Sensational Trial of Czernin, Who Boasted Anti-semitism, Begins

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

A sensational trial, involving the anti-Semitic boasts and war profits of Count Czernin, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Austro-Hungarian empire, started here in the Criminal Court.

Count Czernin, who in his published diary referred to “Jewish profiteers and war speculators,” called forth a reply in the German Zionist weekly, “Neue Welt,” published in Vienna by Robert Stricker, in which it was revealed that the Count encouraged Jewish businessmen to enter into secret deals with him, from which he reaped buge war profits. Upon the publication of this revelation, Count Czernin started a libel suit against the editor of the “Neue Welt.”

At the hearing of the case, Attorney Plaschkes, representing the Jewish weekly, offered to submit proof of all the accusations made against Count Czernin in the newspaper. The court presided over by Judge Soeflmayer ruled that proof may be submitted only on the point on which the suit based, that is, on the accusation that Count Czernin, when Austro-Hun ## ian ambassador to Bucharest during the World War, accepted huge ## missions from Jewish provision ## chants. This accusation, when ## stantiated, will prove that the Count had misused his authority.

The counsel for the defense called large number of Jewish witnesses with whom Count Czernin had business ## lations. Outstanding among the witnesses is Nathan Eitinger, multimillian aire and Count Czernin’s confidential adviser on economic questions during the war. Mr. Eitinger was asked ## Count Czernin to accompany him to Brest Litowsk to the peace conference with Russia as his adviser. In the testimony admitted is the statement ## Eitinger made to the Vienna provision police during the war. ” I gave Co## Czernin during the war 3,000 Pou## Sterling for facilitating my provision deals in Roumania. After the ## Count Czernin made the amount ## 3,500,000 shilling on our business tra## actions. Then, we were equals; to ## he is the Count and I am the Jew.

Count Czernin’s counsel is the Jewish attorney, Katz. Herr Katz replied to this statement that his client had borrowed the three thousand pounds from Eitinger and was unable to reply it because he was impoverished. ## torney, Plaschkes exclaimed: “Po## Czernin! He draws only $10,000 mon##ly from his real estate holdings in Berlin.” The proceedings have been po## oned in order that new witnesses ## be called.