In spite of opposition to proposed new laws by the Social Democratic Party and by leaders of German Jewry, Chancellor Konrad Adenzuer’s government proceeded today with plans to introduce such legislation on the grounds that the government needed further bolstering of its powers to deal with the recent outbreaks of anti-Semitism.
The government plans to renew debate in the Lover House of Parliament, the Bundestag, on an earlier bill which provides stiff penalties for persons convicted of slandering religious, racial and national groups. The bill had passed in the Bundesrat, the Upper House, last month.
A statement on the recent outbreaks will be made formally on behalf of the Government when the Bundestag convenes, January 20, it was announced today. A Federal Ministry of the Interior spokesman told the JTA that 114 cases of swastika and anti-Jewish slogan daubings had been recorded in West Germany source Christmas Eve. and that 30 arrest had been made of suspects, most of them under 25 years of age.
Dr. Hendrick Van Dam, secretary of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, again stated the Jewish opposition. He said the Central Council favored only changes in existing libel laws which would make possible the prosecution of anti-Semitic incidents. He added that, while combating attacks on freedom and dignity was the duty of the State, the forces of democracy “also must take the initiative and help themselves.”
The German Jewish leader indicated tonight that he did not see eye-to-eye with the World Jewish Congress on proposals for dealing with the German situation submitted to the German Government last week by Alec Easterman, the WJC political director for Europe.
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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.
