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Hungarian Welfare Minister Calls for Ruthless Drive on Anti-semitism; Hits Zionism

April 11, 1946
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Minister of Welfare Eric Molnar, lecturing before the political academy of the Communist Party, of which he is a leader, urged a “ruthless struggle” against anti-Semitism, which he said had helped to plunge Hungary into its gravest disaster, but castigated Zionism, as “reactionary, even if it proclaims Socialism.”

Declaring that Hungarian Jewry has become fully Hungarian in language and culture, he pointed out that in the past Jews encountered constant friction as a result of anti-Semitism fostered by “feudalists and capitalists” who strove to create hostility among workers of different creeds.

An inter-party conference held here this week discussed the problems of restoration of confiscated Jewish property and the return of valuables belonging to Jews which were taken to Germany. The meeting drafted a new decree covering restoration of Jewish property which comes closer to meeting the demands of the Jewish community than the measures now in force.

Laszlo Ferenczy, a former Lieut. Col. of the gendarmerie has been sentenced to hang for his persecution of Jews during the period he acted as a liaison officer between the German occupation authorities and the Hungarian police. Surviving members of the “Jewish Council” set up by the Nazis testified that at the same time Fervency was promising to help Jews, he arranged for their deportation.

The bodies of 180 victims of the Nazis have been brought from the Balf labor camp for reburial in a common grave here. Jewish and Christian services were held at the graveside.

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