A new wave of anti-Semitic agitation that became manifest today in connection with Wednesday’s anniversary of the founding of the nationalist student movement is causing tremendous anxiety among the Jews of Roumania. Posters and leaflets inciting the populace against the Jews made their appearance today. Special literature has been distributed among the clergy and students urging them to join the anti-Semitic movement and to wear the Swastika sign.
The propaganda is especially virulent in the Jewish district of Bucharest where the police have thus far taken no action despite the open incitement of the agitators who are freely handing out their leaflets and posting their billboards.
One particularly inflamatory piece of literature is signed by the archdeacon of the Ikon Cathedral, one Ion Popescu Mozasenu and is addressed to “all believers in Christ, King and Nation.” It says “we appeal to free the country of bloodsuckers and robbers who are more and more penetrating our country and poisoning our lives. These prisoners of humanity are particularly Jews and people strange to our nation. We do not desire to share this land saturated with the blood of our heroes and we will bring this home to the Jews and the Judified.”
The leaflet concludes with an appeal to the clergy to join the anti-Jewish organization.
Commenting on the renewal of anti-Semitic agitation, the Bucharest daily, Lupta, says that the Jews will be compelled to defend themselves with arms if the student excesses continue. The paper asks how it is possible for the government to check the Communist movement while it is unable to halt the student movement. The Lupta predicts that the situation will compel the Jewish war veterans to organize a Jewish self-defense corps as an answer to the anti-Semites. “This would undoubtedly result in anarchy for the entire country,” the Lupta warns, urging that severe measures be taken against the anti-Semitic student movement.
Meanwhile a Jewish woman in the town of Sadagora, Bukowina, was robbed and murdered in broad daylight by a gang of bandits who have thus far not been apprehended. While Itze Meyer Schwartz, a capmaker, was away, the bandits entered his house, killed his wife and robbed the place.
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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.
