All street demonstrations in Berlin were forbidden today by Albert Grzesinsky, police chief, in order to prevent further Hitlerite outbreaks such as yesterday’s in the Hollendorfplatz where the National Socialists massed to protest against the showing of the American talking picture, All Quiet on the Western Front. Addressing a crowd of his followers, Paul Goebbels, Hitlerite leader, threatened Jewish pogroms in a legal way.
Reinforced police squads are patrolling the city and dispersing every gathering no matter how small, without warning. A general feeling of anxiety prevails as it is felt that counter-action by the Hitlerites may be expected.
In his address yesterday, Goebbels threatened the Jews of West Berlin and warned them that Hitler was at the gates of Berlin. After his address a crowd of Hitlerites began heading towards West Berlin but was stopped by a large police detachment.
While the Berlin Hitlerites continue to exploit the protests against All Quiet on the Western Front for anti-Semitic agitation, German Jewry is embittered and disappointed because the other political parties and their press have failed to enlighten the German masses about the falsity of the Hitlerites’ accusations in connection with the production of All Quiet on the Western Front.
The propaganda of the National-Socialists has led the uninformed German masses to believe the Hitlerite legend that the direction and production of All Quiet on the Western Front is an American-Jewish plot to disgrace the German war heroes. Resenting the failure of the government to prevent the circulation of this canard, Jewish leaders here believe that the other political parties fear to defend the German Jews because such action might lead to their being labelled “Jew-protectors.”
The protests against All Quiet on the Western Front show no sign of ending and have taken on a definite anti-Semitic character. While the Hitlerite demonstration was in progress yesterday, passing Jews were insulted and threats were made to “hang and kill them all.” The police had a difficult time in breaking up the crowd. Many of the National Socialists were arrested, among them Deputy Fabricus.
He was brought to court today on a charge of resisting the state attorney’s writ for his arrest. Despite his claim to immunity as a member of the Reichstag, Fabricus was brought to trial by the state attorney who found a clause in the constitution which legalizes the arrest of a deputy.
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.
