Jews Entering German Economic Life Face Anti-semitism, Gen. Clay Tells U.N. Group

Declaring that he doubted whether great numbers of Jews could be absorbed into the German economy without the threat of increased anti-Semitism, Gen. Lucius D. Clay, American commander in Germany, today told the United Nations sub-committee touring the DP camps in Germany and Austria that there was a marked increase in the desire of displaced Jews to emigrate to Palestine.

When the refugees first arrive in the American zone and are placed in camps they are “glad to find refuge and rest from the nervous strain of travel,” Gen. Clay stated. But later, when they settle down to the routine of camp life, which is an “unnatural life,” and realize that they have no economic future here, their desire to go to Palestine increases daily, he emphasized.

Maj. Gen. Sir Brian Robertson, Deputy Military Commander of the British zone of Germany, told the sub-committee privately that there are 10,822 displaced Jews in his zone, the majority of whom wish to emigrate to Palestine. If other countries opened their doors, some of the DP’s would emigrate there, too, he asserted.

Robertson gave the committee the impression that he saw little future for the Jews in Germany since the Hitler-sown seeds of anti-Semitism were still deep-rooted. Placing Jews in important posts in Germany, he stated, would only lead to increased anti-Semitism.

On behalf of the 7,600 Jews in the city, the Berlin Jewish Community Council submitted a memorandum to the sub-committee which stated that “the greater part of the Jews who returned to Germany with a desire to rebuild their lives here now wish to leave the country.” It concluded: “The greatest part of our community and almost all of the DP’s wish to go there. It is an illusion to think that German Jews can settle and rebuild their lives here.”