“courrier Israelite” Presents “the Balance Sheet of 1929” with Regard to Roumanian Government’s Trea

was drawn to new anti-Semitic demonstrations in Moldavia, Bessarabia and Bukovina. The memorandum laid stress on the articles of law prohibiting such agitation.

December 1928—The meetings called by the Union of Roumanian Jews in Bucharest, Jassy and Kishineff were hindered by mobs led by district captains of the National-Peasant party.

The Regency received Dr. Filderman, who protested against anti-Semitic demonstrations, the re-instatement of anti-Semitic student associations and the abrogation of the right of Jewish citizens to meet.

The Government granted the “National Union of Christian Students,” the exclusive right to represent all students before the Ministries, to carry out social and cultural activities in cities and villages, and to edit a newspaper subsidized by the Government, etc.

The Government approved the celebration of December 10th by the Christian students, thus officially endorsing the day which marks the beginning of the fight for the exclusion of Jews from schools and from the activities in public life.

The senate of the University drew the Government’s attention to the fact that the “Union of Christian Students” and the “Student’s Center,” dissolved by the former Government, had no authorization to function. The Government refused to consider the measures already sanctioned by them.

At a meeting of the “majorities” C. Stere demanded that a representative of the “minorities” be also elected in the office of the House of Representatives. Minister Vaida rejected the proposal in the name of the Government.

The Government demanded and obtained resignations in blank from the members of Parliament. The resignations in blank of Jewish members elected on the Government ticket were also demanded, but met with their refusal.

January 1929—Dr. Filderman, at a meeting with Minister Vlad, demanded the penalty for a priest of the Buzen district, guilty of anti-Semitic aggression. Minister Vlad promised an inquiry. No penalty was imposed on the culprit.

In a speech before the House of Representatives, Minister Vlad explained the reason for the agreement with the “Zionists” by saving:

“So that we may not be obliged to send coded and straight cablegrams of excuses to New York, London or the Jewish Alliance.” On January 16th it was again Mr. Vlad who, before the House, revived the old dictum of: “Hit my Jew and I will hit yours.”

Representatives of the Union of Roumanian Jews presented a memorandum demanding the modification of the law governing naturalization. Minister Gr. Iunian promised.

The Ministry of Cults changed the statutes governing the organization of the Mosaic Cult without consulting its representatives. The new statute constitutes a great handicap to the organization of the Mosaic Cult. While the old statute recognized the community’s true character of religious, cultural and social mentor of the Jewish population, the new statute annuls—contrary to the provisions of the law voted under the Liberals—the possibility of organizing unified communities.

The Government refused to pay the 3,000,000 Lei quota allowed to the Mosaic Cult of Bessarabia for 1928. Representatives of the United Roumanian Jews demanded payment in a request filed with the Ministries of Cults and Finances. The Ministry of Finance reaffirmed its decision of withholding payment, on the ground that it was an item which should have been charged to last year’s budget.

February 1929—The Ministry of Health barred Jewish doctors from becoming the head doctors of rural districts. The newspaper, “Adevarul,” in its issue of February 9th, protested against this exceptional measure and announced that members of the Parliament would bring the question up in session.

Committees of Jewish communities in various localities were dissolved by local authorities. Protests addressed to the Government were of no avail.

March 1929—The new Dean of the University, Prof. N. Iorga, drew the Government’s attention to the fact that, although dissolved, the “Student Center” functioned. Mr. Iorga demanded enforcement of the law, but the Government refused to act.

The new law of Cooperatives abolished the “Jewish Union of Cooperatives.” The Jewish Cooperative Associations were deprived of the privileges accorded by the law and their statusquo, provided by the old law, abolished. The newspaper “Adevarul,” protested, in its issue of March 23rd, against the attempt to destroy the Jewish Cooperative Associations and showed that the law was reactionary and selective. The reason invoked by Mr. Raducanu was that…Jewish cooperatives dispose of cheaper credits and could buy up the peasant’s lands!

April 1929—The Government refused to punish the culprits of Briceni. “Adevarul,” in its issue of April 10th, wrote:

“We spoke at the time about the disgrace of Briceni. We showed by means of uncontested facts how some official persons indulged in the saddistic pleasure of subjecting to medical examinations young girls who were returning from a party. We evinced strongly the wretchedness of this affair and the necessity of an immediate exemplification. Such a disgrace should not have gone uncondemned for even twenty-four hours.” Many twenty-four hours passed and the culprits, governmental employees, were not indicted.

It was discovered that among the anti-Semitic transgressors of Cluj there was one, Ioan Bindea, a police captain.

The Ministry of Interior appointed an Inspector General and a Director from that Ministry to undertake an investigation into the Jewish community of Bucharest and its institutions. The reason for the investigation was not kept secret. It was openly shown that the Government desired the dissolution of the community’s committees elected by the vote of the Jewish population of Bucharest. The Government wanted to appoint its adherents at the head of these committees.

Dr. W. Filderman, president of the Roumanian Jews, and Zelter Sarateanu protested to Dr. Vlad, Minister of Cults, against the utter disregard of the most elementary rights of the Mosaic Cult. The Minister of Interior, as a result of this protest, annulled the order for the investigation. All Jewish organizations in Bucharest protested. It was decided to call a meeting of all Jewish communities in the country, and resolved to fight against the blow dealt to the autonomy of Jewish communities. Mr. Filderman declared, on April 10th, in a plenary session of the Bucharest Community, the following:

“A while ago we were considered aliens in the country of our birth. Even our most elementary rights were contested. But it never before occurred that the State should deny the autonomy of our cult. This is now being tried.”

Jewish Community Committees were dissolved in various places by local authorities, who assumed the right to appoint provisional commissions without consulting the Jewish population. The leaders of the Union of Roumanian Jews and the federation of communities protested.

May 1929—Mr. Schaffer, our collaborator, was sued by A. C. Cuza on account of a notice published in the “Courrier Israelite,” and was condemned by a jury in the Tribunal of Tulcea to pay 30,000 Lei damages.

On the occasion of the celebration of “Ziua Eroiler” (Hero’s Day) Archbishop Ghenadie of Bucharest asked the Jewish clergy to withdraw. He said: “Either we officiate or you do. It makes a bad impression on the Christians. You should step down.” The matter was brought to the attention of the Government, but no steps were taken. In reply to an interpellation Dr. Vlad, the Minister of Cults, asked that the matter be submitted to the Synod.

Minister Costachescu replied to his interpellators, the German deputies, that the Alba Iulia resolution is not a law or the platform of the Government, but a distant ideal.

The Government gave assistance to the needy of Bessarabia, the Jews being excluded. Excepting the help received from the Red Cross, to which Jews also contribute, the needy received no other help but that offered by their institutions and the sum of 1,000,000 Lei of the rightfully-due larger