Anti-Semitic riots occurred here and in Klausenbeerg yesterday on the occasion of the celebration of the anti-Semitic Cuzist movement’s birthday. Roumanian students invaded the meeting rooms of the Bucharest Grand Lodge of Oriental Masons and smashed furniture and destroyed archives. Secretary of State Joanitzescu and Police Prefect Nicoleanu are making a personal inquiry.
In Klausenberg, after listening to an anti-Semitic speech by Professor Catuneanu, several thousand students stormed a newspaper office, attacked Jewish shops, and smashed the windows in the home of the Jewish Deputy Fisher. The students clashed with the troops, who wounded several and arrested others.
The students’ attack appeared to be inspired by the assertions of M. Costachescu, Minister of Education, who, replying to complaints about the government subvention to the recent student congress at Crajova, defended the students and pointed out that the congress passed without affording the Jews any new pretext for spreading derogatory rumors in foreign countries.
Two of the students who had been ring-leaders in the attack on the Masonic meeting declared that they acted from patriotic motives and had been inspired by the anti-Masonic publications of the German general, Eric von Ludendorf, whose rabid anti-Semitic book declared that Free Masonry aimed at the establishment of world domination by the Jews.
A desire to commemorate last year’s anti-Semitic activities also prompted yesterday’s attacks.
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