Dr. Georg Bernhard today confirmed his dismissal as editor-in-chief of the Pariser Tageblatt, German emigre paper in Paris, and characterized the action as “an extension of Hitler’s propaganda front into France.”
In a statement to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency he said that Vladimir Poliakov, publisher of the paper, had dismissed him during his absence after negotiations with “persons close to the Nazi regime.” He added that a new anti-Nazi German-language paper, the Pariser Tageszeitung, would appear tomorrow under his editorship.
Dr. Bernhard founded the Tageblatt and was editor since 1933. He came to Paris and exile form Germany, where he had been for seventeen years editor of the Vossische Zeitung. He is at present on a speaking tour of the United States at the invitation of the American Jewish Congress in behalf of the forthcoming World Jewish Congress in Geneva.
His statement follows in part:
“On June 5, I was surprised by cables from my associates on the Pariser Tageblatt that the publisher, Vladimir Poliakov, had utilized my absence to negotiate with Nazi servants and that he had signed my dismissal as editor-in-chief.
“The publisher has many debts in connection with other enterprises and has needed capital. About a month ago, some friends of mine who had emigrated from Germany approached Mr. Poliakov and offered him several hundred thousand francs to relieve his financial difficulties on condition that I not be discharged and that in the event I voluntarily leave my position, this group direct who would become the new editor and have a voice in deciding the political policy of the paper. The purpose of the offer was to preserve the paper’s anti-Nazi attitude. Mr. Poliakov refused this offer although he was badly in need of funds.
“This was the state of affairs when I left for the United States May 27 to fill a series of speaking engagements at the invitation of the American Jewish Congress in connection with the forthcoming World Jewish Congress. In the midst of these engagements I received the cable that Poliakov had sent the dismissal notice to my home and was now negotiating with persons suspiciously close to the Nazi regime. I regard this as an extension of Hitler’s propaganda front into France.
“Reports that Poliakov has cabled me confirming my tenure as editor are untrue. I did receive a cable from him today asking my aid against the stoppage of my associates. It did not mention any restoration of my position. I wish to express my solidarity with my colleagues. I will stand with them in this situation as I know they will stand with me. Of course, I cannot completely judge the situation from here, but I cannot think that my associates would betray me or the fight against Hitlerism.
“My colleagues have cabled me that beginning tomorrow morning there will appear our new paper, the Pariser Tageszeitung, under my editorship. Friends of our struggle for human rights and for the liberation of the German people from the Nazi terror have given the capital for starting the new paper, and we hope that this undertaking will receive the support of American friends of human liberty.”
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.
