German Jewry Expresses Appreciation of Work Done by J.t.a.: All Sections Join in Tribute to J.t.a. H

All sections of German Jewry are taking the opportunity afforded by the visit to Berlin of Mr. Jacob Landau, the Managing Director of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, to join in paying tribute to the services rendered by the J.T.A. in making known throughout the world the conditions under which the Jews of Germany are living, their problems and achievements, and thus contributing largely to the protective measures taken on their behalf in the direction of combating antisemitism, organising relief to alleviate their economic distress, etc.

The German Government authorities, too, are alive to the importance of the J.T.A. as a news-distributing medium making known in America and other countries events in Germany as they affect the Jews of the country. An official luncheon was given here to-day by the German Foreign Ministry in honour of Mr. Landau. Ministerial Director Dieckhoff presided, and the guests included Professor Walter Zechlin, the head of the Government Press Bureau, Legation Councillor Professor Sobernheim, Dr. Pruefer, Director of the Foreign Office, and other high Government officials, Professor Mittwoch, Herr Kurt Blumenfeld, Bresident of the German Zionist Federation, Dr. Leo Simon, one of the leading German industrialists, Herr Georg Tietz, the head of the famous Tietz chain stores, Dr. Ernst Wallach, Vice-President of the Central Union of German Citizens of the Jewish Faith, Dr. Bernhard Kahn, European Director of the Joint Distribution Committee, Dr. Alfred Wiener, Director of the Central Union of German Citizens of the Jewish Faith, and Dr. Mark Wischnitzer, the General Secretary of the Hilfsvereinder deutschen Juden.

Mr. Landau has also been entertained to lunch at the home of Dr. Ernst Wallach, Vice-President of the Central Union of German Citizens of the Jewish Faith. The guests included the President of the Central Union, Dr. Julius Brodnitz, Dr. Bruno Weil, and other members of the Presidium of the Union, Dr. Bernhard Kahn, European Director of the Joint Distribution Committee, Professor Sobernheim, of the German Foreign Office, and Dr. Mark Wischnitzer, the Secretary of the Hilfsverein der deutschen Juden. The speakers emphasised the incalculable services rendered by the J.T.A. in combating antisemitism and promoting Jewish relief activities.

The same evening Mr. Landau was entertained to dinner at the home of Herr Leo Simon, the guests including Professor George Bernhard, former editor of the “Vossische Zeitung” and ex-president of the International Federation of Journalists, Professor Sobernheim, Herr Kurt Blumenfeld, Herr Georg Tietz, Herr Berthold Israel, Herr Wilfred Isreal, Herr Sigmund Was sermann, Herr Jacob Japhet, Herr Alois Marcus, Herr Rudolf Hahn and Madame Lola Hahn-Warburg, Dr. Isaac Feurring, and Dr. Manfred Simon.

Herr Heinrich Stern, the President of the Federation of Liberal Jews in Germany, has asked Mr. Landau to address the Representative Council of the Federation of Liberal Jews on the Jewish situation.

On the invitation of the Berlin Lodge of the Order B’nai B’rith, Mr. Landau addressed the members on the position of world Jewry. After his address, Advocate Cohn, the President of the Lodge, expressed in very warm terms the gratitude, which, he said, they felt for the achievements of the J.T.A.

The Federation of the Jewish Press in Germany has arranged a press reception in honour of Mr. Landau, at which Mr. Landau and the leaders of the various Jewish parties and movements in Germany have been asked to speak on the Jewish outlook and the duties of the Jewish organisations for the future.

These various gatherings arranged in connection with Mr. Landau’s visit are providing a platform on neutral ground where Jewish leaders of all sections and parties are finding it possible to meet and discuss matters of Jewish interest, around the common subject of the J.T.A.

During the past ten years, the J.T.A. it is pointed out, has succeeded in bringing home to Jewish and general public opinion in America and elsewhere the real needs and achievements of German Jewry. The complex questions affecting world-wide Jewry, reported from the various countries through the medium of the J.T.A. correspondents there and printed in the German press as in the press of other countries have also been discussed at the Landau gatherings, and the opinion has been expressed that the Jewish Telegraphic Agency has become the nerve-system of present-day Jewry. The hope was expressed by the speakers that the J.T.A. would be able to extend still further, and thus be able to achieve even more on behalf of the Jewish populations of the world.