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Vichy Denaturalizes More Jews; Swiss Catholic Organ Scores French Anti-jewish Persecution

August 31, 1942
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An additional 170 persons, mostly Jews, have been deprived of their French citizenship under a decree published in the Vichy Journal Official, the Paris radio announced today. Most of those affected by the order are naturalized French citizens and are now liable to deportation to their countries of origin, the Nazi broadcaster pointed out.

The official organ of the Catholic Church in Switzerland, “Schweizerische Kirchen Zeitung,” today bitterly assailed the persecution of Jews in France. Reviewing the arrests and deportations that have taken place during the last few weeks, the Catholic paper states that these persecutions continue despite protests by Cardinals, archbishops and other Catholic leaders. Those clergymen are now discussing the subject from their pulpits on Sunday, since the radio and press have been ordered to ignore their protests, the paper adds.

Meanwhile, local and federal Swiss police officials met in Lausanne yesterday to discuss the problems resulting from the large influx into Switzerland of refugees from Nazi-held countries. In an official statement issued at the conclusion of the conference, Dr. Edward von Steiger, chief of the Department of Justice and Police, said that “anyone who has taken refuge with us will not be thrown back over the frontier except in cases where individually aggravating circumstances warrant. But there is an urgent necessity to find a mean between political necessity and humanitarian considerations. We must also consider the duties and interests of the State.”

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