Fascist groups in Switzerland are publishing declarations repudiating allegations they are anti-Semitic.
The Italian organ of the Lugano Fascists declares that the group has nothing to do with anti-Semitism. A similar declaration is published in a German Fascist leaflet. In the same way the French paper Le Fascist Suisse of Lausanne, repudiates the charge of anti-Semitism. “Our attitude on the race question is well known,” it says, “we do not engage in anti-Semitism.”
Some Swiss Frontist groups, however, are conducting anti-Jewish propaganda. The newspaper Die Front recently alleged that Princip, murderer of the Archduke Ferdinand at Sarajevo, was a Jew and a Freemason, and “thus the Jews and the Freemasons started the War.”
The Bund of Berne writes: “Are we to allow such a vile lie to appear in a daily newspaper in Switzerland? The intention is obvious. It is an attempt to bolster up the exploded Protocols of Zion. Apart from the fact that Princip and his nine fellow-conspirators belonged to organizations similar to those which here call themselves Die Front, these papers know well enough that he was neither a Jew nor a Freemason. It is high time to stop these people poisoning the wells.”
The Staatsbuerger publishes an article condemning anti-Semitism. “We know no Jewish peril,” it says, “we Swiss people have always seen our inhabitants of various origins, religions and languages able to live together in accord, because we are inspired by the idea that every fellow-man who adapts himself to our condition deserves respect and equal rights.”
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
