Members of many German societies in the state of New York gathered here for the first time in 17 years to celebrate German Day. This is the first time since the World War that an attempt was made here to revive German Day. The ceremonies opened with a parade through Syracuse streets. The American flag predominated, but the old German imperial colors were also in evidence.
Th main speaker of the day was Colonel Edwin Emerson, president of the Friends of Germany. Emerson had promised previously that his speech would be entirely non-political.
During the speech, leaflets denouncing Emerson as a friend of Hitlerism were distributed through the crowd. The leaflets bore the signature of the National Committee to Aid Victims of German Fascism. Colonel Emerson attacked the leaflets vigorously and denied that his organization is pro-Hitlerite. He claimed that his aim was to cultivate friendly relations between the peoples of the United States and Germany.
Emerson’s presence here brought some tension among the Jews of Syracuse, but this feeling was rapidly dissipated after the German societies adopted resolutions against the Hitlerite persecution tactics.
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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.
