houses, trusts and places of business. And last but not least to rid Holland of Socialism and Communism, both isms being laid at the door of the Jews.
The N.S.N.A.P. has been endeavoring to secure a firm foothold in Catholic circles. The great Roman Catholic papers have assumed a negative attitude toward the Nazis. The small papers either maintain silence or refer to this party in not unfriendly fashion.
Holland has up until the present been singularly free from official anti-Semitism. True, evidence of Social anti-Semitism could be pointed to here and there.
“De Groote Club”, the Great Club, in Amsterdam, for example has persistently refused membership either to Jews or baptized Jews. This notwithstanding the opposition of an important minority. Then too, certain unions of the Amsterdam Federation of Students are closed to Jews.
Occasionally anti-Semitic allusions have been made in the press. But the protests against these manifestations coming from Jews and non-Jews alike have been effective in stigmatizing these efforts and reducing their importance.
In the past the Jewish question, for example, has not been injected into a political campaign in Holland. Occasionally opposition was expressed to a candidate for office on the ground that he had not evinced philosemitic feelings. But the matter rested there.
The question being asked now is: Will all this be changed? Will the Dutch Constitution be modified and at the same time the psychology of Dutchmen — which will bring about a situation whereby the adherent of the Jewish faith will no longer be eligible to government employ by reason of his faith, or will be debarred from influence in national, municipal or provincial affairs?
The vast majority of the Dutch people does not look this far ahead, does not envisage the possibilities of development for the National Socialist party. But it should be recalled that Adolph Hitler himself did not imagine in 1920 that twelve years later he would have 13,000,000 people behind him.
The Liberal Party of Holland, understanding the possible dangers from the Nazi party, some months ago, convoked a public meeting wherein the dangerous program of the Nazis was exposed and an appeal issued to liberal elements in Holland to be forthright in their opposition to the Nazi party.
At the time, Adalberto Smit invited one of the Liberal Party spokesmen to debate the issue of National Socialism with him in public. Dr. G. A. Boon, well known in connection with his duties in the lower house of Parliament, who was challenged, promised his acceptance as soon as Mr. Smit could prove he had 2,000 members associated with him.
A decided effort to win liberal opinion to the Nazi program is made by “De Aanval,” “The Attack” a Dutch counterpart of the German Nazi organ “Der Angriff”, utilizing the general depression to which Holland is no exception, the so called mismanagement of the Socialists in Amsterdam and Rotterdam and the heavy taxation burden. The paper never fails to mention that there are four Jewish Aldermen in Amsterdam, three of them Socialists and the fourth a member of the Left wing.
In an effort to build up their party, the Nazi organizers have advertised for propagandists and are also emulating the example of their German comrades in seeking to secure funds to finance their efforts from Dutch industrialists and financiers.
It should be said, however, that the Nazis are not finding their sailing altogether smooth. A section of the non-Jewish population is expressing its anti-pathy toward the movement by refusing to lease halls and rooms to Dutch Nazis. A number refuse to take up the sale of the “Voelkischer Beobachter” and the “Illustrierter Beobachter.” This however has not halted the sale of these papers, which indeed show an increase, as they can be purchased at various station kiosks and at book sellers.
How do Dutch Jews react to the efforts made to discredit them and injure their standing and indeed their existence? The Jews of Holland have two innate characteristics of the Dutch. The ability to play a waiting game — and the refusal to easily believe serious consequences will result.
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.
