Failure to start large-scale immigration to Palestine within the next few months will bring catastrophe to the homeless Jews in Germany, Dr. Zalman Grinberg, chairman of the Central Committee of Liberated Jews in the American occupied zone of Germany, warned in a communication received today by the American Jewish Conference.
Dr. Grinberg declared that conditions “are going from bad to worse” and that anti-Semitism among the German population is awakening as in former years, and every day brings reports about anti-Semitic excesses in various places.” He charged local military authorities in Germany with lack of understanding and goodwill, stating that orders are interpreted against the interests of the displaced persons and that “good intentions and promises given in Washington are of little use if the executive authorities are not willing to carry them out.”
To illustrate the resurgence of anti-Semitism and Nazism in Germany, Dr. Brinberg revealed details of an attack upon Jews in the town of Oberainigen, near Augsburg. The attack was preceded by a series of incidents, during which anti-Semitic leaflets were distributed, a Jew who sought admittance at a public dance was told “Juden Eineritt verboten” (admission to Jews is prohibited) and a delegation of Germans demanded removal of the Jewish blue and white flag from the building which housed the office of the local Jewish organization.
The attack which culminated the incidents was headed by Martin Mayer, Burgomeister of the town of Ghereingen. It started when David Berwinger, chairman of the local Jewish committee, and his companion, Abram Lukawiec, were on their way on a motorcycle, to the office of the German mayor. Their road was blocked by nine Germans, who set upon them and beat them with wooden staves. Berwinger managed to seize hold of one of the assailants, and brought him to the mayor, who at first refused to file a complaint, declaring that he was not obliged to press charges brought by a “verfluchter Jude” (damn Jew) but later did prepare a complaint.
An hour later trumpet signals from the church steeple called the town’s German residents to the square. The mob, which was headed by the mayor and was armed with scythes, shovels, axes, and cudgels, beat and wounded Jews, and smashed windows in the school building in which the Jews lived. The slogans with which the mob was incited were the old Hitler catchwords: “Death to the Jews;” “Long Live Hitler”; “Today We Shall Kill All Jews.” German police and American MPs arrived late. Burgomeister Mayer was detained, but was released shortly afterwards.
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.
