The question of resurgent anti-Semitism in Germany occupied a major place on the agenda of the Congress of European Resistance Fighters, which convened here last night.
“The resurgence of anti-Semitism and national Socialism must be met with strong measures.” Georges Bidault, former Premier of France, told the Congress at its opening session. However, M. Bidault stated, the “real enemy” now “is in the East.”
Rudolph Pecher, well-known author, expressed apprehension about the danger of fascism in Germany, declaring that “Nazis and anti-Semites again play a role in German public life.” Former resistance fighters, he said, “are being systematically defamed and denounced by old Nazis, and there are no laws or regulations to stop them.”
On the other hand, Dr. Joseph Mueller, Christian Democratic deputy in the Bavarian Parliament, who had been during World War II a liaison officer for the Vatican in the fight against Hitler, warned against “over-estimating” the danger of neo-Nazism.
“There are Nazi under ground organizations all over the free world,” said Dr. Mudler, “including Texas, U.S.A.” Reports that influential Nazis occupy important positions in the German Federal Republic are “in general, exaggerated,” he declared.
Dr. Mueller denied that there is any danger that former officers of the SS would infiltrate the new German army. He declared that careful screening by the West Germany army command has kept down such former SS applicants for commissions from 150 applications. There are less than 50 former SS men among the new army’s officers, he said.
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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.
