Dr. H.G. Van Dam, secretary-general of the Council of Jews in Germany, appealed today to West German officials to intervene against plans of former members of the SS from Belgium and The Netherlands to hold a meeting, July 4, in West Germany.
The former SS members, now members of a European Committee for Hero Worship, with headquarters in Antwerp, met in Muenstereife, in North Rhine Westphalia, in 1963, the same place set for the July 4 meeting. They were forbidden last year to hold any public activities other than a memorial service, but speeches were delivered and a torchlight procession was held.
Officials here said that the West German Embassy raised the issue with the Belgian Foreign Office, which said that, under Belgian law, there was no way to prevent Belgians from organizing meetings of that kind in West Germany.
Socialist Party members asked Willy Wyer, North Rhine Westphalia Interior Minister, whether he planned to reject the application of the SS group for permission to hold the July 4 meeting. Dr. VanDam met with the Interior Minister for a discussion of the situation, and also asked the West German Interior Minister, Hermann Hocherl, to intervene.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
