There has been “a recrudescence of anti-Semitism and bigotry among the native German population,” it was reported at a press conference here today by Samuel L. Harbor, director of the Joint Distribution Committee in the U.S. zone of Germany.
As evidence of this trend, he cited recent desecrations of Jewish cemeteries, the uprooting of vegetable gardens planted by Jews and “frequent truncheon-swinging” by German police against Jews. “The Germans feel that they are again coming into their own,” he said, adding that this gives further reason for the feeling among the Jews in Germany that they cannot remain there long.
The J.D.C. representative estimated that 200,000 displaced Jews in Germany are preparing for mass emigration to Israel with the assistance of agencies of the United Jewish Appeals. Those refugees who had hoped to come to the United States have been disheartened by the passage in Congress of an immigration bill which restricts the entry of displaced Jews, he said. He disclosed that J.D.C. offices in Germany are now surveying the total number of Jewish DP’s who would be eligible for immigration into the U.S. under the new bill.
The establishment of Israel has produced “an electric atmosphere in the DP camps,” Haber stated. He pointed out that the first group of Jewish DP’s has already left Germany with new visas issued by the Israeli Government. He praised the U.S. Army, which provided transportation to the port of embarkation, for their cooperation in this movement. J.D.C., be stated, provides food, clothing, luggage and other supplies for the journey and has drawn plans to have a J.D.C. staff nurse accompany every Israel-bound DP transport to the port of embarkation.
“The attitude of the American armed forces in Germany, from General Lucius D. Clay down, has been one of understanding, cooperation and sincere effort in helping Jewish organizations alleviate the plight of Jewish DP’s in Germany,” Haber said. He particularly praised the activities of the Civil Affairs Division of the A.M.G. in Germany for its assistance to J.D.C. and the DP’s.
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