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Warsaw Police Lay About with Their Truncheons when Crowds of Hassidim Gather at Railway Station to W

March 19, 1932
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Tremendous excitement and indignation prevails among the large Hassidic population of Warsaw because of a brutal attack made by police who used their truncheons upon a crowd of tens of thousands of Hassidim who had congregated at the Central Railway Station of Warsaw, to welcome back the Gerer Rebbe on his return from Palestine.

Deputy Minzberg, Rabbi Kanal and Mr. Itche Meir Lewin, the leader of the Polish Agudath Israel, and a son-in-law of the Gerer Rebbe, who had accompanied him on his journey to Palestine, are among those who were beaten by the police. Many of the Hassidim rushed panic-stricken from the station to escape the blows of the police. Many lost their hats as they ran, and covered their heads with their handkerchiefs not to transgress the prohibition against going about uncovered.

The Gerer Rebbe left by one of the side exits from the station, and immediately proceeded to his home at Gur Kalvaria.

Deputy Minzberg immediately visited the Chief of Police, M. Malaszewski, and lodged a complaint against the conduct of the police. The Police Chief promised Deputy Minzberg that he would investigate what had happened, and those of his subordinates who were found to have been responsible would be dealt with severely.

When the Gerer Rebbe arrived at Gur Kalvaria he found that the entire population, Jews and non-Jews alike, had turned out en masse, to welcome him on the outskirts of the town.

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