The Jews of Vienna who have been given manual labor “work under supervision, like slaves, for starvation wages,” a neutral correspondent who recently visited the Austrian city declares in an article in The Times.
“The tragedy,” the writer states “is that just because the Austrians, by nature humane, would treat the Jews as human beings, the authorities are all the more insistent on carrying out the anti-Jewish laws.”
Jews, when approached suddenly, “invariably adopt an attitude of defense, a witness to the blows and kicks to which they are subjected,” the article declares. All have a single dream–of some day, somehow escaping. Austrians are ashamed of the Jew-baiting and troubled over the inevitable barbarization of their own children.
Jewish children are barred from playgrounds. Jews are forbidden to visit cinemas and theaters, cross parks, sit in public seats, use public baths or be on the streets after 8 p.m. in the summer and 7 p.m. in the winter. They must have the name “Sarah” or “Israel” stamped on their identity cards, the letter “J” (for “Jew”) on their ration cards and can only be served in stores between two and three p.m., when most products have been sold out. They do not receive clothing cards and cannot get permission to have their shoes resoled without surrendering a soap coupon. They cannot buy milk or chocolate for their children nor obtain vegetables, except when there is a surplus.
They live herded together in hovels in the poorest part of the city.
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.
