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Jewish Member of German Parliament Arrives in Washington

January 7, 1954
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Jakob Altmaier, a member of the German Bundestag and one of the first Jewish officials of the German Government in 20 years, has arrived in Washington on a visit. He met with Sen. Herbert H. Lehman, German Ambassador Heinz Krekeler and others.

He said that West Germany today is free from “official anti-Semitism.” A former refugee who returned to Germany to become a Social Democratic deputy in Born, Mr. Altmaier stated: “Officials from the Chancellor down are pro-Semitic, not the slightest anti-Jewish utterance is heard in Parliament. There exists in the population some incurable Nazis, to be sure. For 12 years under Hitler, Germans had been taught that every Jew is a criminal.”

Mr. Altmaier made it known that he is in Washington to release property confiscated from Nazis during the war. He is meeting with various members of the Senate and House.

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