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Hungary Fears German Occupation; Jews Will Be Butchered by Gestapo, Hungarians Warn

October 15, 1943
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The possibility of German occupation of Hungary and the intensified persecution of the Jews by the Gestapo along the same lines as in other German-occupied countries was predicted in the Swedish press today following the return from Hungary of a number of Swedish journalists.

The neutral newspapermen were told in Budapest that should Germany forcibly occupy Hungary, which is now trying to get out of the war, “over a million Jews, Poles and democratic intellectuals will be butchered by the Gestapo.” At present there are more than 700,000 Jews residing in Hungary.

“Despite the existing anti-Jewish measures in the country, the Hungarians realize that the Jews there are vitally needed for Hungary’s economic life,” the representative of the Swedish newspaper Social Demokraten writes in summarizing his impression of the trip. He emphasizes that there is a general anti-German feeling in Hungary and that this feeling is openly expressed. “Everybody in Hungary is war weary, and none of the Hungarians would like his country to share the fate which Northern Italy is now facing under German occupation.” the writer says.

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