Italy Bans Listing of Jews in ‘phone Directories

Italian telephone directories are being “Aryanized.” This is the latest action taken by the Italian Government against Jews. Although no restrictions have been placed on the use of telephones by Italian Jews, telephone company officials throughout the country have received instructions to cancel Jews’ listings in the new directories.

The instructions came too late to effect the listings in this year’s directories for Rome, and Milan, which are already being issued. Genoa, Florence and Venice phone books, however, are being hurriedly altered to conform with the “Aryanization” order.

No exceptions are being made despite numerous protests from Jewish doctors and lawyers whose practice would be seriously harmed by this measure. Jewish business firms will be little affected as a previous anti-Semitic measure had already compelled “Aryanization” of firm names. Several Jewish doctors and lawyers are planning to list themselves in phone directories under firm names or merely as “Office of Lawyers” and “Surgeon’s Studio.”

One of the minor results of the Axis campaign in the Balkans has been the slight increase in the number of Jewish refugees in Italian territory. From the former Yugoslavian city of Lubiano, which has now been incorporated into the Kingdom of Italy, and several points on the Dalmatian coast, the Italian Jewish refugee committee has received appeals for assistance for more than a hundred refugees. It is reported that Italian authorities are cooperating towards the relief of these individuals, who, it is believed, will be eventually sent to concentration camps in southern Italy.

No information has as yet been received concerning the situation of native Jews resident in Lubiano. According to the general belief, they will not be molested. They will probably be subjected to Italian racial laws in the same degree as other Jewish subjects of Italy.