Notwithstanding the decisions adopted at the Conference arranged by the International Student Service to promote friendly relations between Jewish and non-Jewish students at the various Universities, anti-Jewish outbreaks have occurred at the Universities in various countries, the Jewish delegates complained at the meeting held here of the Commission for Cultural Work and International Relations which was appointed by the Nyons Conference of the International Student Service.
Garuth Maufe, of London, speaking for the British Delegation, also said that unfortunately the work done by the International Student Service in the direction of bringing about an understanding between Jews and non-Jews at the Universities had been without any practical effect.
Dr. Otto Pollak, of Bruenn, speaking in the name of the Jewish delegation, said that the Jewish representatives in the International Student Service did not ask for any lessening of work of promoting understanding, which, in any case, was of great educational value. They felt that it was necessary to go on promoting understanding in various directions. But it was necessary to bear in mind that in spite of the decisions of the Nyons Conference condemning the anti-Jewish disturbances, there had recently been again anti-Semitic excesses at the Universities of Berlin, Vienna, Warsaw, Cracow, Vilna and Lemberg. In all these cases it had not been a clash between equal forces, but rather an attack on a few Jewish youths and defenceless Jewish girls by undisciplined hordes. The Jewish students directed an appeal against such hooliganism to the moral conscience of those present, and to all the students of all civilized nations of the world.
Dr. Herbert Scurla, of Berlin, as spokesman of the German delegation, said that he was of the opinion that the reports about the anti-Jewish excesses had been exaggerated. The reports with regard to what had happened at Berlin University were certainly incorrect.
For another thing, he said, the movement at the Universities is not a movement against Jews, but the movement of youth which found itself in a terrible plight, materially and morally.
He welcomed the fact that the Secretary of the International Student Service, James Parkes, would go from University to University, to study the situation and to exert his personal influence to bringing about an understanding.
The Jewish question had been the subject of differences of opinion among the German delegation, he went on, but its members were convinced that progress would be made towards understanding and in Germany, too, they must continue to work in this direction.
Another German delegate, Bruno Gleitze, of Berlin, said that they must distinguish between anti-Jewish excesses, and a certain amount of anti-Semitic feeling. Excesses were condemned by all decent people, and so was the anti-Semite. Nevertheless, the question of excluding certain students, and concentrating them in other Universities was something that must be considered. It was a fundamental problem, which existed in other countries besides Germany. There had not been any excesses at Berlin Uni-
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.
