The German-controlled Hungarian puppet government has established a “Central Jewish Council” which will be responsible to the authorities for all Jewish affairs, it is reported in the Hungarian press reaching here today. The Council will appoint various committees to deal with all matters affecting Jews.
The new body is similar to that set up by the Nazis in other occupied countries for the purpose of facilitating execution of their anti-Jewish measures. When taxes are to be imposed upon Jews, for instance, or deportees selected, the authorities inform the Jewish Council and force it to collect the funds, or choose the deportees.
Meanwhile, the Hungarian press continues to agitate for sweeping anti-Jewish decrees. The newspaper Esti Ujsag urges that the Hungarian civil service be “purged” of all elements which have protected Jews. “The servants of the Jews must leave their posts,” the paper says. “Even leading officials must disappear if they have used their influence in favor of the Semitic element.”
Pester Lloyd, the semi-official organ of the Foreign Ministry, quotes the Hungarian anti-Semitic leader Bela Imredi as demanding “completion” of the anti-Jewish laws. The paper predicts new restrictive legislation. In an attempt to explain why the puppet government has dissolved all political parties, Pester Lloyd attacked the “arrogance” of the Small Holders Party, which last year submitted a memorandum to the government demanding punishment for mistreatment of Jews.
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.
