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Panic Strikes Jews of Turkey As New Violence is Threatened

August 12, 1934
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
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The Jewish population of Istanbul, Couscodjuk, Haskeuy, Balat, Orthakeuy and many other Turkish cities are in a state of panic owing to the continued anti-Semitic agitation against the Jews now going on in Turkey, reports received here today stated.

Numerous Jewish families in the Turkish cities have received threatening letters saying that all Jews must leave Turkey soon or they will be massacred in cold blood.

So great is the state of alarm of the Turkish Jews that many are making hurried preparations to migrate wherever possible.

Turkish Thrace was the scene of violent anti-Jewish pogroms early in July. Brutal massacres took place at Adrianople, Kirklisse and other Jewish centers in Thrace. Thousands of Jewish refugees abandoned their homes and possessions and fled to Istanbul terror-stricken, and refused to return despite the assurances of the Turkish government.

The anti-Jewish feeling in Thrace appeared to have been whipped into a frenzy by Turkish nationalist agitators, with a program curiously like that of the Nazis. This agitation now seems to have spread to other Turkish centers.

The Turkish government contended all along that the pogroms were the work of misguided individuals and did not represent the feelings of the majority of Turks. The government also promised to punish the leaders. To date several leaders have received jail sentences not exceeding six months, while the mayor of Kirklisse, the chief of police and the president of the chamber of commerce were freed. The worst excesses occurred in Kirklisse.

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