The Polish Government made strenuous efforts today to halt the enforced exodus of polish Jews from Germany, as frontier posts reported that 500 had already arrived at the border and had been permitted to enter without delay.
The Government, it was learned, instructed consuls in Germany to issue valid passports to Polish citizens and not to apply the March denaturalization law over-literally. Consuls were told to cut through red tape for those desiring to prolong their passports. If these measures do not have any effect on the Reich, it was stated, the Government intends to take “other measures.” this last was read in the light of unconfirmed reports circulating in Warsaw that Poland might take reprisals against Germany by deporting German Jews in this country.
Polish Ambassador Josef Lipski was negotiating with the Berlin Foreign Office in an effort to effect the repatriation of Jews in small groups rather than en masse. Polish diplomats were seeking to secure modification of the deportation order to enable polish nationals in Germany to remain there until the expiration of their visas, and also asked that the Reich not confiscate the property of persons expelled.
(The British United Press reported from Warsaw that the Foreign Office stated that after negotiations Germany had agreed to cancel the deportation measures against poles.)
All expelled Jews will be repatriated by Poland provided that their papers are in order, the Warsaw authorities assured Jewish leaders. it was estimated here that polish Jews in the Reich total 100,000. A certain number of non-Jewish Poles were also affected by the Reich deportation measures.
The Polish authorities were most anxious to prevent the mass immigration from Germany because they feared: (1) Unemployment would be increased in Poland; (2) polish nationals might lose property in the Reich estimated to total more than 100,000 Reichshmarks (about $40,000,000); (3) the influx of Jews would aggravate the political situation and strengthen the extremist opposition, which would claim that the government was permitting an invasion by the Jews.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
