Jews, Catholics Fear Curbs As Nazis Take over Danzig Rule

JEWISH AND CATHOLIC CIRCLES EXPRESSED FEARS TODAY OF RESTRICTIVE MEASURES AFTER THE FREE CITY HAD COME COMPLETELY UNDER NAZI DOMINATION WITH THE DISSOLUTION OF THE CATHOLIC CENTER PARTY.

“GHETTO STALLS” WERE INTRODUCED IN THE MARKET PLACE AND JEWS WERE ORDERED TO OCCUPY STALLS ON A SIDE STREET. A FIGHT ENSUED WHEN JEWISH TRADERS REFUSED TO COMPLY WITH THE ORDER, SEVERAL GERMAN TRADERS SIDING WITH THE JEWS.

THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF DANZIG APPEALED TO THE JEWISH POPULATION, IN A STATEMENT, TO ACT WITH DIGNITY AND CALM. THE STATEMENT SAID THE COMMUNITY ADMINISTRATION FULLY REALIZED THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE SITUATION FOR THE JEWS.

THE CENTER PARTY WAS DECLARED ILLEGAL AND MEMBERSHIP IN IT WAS MADE PUNISHABLE BY IMPRISONMENT. CATHOLIC MEMBERS OF THE LANDTAG WERE REQUESTED TO TENDER THEIR RESIGNATIONS. SEVERAL CENTRIST DEPUTIES ESCAPED ABROAD.

FREDERICK T. BIRCHALL, IN A BERLIN DISPATCH TO THE NEW YORK TIMES TODAY, SAID:

“A DIFFICULT TIME, HOWEVER, IS INDICATED FOR DANZIG JEWS NOW THAT THE FORMER FREE CITY HAS PASSED UNDER EXCLUSIVE NAZI DOMINATION. THE NATIONAL SOCIALIST GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN PROCEEDING STRONGLY AGAINST JEWS, AND ONLY A WEEK AGO HERE FOERSTER DECLARED THAT THENCEFORTH THE JEWISH QUESTION WOULD BE MUCH IN THE FOREGROUND.

“HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT, SINCE DANZIG COULD NOT DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST ‘JEWISH BRAZENNESS’ UNDER EXISTING LAWS, THE BATTLE WOULD BE TAKEN UP ‘BY MEANS OF EDUCATION AND MEASURES WHICH THE POPULATION ITSELF WILL ADOPT SPONTANEOUSLY.’ MOREOVER, IN THESE ‘SELF-HELP’ MEASURES OF THE GERMAN POPULATION, HE SAID, NO DIFFERENCE COULD BE MADE BETWEEN JEWS WHO ARE DANZIG CITIZENS AND THOSE OF FOREIGN CITIZENSHIP.”