Report Soviets, Poles, East Germans Using Anti-semitism As Weapon Against Czechs

The Soviet Union, Poland and East Germany are using anti-Semitism as a weapon against Czechoslovakian Communist leaders who are trying to salvage some small part of the liberal reforms that were aborted by the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia last August, the Institute of Jewish Affairs charged here today. The institute is the research body of the World Jewish Congress. The charge was documented in a pamphlet titled, “The Use of Anti-Semitism Against Czechoslovakia” which cited official papers, press reports and other data. The pamphlet also reported that Egypt, Syria and Iraq were following the lead of the Warsaw Bloc states in trying to foment anti-Semitism in Czechoslovakia.

According to the pamphlet, the Czech Communist reformers are repeatedly attacked in Soviet, German and Polish propaganda media as “Zionists.” Soviet authorities are also demanding the trial of prominent Czech-Jewish intellectuals, including the author and academician, Dr. Eduard Goldsteucker and Dr. Frantisek Kriegel, who was a member of the Czech Communist Politburo under the regime of Alexander Dubcek. Dr. Goldsteucker is teaching in England. Dr. Kriegel is still in Czechoslovakia. The pamphlet said that there has been no response so far among Czechs to the attempts to incite anti-Semitism among them. Mr. Dubcek has warned the population against “falling into this trap,” the pamphlet said. It noted that over 3,000 of Czechoslovakia’s 17,000 Jews had emigrated since the invasion for “fear of potential persecution.”