were painted
German Jews, beginning
eration was the reaction o
ver in gigantic red and with the ban on Jews or
that could be expected from
w hite letters proclaiming:
part-Jews in the civil serv-
abroad. The new rulers
Down
with
the
Jews!,
ice.
"
were most keen on being ac-
Buy Here! Danger!"
There was even a ban on
cepted by other Western a Don't
nd "Dirty Jew."
using Jewish names to spell'
countries.
World displeasure was sc A foreign visitor later de- out words over the tele-
ribed his trip round Be- phone when sending a tele-
evidently greater than rl in:
gram.
the Nazis had expected. A
"At that time no one
There were special visas
declaration Mussolini k
new anything about in the passports of Jewis h .
made is of historical A
interest. a uschwitz but there was citizens and a regulation is-
feeling an earthquake sued by the Nazi leaders in
When the Chief Rabbi of h
Rome, Dr. Sacerdoti, voiced w ad occurred. The Jews the Rhineland-Palatinate
anxiety about the position pr ere without rights and that Jews were only to be
of the Ge rman Jew s in an an otection, surrendered released from prison if two
d outcasts, with no on e applicants went inside on
audience with the Duce, to
Mussolini expressed the pe whom they could ap - their behalf.
al, and defenseless be
One of many who spo ,
hope that the situation ca
e out in protest was Eleanor
use
only
the
other
sid
would return to normal be- ha d arms.
Rathbone, a suffragette and
fore long.
"Mobs in brown uniform s British MP. On April 5, she I
In New York, 600 organ- pa
izations submitted a mass bi g trolled the streets wit h said at a protest meeting in
bowls of distemper t O Liverpool:
petition to President da
"Even if the persecution
Roosevelt calling on him to i n g ub cartoons and disgust -
slogans on shop win - of the Jews were to stop here'
refer it to the League of Na- do ws."
and now it would already 1
tions, of which Germany
was still a member. fro An eyewitness repor t have fulfilled its purpose ; 1
m Cologne conveys som
In Prague, the Foreign ide a of what went on in 10 e albeit one different to what
0 • the Nazis have in mind.
Minister, Dr. Benes, called oth er German cities:
"They have taught the
for the extentsion of minor-
ee
_ world to see this 'out- 1
ity rights to protect the ne Jewish judges and attor O
ys were loaded on t
burst of temperament' on
German Jews.
du stcarts and paraded the part of the Germa.z.
In London, there was a ro
debate in the House of wh and town to be jeered at , people as a serious world
threat.
Lords on March 30 in dra ile Jewish citizens were
gged
round
the
city
by
"Maybe the current suf-
which Lord Cecil men- pla toons of SA men.
ferings of the Jews will
tioned Britain's special
position over its League pla `Round their necks serve mankind as a warning
of Nations mandate in cla cards were hung pro- and help to prevent future,
Palestine. Je iming: 'I am a dirty even more painful suffer-
ing."
It was, he said, specially i n w,' The Brown House
Her words went un-
linked to the fate of the led Mozartstrasse was fd-
with Jewish citizens. heeded.

j

