Are Germans Really Anti-semites ?

Nobody knows better than I that this question is fraught with danger and can lead to much misunderstanding. Many among the tortured and insulted, the uprooted and tormented Jews of Germany might bitterly resent this question. They can point to their still-bleeding wounds—they can call attention to the thorny paths they trod from the German homeland, by way of the Jewish refugee committees of the neighboring countries, to the miserable hiding places of the large cities—they can point to their children who were surrounded by their schoolmates, who sang, “When Jewish blood besmears the knife, we’ll lead an even better life.” And they may perhaps speak of their sons and brothers, who went to the defense of Germany during the war, who lost their eyesight, and who now find themselves ousted from the organization of German War-Blinded.

And other Jews—Oh, there are such!—who come from Germany and say or write: “I don’t know what these horror-mongers want! Nothing happened to us, business is—good and across the street there is a Nazi who greets us most cordially whenever he sees us.”

All of these people may not approve of the question: “Are Germans really anti-Semites ?”

MUST EXAMINE QUESTION

And yet this question must be examined. I consider it one of the most important of the whole Jewish problem. Let us first turn to those who say that nothing happened to them, and that they have friends among the Nazis. So as to {SPAN}ave{/SPAN} absolutely no room for misunderstanding: these people are to {SPAN}#e{/SPAN} the most revolting creatures in the world.

This we may say in their de#ense—the German press and the German radio are coordinated, and #ay bring only such news as is #pproved by the Ministry of Propaganda. It is, therefore, wrong to ask people who come from Germany what is happening in the country. They can only report on #he occurrences in their immediate #icinity. If something takes place ## an adjacent village, which might #ause criticism in foreign lands, #hey don’t even hear of it. Foreign newspapers whose correspondents #re better informed are prohibited ## Germany. Any one who circu#tes rumors is heavily punished.

Thus, no one knows anything, #ven about his next door neighbor. #he fact that, not long ago, there #ere pogroms in villages in Pome#ania was withheld from the world, #nd became known only because #he Jews affected were insured by #wiss insurance companies. In Germany, it is still unknown.

THEY DON’T KNOW

Due to these suppressions some {SPAN}#ews{/SPAN} can say, in all sincerity: everything is all right. They did not {SPAN}#ave{/SPAN} the opportunity of listening {SPAN}#{/SPAN} doctors in hospitals on the {SPAN}#utch{/SPAN}, Belgian and Czecho-{SPAN}slovak#n{/SPAN} borders tell of wounds, the {SPAN}hor#r{/SPAN} of which is indescribable. They {SPAN}#ave{/SPAN} not seen Jewish school {SPAN}chil#ren{/SPAN} whose entire lives have been {SPAN}#recked{/SPAN} …, but, why keep on {SPAN}#peating{/SPAN} these things! (Must I {SPAN}#igress{/SPAN} to add that it is shameless, {SPAN}#ay{/SPAN}, it shows a lack of decency, {SPAN}#{/SPAN} take pride in being greeted by {SPAN}#{/SPAN} Nazi, or even to desire such a {SPAN}#ing{/SPAN}. The management of the {SPAN}#orth{/SPAN} Sea resort, Nordeney, {SPAN}re#ntly{/SPAN} announced that despite the {SPAN}#act{/SPAN} that Jews had been prohibited {SPAN}#om{/SPAN} visiting this resort, since last {SPAN}#ear{/SPAN}, many applications were {SPAN}re#tved{/SPAN} from Jews who went so {SPAN}##{/SPAN} as to include recommendations {SPAN}#om{/SPAN} Nazis, urging that they be {SPAN}#rmitted{/SPAN} to come. These are the {SPAN}#es{/SPAN} to whom nothing has happened).

And now for those who turn ###way from any question, because #ey show their wounds and say: #e this, this is the answer to such # question. Well, I belong to those #ho can show wounds…. never#less, I ask the question. Per#ps I ask it more specifically: ### the anti-Semites in Ger### masses, the individ###ment?

The German people are not anti-Semites! This can, and it is important that it should be demonstrated, if not for us, then for our children who, it is hoped, will return to a saner homeland. Just as there was one in England a forced exodus of Jews, even as in Spain and in Turkey,—countries in which Jews today live side by side, and in mutual respect with their fellow-men—just so the Jews at some future time will again enjoy their full human rights in Germany.

Let us now consider what is happening in Germany today. Since the beginning of the Nazi movement, anti-Semitism has been constantly preached to its followers. Millions of party members, as well as millions of storm troopers and those in work camps—a group which constitutes more than three-fourth of the entire German people—are also forcibly subjected to the most unrestrained anti-Semitic propaganda emanating from their leaders.

All of them must listen at least once a week to lectures on the race problem. No one may contradict the speakers, who declare that Jews are obnoxious and inferior.

LEADERS APED BY SMALL FRY

The entire people must read the German newspaper and listen to the German radios which for the last eighteen months have repeated the same statements. And is it conceivable that in this, the most absolute of all monarchies in the world, there is even one minor official, speaker, editor, or radio announcer, who does not exert himself to imitate his masters and to surpass them.

So, day after day, month after month, the German people hear the same things. The more educated among them may have resisted for a while, but then the relentless propaganda had its effect even on them. The masses had long since been broken down in spirit: “The Jews are our misfortune!” If business is desperately bad because the whole world shuns Germany as a dishonest partner—if the workers have fewer rights than in any other civilized land in the world—if culture is burned and corrupted—if the middle-class is starving—Hitler explains all of this (in his speech of August 17 in Hamburg) by saying: “There is an international conspiracy against us.”

The Jew is to blame.

Who within Germany can remain aloof from this? No one. It is impossible. A year ago, in the introduction of my book, “Murder—Made in Germany,” I wrote: “It is true that the German Government passed a law which prohibited Jews from slaughtering cows and calves in their customary manner, according to their ritual; no law appeared, however, which would have prohibited the slaughter of the Jews themselves, in a manner a hundred times more brutal than #ver an animal was slaughtered; and never since January 30, 1933, was anyone punished who murdered a Jew.” The same thing still holds true today.

Therefore ### German people are not anti-Semites. If the German people were anti-Semites, there would not be a single Jew alive in Germany today. For the last year and a half, it is constantly being stated that the Jews are responsible for all misery, in other words, if they were to disappear, all misery would cease. Germany is pervaded by indescribable, ghastly misery. Anyone may kill a Jew without the slightest fear of even a reprimand…. No, the Germans are not anti-Semites, although the present government is using every conceivable effort to make them so. Since the masses could not be persuaded to take this course, the government was forced to resort to a boycott on April 1, 1913.

No, the Germans are not anti-Semites. Considering the methods employed there has been little success to date in the attempt to reduce this great nation to barbarism. If one did not believe this, I must admit it openly, one would, indeed, be driven to desperation. For if one were forced to acknowledge that a group of fanatical scoundrels could reduce a great, gifted people to insensate murderers, simply because these people had suffered so much for two decades, then life would be completely lacking in a goal for all mankind.

It is therefore proved that the Germans are not anti-Semites.