65,000 Jewish Dp’s Remain in U.S. Zone of Germany; 40.000 Wish to Go to Israel

Dr. Haim Yachil, Israeli representative in the U.S. zone of Germany who is now here, told newsmen today that it has been decided to establish two Israeli consulates in Germany–one in Munich, to serve the U.S., British and French zones; and one in Berlin. Only the Israeli missions will handle problems the return of property belonging to Israeli citizens, Dr. Yachil, who was formerly known as Hoffman, declared.

He revealed that there are still some 65,000 Jews in the U.S. zone of Germany, 40,000 of whom wish to go to Israel, and some 15,000 who desire to migrate to the U.S. and Latin America. In the British zone there are some 10,000 persons, half of whom wish to migrate to the Jewish state, while there are 1,700 in the Soviet zone, 1,000 in the French area and 8,000 in Berlin. From 1946 to the establishment of Israel, last May, some 35,000 parsons made their way to the Jewish state, while 30,000 have arrived since the middle of May.

Turning to the sociological aspects of Jewish life in Germany, Dr. Yachil declared that anti-Semitism is as virulent in Germany today as it was under Hitler, There are hundreds of mixed marriages, he said, but no assimilationism.The health of the DP’s is good, and only 2,500 are invalids or suffer from chronic diseases. The children are all attending schools where they learn the Hebrew language, which their elders are also mastering.

Asserting that it is hoped that the entire Jewish problem in Germany will be solved early this summer, he praised the work of the Joint Distribution Committee. He pointed out that the most difficult problem the relief agency faces is care of about 1,000 tuberculosis patients. The J.D.C., he reported, is negotiating with the International Refugee Organization to send these patients to Israel and to maintain them there in sanatoriums.