The Swiss Government today officially informed the Jewish Agency for Palestine that if Palestine immigration certificates are not provided within a week for 1,620 Jews from the German concentration camp in Bergen- Belzen who were admitted temporarily to Switzerland, the entire groupswill be asked to leave Switzerland for a refugee camp in Algiers. The Swiss ultimatum was revealed at a press conference today by Elihau Dobkin, head of the Agency’s immigration department.
(In London, the Agudas Israel Organization today told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that German authorities have advised former Swiss Counciller Jean Mussy, who is attempting to secure the release of imprisoned Jews, that “a large number of Jews” will be released from Theresienstadt and permitted to proceed to Switzerland. Leaders of the Agudas Israel added that they understood that two trainloads of Jews are at present in Germany ready to proceed to Switzerland under an arrangement reached between Mussy and the Nazi authorities. They also stated that 23 Jews who are holders of South American passports were released from the Bergen-Belzen camp this week and transferred to a Red Cross camp in Wurzach.)
Mr. Dobkin also told the press conference that 1,000 dwelling units are now being completed in Palestine at a cost of two million dollars. plans are being prepared for the building of another thousand units, he said.
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.
