AFTER FOUR YEARS IN WHICH THE GOVERNMENT OF THE THIRD REICH, BY LEGISLATION AND MINISTERIAL DECREE, HAS ELIMINATED OR GREATLY RESTRICTED JEWISH ACTIVITY IN EVERY SPHERE, THE JEWISH QUESTION IN GERMANY HAS BEEN HANDED OVER TO THE LEADERS OF THE NAZI PARTY FOR FINAL LIQUIDATION, A SPECIAL JEWISH TELEGRAPHIC AGENCY CORRESPONDENT LEARNED ON VISITING BERLIN.
HAVING GIVEN ALL THE NECESSARY LEGAL BASIS REQUIRED FOR FULFILLING THE NATIONAL SOCIALIST ANTI-JEWISH PROGRAM, THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT HAS TURNED OVER THE JEWISH QUESTION TO THE PARTY FOR FINAL SOLUTION AND NAZI GAULEITER (DISTRICT LEADERS) TODAY ARE THE ARBITERS OF THE JEWISH FATE IN GERMANY. AND THUS HAS BEEN FULFILLED A THREAT LONG HANGING OVER THE HEADS OF GERMANY’S STEADILY DWINDLING POPULATION–ESTIMATED AT LESS THAN 400,000, A REDUCTION OF MORE THAN 100,000 IN THE SPACE OF FOUR YEARS.
EACH GAULEITER, UNDER THE NEW DISPENSATION, HAS THE AUTHORITY TO DECREE MEASURES AFFECTING THE JEWS OF HIS DISTRICT. AS A RESULT, ANTI-JEWISH MEASURES ARE EXPECTED TO VARY WIDELY, FROM DISTRICTS SUCH AS FRANCONIA, WHERE JULIUS STREICHER, HIGH PRIEST OF GERMAN ANTI-SEMITISM, IS GAULEITER, TO BERLIN WHERE ANTI-JEWISH ACTIVITIES ARE STILL CLOAKED.
IT IS RELIABLY LEARNED THAT THE QUESTION OF COMPELLING JEWS TO WEAR DISTINCTIVE INSIGNIA SUCH AS YELLOW BADGES HAS ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED BY PARTY LEADERS. THE DISCUSSION HAS EVEN GONE AS FAR AS CONSIDERATION OF THE ARM ON WHICH THE BADGE SHOULD BE WORN. IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE LEFT ARM SHOULD BE USED SO THAT THERE MIGHT BE NO CONFUSION WITH THE REICHSWEHR INSIGNIA.
IF AND WHEN THE JEWS ARE COMPELLED TO WEAR SUCH BADGES, REMINISCENT OF MEDIEVAL “BADGES OF SHAME,” IT IS RELIABLY STATED THAT THE ORDERS WILL COME FROM THE GAULEITER RATHER THAN FROM ANY GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY.
THE YELLOW BENCHES PLACED ALONG OLIVAERPLATZ, BERLIN, FOR USE OF JEWS ONLY, WERE SO DESIGNATED ON ORDERS FROM THE BERLIN GAULEITER AND PROPAGANDA MINISTER PAUL JOSEPH GOEBBELS. THE EXAMPLE HAS NOT YET BEEN FOLLOWED IN OTHER DISTRICTS; SINCE “ARYANS” DISREGARD THE SIGNS, “FOR JEWS ONLY,” ON BENCHES AND USE THEM FREELY, IT PROBABLY WILL NOT BE EMULATED.
GAULEITER IN EAST PRUSSIA AND POSEN HAVE ANOTHER METHOD OF HARASSING JEWS. IN THE CITIES OF ALLENSTEIN AND SCHNEIDEMUHL, FOR EXAMPLE, JEWISH MEN AND WOMEN OF ALL AGES ARE CUSTOMARILY SUMMONED TO POLICE HEADQUARTERS. THERE THEY ARE ORDERED TO STAND FACING A BLANK WALL FOR HOURS AT A STRETCH, SOMETIMES UNTIL THEY COLLAPSE. THOSE WHO HAVE ONCE UNDERGONE THIS ORDEAL DO NOT WANT TO REPEAT IT. CONSEQUENTLY MANY WHO ARE FINANCIALLY ABLE TO LEAVE TOWN ARE DOING SO, WITH THE REMAINDER ANXIOUS TO FOLLOW SUIT.
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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.
