An act worth recording is that of an aged German who this week walked up to the desk of the constable at the local Royal Canadian Mounted Police headquarters and explained that he wanted to get his naturalization papers. “Your name?” the policeman asked, beginning to fill out the required preliminary form. The applicant told him. “Your age?” was the next query. “Seventy,” responded the would-be Canadian.
During the further questioning the constable learned that the applicant had come to Canada from a little village on the banks of the Rhine forty years ago. Since that time, including the years of the Great War, when Germans were not popular in this country, he had clung steadfastly to his allegiance to the Fatherland. Now, however, his faith in Germany has been shaken.
“Why are you giving up your German citizenship?” the constable asked curiously.
“It’s that Hitler,” was the old man’s simple but very significant reply.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
