The apprehensions of the Jewish population concerning the appointment as Premier of Julius Goemboes, notorious as the leader of the anti-Semitic White Terror in Hungary, have somewhat been allayed by the statement on policy issued to the press by the new Premier.
Premier Goemboes declares that he recognizes the equality rights of all Hungarian citizens who work for the common good of the state.
At the same time, he let it be known that he would fight the extremists of both the Right and the Left parties.
The new Premier served as Minister of War in 1929, after being appointed political secretary to the War Ministry in 1928.
Previous to his inclusion in the government in 1928, M. Goemboes was the leader of the Hungarian anti-Semitic Party.
In an address delivered in August of 1930, M. Goemboes, then Minister of War. however disavowed anti-Semitism and called upon all parties and people to work together for the upbuilding of the country, irrespective of creed and without distinction whether they be Jew or Christian.
“We must make room for the Jews, too, in this work of fraternal co-operation, because the Jews have fought like the rest of us for the great ideal of the restoration of the Hungarian fatherland,” M. Goemboes then stated.
At the time of his appointment as Minister of War the Jews of Hungary and liberal opinion generally protested vigorously in view of the notoriety he had achieved as an anti-Semite and reactionary.
The anti-Semitic party of which M. Goemboes was the head, “The Race Protectors’ Party,” officially ceased to exist as a separate body in September of 1928 when he entered the government, becoming instead a part of the Government party.
Premier Goemboes was connected with the attempt to establish an anti-Semitic International in association with Professor Cuza of Roumania and Adolph Hitler of Germany.
Speaking at a conference of former officers, he once made the declaration that “the war against the Jews must go on until the Hungarian nation has completely rid itself of Jewish domination. We must carry on our warfare not only against the Jews, but also against those traitor Hungarians who do not aid us in fighting the Jews.”
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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.
