Reports from Hungary reaching here today indicate that the 150,000 Jews there are living in mortal fear following the arrest this weekend of Lajos Stoeckler, president of the Budapest Jewish Community, who was also head of the entire Jewish’ relief system in the country, which includes homes for the aged, children’s institutions and hospitals
Mr. Stoekler’s arrest came 48 hours after the Hungarian Communist newspaper Szabad Nep had denounced Zionism and warned that the “hostile undermining activities” of the Joint Distribution Committee were more of a danger in Hungary where the organization operated until recently, than in the Soviet Union where the J.D.C. was last week accused of plotting the murder of Russian political leaders. The one-line announcement of Mr. Stoekler’s arrest identified him as a “former industrialist” and stated that police had “found a considerable quantity of dollars and Swiss francs.”
The Jewish community, of which Mr. Stockier was head, administered for relief purposes funds sent to Hungary by the J.D.C. In 1949 J.D.C. director Israel G. Jacobson was arrested then expelled from Hungary for “deeds violating the interests of the state” and for “abusing the rights of foreigners.” The last J.D.C. director in Hungary was Charles Jordan who left in May, 1951.
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