Jewish refugees were estimated today to have abandoned property and wages amounting to at least seven billion kronen (the Czechoslovakian koruna is quoted at 3.51 par) in Sudetenland, and salvaged, chiefly in the form of securities, one billion, or ten per cent of the total wealth of Sudeten Jews.
Jewish industrialists and businessmen were forced to leave not only factory equipment, but also a considerable amount of raw materials, merchandise and realty.
The Czechoslovak Government mas urged to permit Jewish refugees to have an option of adopting Czechoslovak citizenship, thus putting Praha in the position of being able to claim the return of their fortunes. Owing to the impossibility of cash payments, this would result in creation of a fund “which would be used to pay for manufactures which Czechoslovakia will be forced to buy from Germany in large quantities in the future.
Furthermore, as long as refugees remain theoretically German, the Reich will be able to reclaim the billion kronen of fortunes transferred from Sudetenland, which Praha can ill afford to lose.
The Union of Moravian and Silesian Municipalities has recommended that Czech refugees be assisted while others be interned in concentration camps pending expulsion.
The program for expulsion of thousands of Jews from Czechoslovakia and restriction of the economic. Activities of those who remain, outlined by minister without portfolio Stanislav Bucovsky, was adopted in its entirety yesterday as a resolution by the Committee of the Sokol communities, representative body of the Czech youth athletic organization .
The program was outlined during an address Sunday night before the Sokol’s executive committee on plans for the rebuilding of the Czech republic. It provides for expulsion of Jews who came to Czechoslovakia before 1914 and repatriation of those who affirmed other than Czech nationality in the 1930 census.
(In yesterday’s News, the paragraph in which Mr. Bucovsky was quoted was incorrectly given, the result of two sentences being telescoped. it should have read as follows: “Other Jews, those who “were here before 1914 and who affirmed Czech nationality in the 1930 census, may remain. Jews affirming other than Czech nationality in the 1930 census must return to the nation to which they affirmed their nationality.”)
Because he sold a woman’s belt in the Hungarian national colors, a Jewish merchant in the town of Transchin, Slovakia, was fined 2,500 kronen (about $87) on a charge of inciting to public disorder.
The incident was marked by angry demonstrations in front of the merchant’s store and other Jewish shops. The merchant told the police that his stock consisted of belts of assorted colors and the customer happened to pick up one with the Hungarian combination.
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.
