Max Warburg’s Tribute to Memory of Dr. Paul Nathan

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency Mail Service)

Herr Max Warburg was the chief speaker at a big memorial meeting held this week in Hamburg in honor of the late Dr. Paul Nathan, organized by the Hamburg branch of the Hilfsverein der deutschen Juden. Wherever and whenever there was distress, Herr Warburg said, Paul Nathan together with Dr. James Simon stood at the head of the relief work. "Here in Hamburg when the refugees arrived from Russia after the pogroms and later, he stood at our side in the work of the so-called Russian Committee, of the Hamburg branch of the Hilfsverein which he helped to found, of the Organization for Refugees and in other ways. We have to thank him and his negotiations with Government departments and with the shipping companies that the stream of emigrants was directed through Germany without causing any difficulties.

"In his last letter to me, written only five days before his death," Herr Warburg proceeded, "he wrote that he was ready to come to Hamburg in order to tell us what he had seen of the position in Russia during his visit there. The Hilfsverein der deustchen Juden is hoping to find a way of associating the name of Paul Nathan permanently with the relief work on behalf of the Russian Jews and we count on all his friends to participate in this work. His life was a constant search for a synthesis between true German and true Jewish feeling. He saw the unifying factor of all Jews in the common relief work. He sought to relieve distress among the Jews no matter where it was.

"In regard to Palestine, he was in a sense among the first Zionists. Before the war, he tried to build up a constructive educational work in Palestine. But nationalist Zionism which might be in conflict with his Germanism was alien to him. Nathan was an untiring fighter against anti-Semitism. He collected authoritative material which disploved the ritual murder lies from Xanthen to Konitz. He helped in the defence of Beilis in Kieff. He made known the facts regarding the participation of the Jews in the army during the war. He was a leader, an example to us all as Germans and as Jews, of true loyalty, of courage and of self-sacrifice."