“ghetto” Cinema Opens in Berlin Next Week; Proceeds to Aid Poor Jews’ Emigration

The first “ghetto” cinema will be opened at Kulturb und Hall before the end of the year, with the income to be devoted to supporting emigration of poor Jews it was announced here today. Operated by the Nazi-sponsored Jewish Culture League, the movie house will be one of several in Berlin and other centers through which the Nazis expect the League can be made self-supporting.

Five American fils are scheduled among the first dozen to be shown at Kulturb und Hall. They include Captains Courageous, Chicago and a Shirley Temple film which is now showing in Germany. There will be two performances nightly. Provided that Hollywood is generous and ships films gratis, since the League is banned from paying for imports, the possibility is seen that Jewish audiences may see films that have long been barred on racial grounds. Such pictures include those starring Charlie Chaplin, Paul Muni and Elisabeth Bergner, and those directed by Ernst Lubitsch and other “non-Aryan” directors. However, films involving certain political themes are automatically barred.