Jewish Affairs Office in Bavaria Will Be Merged with Office for Non-jewish Victims

The Bavarian Government plans to combine the office of Jewish Affairs and the office of Politically Persecuted Persons into a single Commissariat for the Victims of Fascism, it was learned here today. The new agency will be headed by Dr. Philip Auerbach, a German Jew who became Bavarian Commissioner of Jewish Affairs several days ago.

The merger plan, which will be submitted to the Military Government authorities next week and whose approval is expected, is the outcome of a compromise between political and racial groups. The displaced Jews feared a merger because of the political connotations attached to the political persecutees. They now feel, however, that Dr. Auerbach will preserve their interests.

The strongest possibility exists, according to Jewish circles here, that the new commissariat will become heavily involve in politics, possibly affecting the administration of Jewish affairs. Leaders of the political persecutees, for example, are now involved in a controversy with the Bavarian Ministry of the Interior. The political persecutees are said to be angry because they were not consulted regarding Auerbach’s appointment, but they appear willing to work with him.

It is also learned that Dr. Auerbach is now working on a law which will exactly define political and racial persecutees. A law of that kind is necessary because persons not entitled to call themselves persecutees are receiving relief, while some legitimate persecutees are not.