There is little like lihood that the Belgian Government will offer any inducement to encourage the return of Jewish diamond dealers who fled abroad after the Nazi occupation, it was learned here today.
Antwerp’s diamond industry has already been reorganized without the Jewish dealers and many non-Jews have filled the places formerly held by the absentees. There are strong indications that the leaders of the industry would perfer that the Jews stay away, and it seems likely that should the Jews return, they will find that all the strategic spots in the industry have been filled.
Antwerp, incidentally, is known for having saved the smallest number of Jews during the occupation and as the city where large numbers of Jews were denounced to the Gestapo by Belgian collaborationists. Some circles fear that the return of the Jewish diamond merchants might lead to increased anti-Semitism here.
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