The new Hungarian Government, composed of pro-Nazi extremists, today announced that it will not recognize passports issued by foreign governments to Jews in Hungary for the purpose of providing protection by giving them the status of foreign nationals.
“We shall not recognize any foreign passports in the solution of the Jewish problem in Hungary, ” the Hungarian Minister of Home Affairs, Gabor Vajna, said in a broadcasts to the Hungarian people. “The solution of this question will be merciless as deserved by the Jews.”
Several thousand such passports have been issued recently by Budapest consulates of neutral countries in order to prevent the deportation of the Jews from the country. Today’s announcement emphasizes that while the previous regime in Hungary took cognizance of these documents, they will no longer be considered valid.
“The Jews living in Hungary at the present moment are under the control and direction of the Hungarian State,” Vajna declared. “Let no one of the Jewish race believe that with foreign help he can evade the legal rules of the Hungarian State.”
The Minister of Home Affairs revealed that “several detailed instructions would be issued for the settlement of the Jewish question in the country.” He emphasized that no destination will be made between Jews and baptized Jews. He also indicated that all Jews will be held responsible if a single Jew commits “any outrage against the Hungarian nation, the army of our ally, or her civilian population, or any other crime.” In such an event, he said, he will adopt against the Jews in Hungary” such measures as will give satisfaction to our nation or to our allies.”
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.
