Czechoslovakia was reportedly moving toward an “explosive confrontation” between the country’s intellectuals and the Czech Communist Party, the Daily Telegraph reported here today. The newspaper said that an “astonishingly outspoken” manifesto, directed to world public opinion, had been adopted at a Congress of Czech Writers.
That manifesto, which has now reached London, after being smuggled out of Czechoslovakia, accused the party leaders of carrying out “a witch hunt of a pronounced Fascist character,” employing terror against dissenting writers who opposed the Government’s pro-Arab, anti-Israel policy. The manifesto pleaded for abandonment of “political censorship, anti-Semitism and racism” in the country’s official political policies. The manifesto had been signed by 69 artists, 183 writers, 21 television personalities, 56 scientists and publicists and other intellectuals, the newspaper reported.
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.
