Jewish organizations in Western Germany today decided to call an extraordinary conference this week to deal with the problem of organizing adequate self-defense measures against the mounting anti-Jewish “incidents” in the American and British zones of Germany. The Jewish organizations also intend to appeal for outside intervention against the “continuing neo-barbarism” in the country, it was indicated here today.
(In Washington, Sen, Guy M. Gillette introduced a resolution in the Senate demanding an investigation of American denazification policies in Western Germany. Cosponsors of the resolution were Senators Herbert H. Lehman, Paul H. Douglas, Claude Pepper, Dennis Chavez, Harley M. Kilgore, Irving M. Ives and Robert C. Hendrickson.)
Meanwhile, Minister of Interior Gustav Heinemann, of the Federal West German Republic, today broadcast an appeal–in the name of the Protestant church–calling on all Germans to “work against prejudice and anti-Semitism.”
The Minister’s broadcast followed close on the heels of an outbreak of several anti-Semitic incidents in Western Germany during the week-end. In Frankfurt the Jewish cemetery was desecrated by unknown persons, with at least 12 tombstones overthrown and additional headstones damaged by the vandals. Police investigating the desecration said that the tombstones required “physical force” to knock down and “therefore, this was certainly not done by playing children.”
In Nuremberg, the Jewish proprietor of a building returned to him under the restitution laws, who recently came to Germany from Israel to claim his property, received an anonymous note declaring that “Jews are not wanted.” Dr. Philip Auerbach, Bavarian Commissioner for Persecutees, commented that the week-end incidents were organized by the Nazi underground.
The Social Democratic Party issued a statement today denouncing the anti-Semitic incidents perpetrated in this country during the week-end as “doubtless organized by neo-nationalists.” The statement added: “The labor unions and the Social Democrats will reply with all their means.”
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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.
