German-Jewish organizations formerly affiliated with the United German Societies, yesterday announced their secession from the organization as a result of its failure Monday evening to adopt a resolution condemning anti-Semitism at the same time as it adopted resolutions calling for the display of the Swastika on German Day, October 29, and inviting Dr. Hans Luther, German Ambassador, as principal guest.
Magistrate Charles Brandt, Jr., president of the United German Societies, announced yesterday his resignation in protest at the tactics employed by the Nazi supporters and sympathizers in railroading their resolution through the meeting.
In an interview yesterday with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Magistrate Brandt, who guardedly inferred that he sides with the members of the organization who walked out of the meeting because of the Swastika vote, declared that he had completely severed all affiliations with the organization after forty years of service and two years as its president. He expressed wonderment as to how 35 Nazi workers succeeded in getting themselves admitted to the meeting.
NAZIS CAUSED TROUBLE
“They are not American citizens,” he said, “nor were they members. It was they who caused all the trouble.”
He refused to be quoted as to his views on the use of the Nazi flag in the German Day celebration.
“I simply disapproved of the tactics and the behavior at the meeting,” said Magistrate Brandt. “So I am through. I’ll have nothing to do with the flag issue.”
Magistrate Brandt expressed the belief that the non-Jewish members “should have acceded to the compromise,” a proposal made at an earlier meeting called by the executive committee whereby it was agreed to float the Swastika over the Ambassador’s box purely as a gesture of courtesy. This was rejected by Heinz Spanknoebel, chief of the Hitler forces here and nominal delegate of the New York branch of the Stalhelm, monarchist war veterans’ organization.
The decision of the Jewish members to secede from the United German Societies was announced by Robert Rosenbaum, president of the Federation of German Jewish Societies and of the Deutscher Israel-itischen Landswehrverein.
ROSENBAUM STATEMENT
“Until now we have had an American-German group in the United States,” declared Mr. Rosenbaum. “From now on we can speak of the Nazi Germandom trying to impose racial prejudice on the German element in this country disregarding the spirit of liberty which is characteristic of our country.
“We German Jews have together with Germans of non-Jewish confession for decades exerted our best efforts for German prestige in America. With pride we look upon the results which this harmonious coperation has so far brought.
“With regret we establish the fact that among the delegates a new movement inimical to the liberty-loving ideals hitherto existing has made its appearance, called forth by the intrusion into the meeting of new elements,— elements which heretofore have done little or nothing for the prestige of Germany in the United States. Although we acknowledge the mediatory action of the present board of directors of the United German Societies, we see no possibility of continued cooperation under the existing conditions. Wherewith we declare our secession from the United German Societies.”
Over 200 were present at the meeting Monday evening at the Turnerhaller, including a large contingent of Nazis under the leadership of Spanknoebel, and a number of Nazi sympathizers. From the opening of the meeting it was evident that the packed assembly was openly anti-Semitic and that there was little chance of concessions being made that would permit the Jewish members to continue their association.
Speakers opposing the Swastika resolution or urging the adoption of the resolution condemning anti-Semitism were interrupted by Nazi sympathizers in the hall and had little opportunity to expound their views.
STALHELM PACKS MEETING
When the meeting opened, the Stalhelm, which was entitled to 4 representatives, demanded thirty more. All 34 were at the meeting and were permitted to vote on the question of whether they should be allowed to vote. Likewise, twenty representatives of the Commercial Club of ’58, a pro-Nazi organization, were allowed to vote on their own admission to the organization. Both these were done over the protests of the spokesmen for the German-Jewish organizations who were led by Mr. Rosenbaum and Dr. Fritz Schlesinger, a member of the organization’s executive board.
The resolution subsequently adopted after the Jewish members had quit the meeting, was directly contrary to the stand taken by the organization at a previous meeting when it was voted not to raise the Swastika and not to invite Dr. Luther.
Spanknoebel led the fight on the compromise section of the resolution condemning anti-Semitism which pointed out there was no political signifiance in the display of the Swastika and recorded the organization’s rejection of every form of anti-Semitism. The Jewish representatives had agreed to the display of the Swastika in the ambassador’s box with the proviso that the anti-Semitism resolution be adopted. When it was apparent that this would be rejected, the Jewish delegates quit the hall before the voting.
The NRA was vigorously criticized at the meeting because the Swastika was not flown at the Madison Square Garden meeting last Tuesday when flags of all nations were flown. The flag of the German Republic was flown without the Swastika. Bernard H. Ridder was attacked by speakers for not having insisted on a display of the Swastika. The attack on the NRA, at Monday night’s meeting of the United German Societies, was sharply criticized as being “un-American.” It added fuel to the dissension in the organization. It was one of the reasons which prompted the German Jewish members to sever their affiliations.
The seceding organizations are the Deutscher Israelitischer Lands-wehrverein, the Prospect – Unity Club of Yorkville, the Center-German Club and the Damienbund.
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.
