German Gov’t Recognizes Jewish Youth Organization Legalizing Its Activities

A tremendous achievement for German Jewry as well as a clever move by the Nazi regime was seen in the official recognition by the German government of the Jewish Youth Association of Germany. The Reichs Commissar for youth affairs announced that hereafter the government would recognize the association as the official representative body for the Jewish youth movement with whom the government will negotiate any problems of the Jewish youth that may arise.

This recognition of the Jewish Youth Association means the legalization of the entire Jewish Youth movement and opens possibilities for wide Jewish cultural and sport youth activities. It will also entitle the executive of the association to issue special identification cards to local organizations of Jewish youth all over Germany, which are to be recognized by the local authorities, thus protecting the local Jewish youth groups from molestation by the local Nazis or police.

Together with the announcement of the recognition by the government, the executive body of the Jewish Youth Association issued a call over the signature of the late Dr. Ludwig Tietz, president of the association, who died within a few hours after the recognition was announced, calling upon all Jewish youth organizations in Germany to intensify all their activities and to make all efforts to fit the young Jewish generation to the newly-created circumstances.

The news will undoubtedly serve as a strong stimulus for thousands of Jewish youths, who, especially within the provinces, felt lost and isolated because they had been expelled from the general youth organizations.