The report that a sub-committee of the Swedish Parliament has drafted a law which would outlaw the distribution of racial propaganda has aroused opposition in some quarters here, although labor and liberal groups have expressed gratification.
An article in the Stockholm press today says that the Goteborg County Council has voiced doubts concerning the advisability of the proposed legislation. The Goteborg legislators, according to the article, believe that some kind of law is necessary, but “question the advisability of introducing laws calculated to give special privileges to a strictly limited section of the community.” Similar sentiments were voiced recently by the Malmoe County Council.
The Commissioner of the Swedish State Police, Nils Swensson, has also expressed opposition to the proposed measure, stating that a law against dissemination of racial propaganda was desirable, but would lead to a “real racial and religious problem, especially as far as the Jews are concerned.”
Proponents of the legislation have declared that it is necessary as a means of checking the increased anti-Semitic activity here, led by the small but vociferous Swedish Nazi party. Anti-Jewish propaganda reached a new height with the arrival of thousands of Jews who fled German persecution in Denmark.
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.