Dr. Paul Joseph Goebbels, May 19, ’33: “… we know from having worked with him [Hitler] that he is in fact very strict in his principles, but he is also moderate in his methods of carrying them out.”
Staatsminister Dr. Frank, May 20, ’33; “… we are anti-Semites. We are waging war against the Jews. Nor will we permit anybody to dictate to us in this matter.” (Brausender Beifall).
A semblance of conciliation has entered into the Jewish question in Germany. Herr Hitler and his staff #ave had to yield to American and English public protest, to the extent #at the extirpation of German Jew#y has been crossed out of their program—officially. But Hitler remains Hitler. He has merely thought out #ew methods, methods whose true character and mode of operation cannot be so easily penetrated by #oreign eyes. This article has therefore been written with the object of making public several instances of #ow Hitler’s new method is working. #t would indeed be tragic for German Jewry if world-conscience and sympathy were to let itself be lulled #o rest by these pretty speeches of Hitler and company.
Let us say, for example, that out of the 3,000 Jewish-German lawyers, ### 400 have been allowed to resume #eir practice. But in the law-courts ### posted placards, “Don’t go to Jewish lawyers”. The Bar Association of Germany is Nazi, and no ##w can ever obtain membership in ### ranks. Thus the Jewish lawyer ###s absolutely no avenue of approach to his business interests.
NAZIS EVEN FOR JEWISH CLIENTS
Only Aryans may be judges, and {SPAN}##ese{/SPAN} must be sympathetic, at least, to the Nazi cause. What Christian—indeed, what Jewish—client will entrust his case to a Jewish lawyer, who, at best, will encounter the passive resistance of every important court of justice? Lawsuits are not undertaken for humanitarian purposes, therefore I must engage a lawyer who is best equipped to present my case—and that means, a German Christian.
And so Herr Hitler could permit all 3,000 Jewish lawyers to resume the full practice of their profession, without being false to this plank in his platform.
Now as to the Jewish doctors. Private patients, who can choose any physician they like, are rare in Germany. Very few people can still afford to pay a fee to independent doctors. The majority of the population belong to sick-insurance funds. Laborers and clerks, independent merchants, professionals and per#orce the jobless, are voluntary members. But in the office of the sick-insurance fund, which the member must visit in order to obtain his receipts or his compensation-money, there hang placards: “Beware of Jewish Doctors!”
JEWISH M.DS. NOT PREFERRED
The Jewish doctor does retain his practice with these organizations, but he must submit to the control of a house physician in prescribing bath-cures and drastic medicines, and in the management of medical institutions. The house physician is an employee of the sick-insurance fund, and must not be a Jew. These insurance-funds are all organized according to the Nazi program. What Christian—what Jewish—patient will consult a Jewish doctor and risk being deprived of his cure-treatment and his medicine? Thus Herr Hitler can allow the Jewish doctors even more liberty in their practice, without being false to this plank in his platform.
The same situation exists in private industry. For example, the firm of Leiser, Berlin’s largest shoe factory, with 52 branch stores in the city, may of course, by law, employ Jewish salespeople. But in all their branches there is not a single Jewish employee, for it may and did happen every day, that customers refused to be waited on by Jewish clerks or indeed to patronize such a store at all. Leiser, though a Jewish firm, is in business to sell shoes without any political complications, and they felt themselves forced to dismiss their Jewish workers in a body. Of course Herr Hitler cannot be held responsible for these measures; he has not given any orders that Jewish employees be dismissed. But Herr Leiser—that is, the owners of this firm—have judged it wiser to hand their business over to a new management.
Thus it goes with all occupations.
CHRISTIAN SPIRIT, JEWISH SCHOOL
There are no Jewish teachers any more, except the teachers of religion and those in special Jewish schools. But here also the strangest demands and requirements are made. For example: a Jewish high school would be conducted in a nationalistic and Christian spirit. The director is by now hardened to receiving such letters. The teachers considered what was to be done. The school had fifty percent Christian teachers, who readily offered to agree to this demand. It was not in all cases out of conviction; they were afraid, they did not want to lose their positions through having the school closed up.
The Jewish teachers wavered. They could agree to the nationalism, but Christian spirit in a Jewish school would be obviously absurd. The director (a Jew) was recalled by wire, and it was decided that they would subscribe to the demands. By “Christian”, he explained, is meant the spirit of love for others, and of course the school was conducted in that spirit of neighborly love. A truly Solomonic expression!
When the document was presented for the signature of the teachers, the Jewish instructors took it upon themselves to express their protest by signing on the back of the paper, while the Christians signed on the right side. The school appears to be saved. But it is quite possible that the State Examinations Board will fail all the Jewish school is a private one, it is subject to state supervision. Thus gradually there will be fewer and fewer pupils at this school. And Herr Hitler is innocent in this case also.
In their blind, fanatical hate, the Nazis are also annihilating purely humanitarian institutions whose object is charitable, simply because they are of Jewish inception and Jews are cooperating and assisting in their upkeep.
ANOTHER HITLER ‘VICTORY’
An American Jew was director of courses for the unemployed. English and French, bookkeeping, stenography and typewriting were taught. The courses were free, except for a tiny charge of five cents per month towards the cost of supplies. The teachers were voluntary, and received no pay. They were mostly Jewish. The pupils were laborers, clerks, etc., and, according to the percentage requirement of the government, mainly Christian. They were jobless people who wished to employ their time usefully and to avoid the deadly tedium of their forced idleness.
But Herr Hitler was concerned only with the fact that Jewish hands were in German affairs. Since the rooms where the courses were taught were provided gratis by the city, the city had the right to supervise. So a decree arrived requiring the director of the courses to find out if any Jews were active as teachers, and if so, to dismiss them. If this decree were not obeyed, they would be deprived of the school-rooms. Thus the courses came to an end. Hitler had won another great victory over the almighty Jew.
In similar fashion the ruination of Jewish manufacturers, wholesale and retail merchants, etc., is being accomplished. Of course efforts are made to circumvent these measures. Names of firms are changed, Christian partners are taken in, Jewish business representatives try the most curious disguises, hair is dyed blonde or white, spectacles are worn. But nothing helps, or at best for only a very short time.
ALL ACCORDING TO LAW
The Nazi organization is so penetrating, so all-embracing, the control it exercises is so severe, that a store’s own employees act as spies and denouncers; thus the shutting out of the Jews and the annihilation of their economic existence in business and social life, in school, theatre, literature, journalism, etc., has become an automatic and irresistible process.
All this is going on through apparently legal methods, and without visible outward force, and Herr Hitler can inform the world, “Our revolution has been more humane than any other. We are bringing into realization a great ethical idea and we desire only fair play for our nation. We do not interfere with the existence of the Jews, but if it happens that they are crushed to earth, that is their own bad luck; it is not our fault.”
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
