The Nazi Government today made its first reprisal against the German Jews for the assassination of Wilhelm Gustloff, Swiss Nazi leader, by David Frankfurter, Yugoslavian Jew.
Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels ordered the Jewish Culture Union, the organization controlling Jewish artistic and intellectual pursuits, to suspend all activities.
The announcement said the measure was taken “in order to prevent anti-Jewish disturbances as a result of the assassination.” The order remains effective “until further notice.”
The decree will serve to suspend all dramatic productions, artistic exhibitions and intellectual activities carried on by the Jews under the regulations prohibiting them from participating in German culture.
In Jewish circles it was believed no further reprisals would be attempted until after the conclusion of the Winter Olympic games at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, which open tomorrow. It was thought that the Government would take no action that might jeopardize the success of the games in the eyes of foreigners by anti-Semitic manifestations.
Apparently under strict orders from a central source, the evening papers treated the case with reserve. Even Propaganda Minister Goebbels’ Der Angriff limited itself to criticizing Switzerland for permitting “anti-German” propaganda.
Der Angriff assailed the Swiss authorities for “permitting the Swiss Liberal and Marxist press to conduct unrestrained anti-German propaganda, which can only inspire one to such acts as that committed by the Jew, Frankfurter.”
The Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung attacked the Yugoslavian press for defending Frankfurter.
The morning papers were far less unrestrained in their attacks on the Jews in connection with the assassination. Led by Reichs-fuehrer Hitler’s Voelkischer Beobachter, the papers printed bitter attacks on the German Jews.
The Beobachter stated: “If any further justification of National Socialism’s stand on the question of the Jews was still necessary, this shameful deed has provided it.”
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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.
