A bitter family feud flared up yesterday between two brothers, one formerly prominent in Zionist circles and Jewish affairs generally, the other a converted Catholic who for more than twelve years lived in Germany whence he returned only recently after several months in Nazi prisons.
When Harry Diamant returned from Europe, accompanied by his German wife and adopted son, there appeared to be some difference of opinion on his religious status. When a few days ago a New York tabloid began to feature a series of his articles detailing his experiences in Nazi Germany he was described as “in faith a Roman Catholic, his racial heritage in part Jewish.” Incensed by this characterization Louis Diamant, lawyer, of 160 Claremont avenue, wrote to the editor of the Jewish Daily Bulletin, saying in part:
“I am his older brother. I understand that in the last years b. H. it was fashionable among the ‘cultural’ Jews in Germany to convert. My brother and I were born full blooded Jews and were so brought up. If, in his old age, and in this age of advancement, he is hankering after the Pearly Gates and has found this route, if honest and sincere, that is his business, and I have no right to say anything against it.
“What I do object to though, is the slandering of the memory of our ancestors, which makes us all a sort of half-breed. As I said, we are all pure blooded Jews and there is not a drop of non-Jewish blood in our ancestry, which goes way back to the time ‘when the memory of man runneth not to the contrary.’ In fact, it strikes two generations of rabbis.”
Charactering his brother’s attitude as “selfish and hypocritical,” Harry Diamant, at his apartment at 545 West 111th street, yesterday declared that previously Louis “did not give a God-damn for religion which he considered a curse.”
Harry further said that when doubt appeared as to his ancestry he informed the editor of the newspaper which is running his articles, “dressed up” by a staff writer, that both his parents were Jewish.
Mrs. Harry Diamant, speaking intermittently in German to her husband and in limping English to the reporter, added that Louis showed no concern or desire to help when his brother was in Nazi prisons, and had no business interfering now.
Mrs. Diamant was greatly agitated for a time and made repeated efforts to interject her views into the conversation.
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.
