Austrian Paper Publishes Letter Showing Nazis Favor Baptized Jews

A sensation was created here by revelations published in the “Arbeiter Zeitung” to the effect that the Austrian Nazis are according favorable treatment to Jews who have been baptized and who support the Nazi Party financially.

The “Arbeiter Zeitung” supports its contention by reproducing in facsimile a letter of recommendation by the Viennese Nazi manager, Erwin Schaffar, addressed to the Nazi Premier of Thuringia, Gauckel. The letter requests permission for the return to Thuringia of the Jewish merchant, Theodor Auspitz, who was expelled from Thuringia by the Nazis. Gauckel, in the same letter, asks that Auspitz be permitted to resume his occupation in Thuringia, pointing out that Auspitz had in the meantime been converted to Christianity and had also financially assisted the Nazi Parties. He adds the observation that Converts like Auspitz are also worthy of acceptance for membership in the Nazi Party of Thuringia.

It is significant that the Viennese Nazis have not so far denied authenticity of this letter.

It may be recalled that the question of the treatment to be meted out by the Nazis to Jewish Converts to Christianity has also exercised German Nazis. It played a considerable part in the agitation preceding the German general elections and every effort was made by the competing Nazi and Stahlheim parties to trace Jewish blood in the veins of the leaders of the opposing parties. Thus the discovery that Colonel Theodor Duesterberg, second leader of the Stahlheim was of Jewish origin, led to a storm among many of his followers and was used by the Nazis for discrediting the Stahlhelm organization. On the other hand this was quickly countered by the discovery, made by the Republicans that Dr. Wolfgang Saalfeldt, a Nazi leader in Holstein, was the grand-son of a certain Itzak Saalfeldt, a Jew of Posen.