Opponents to German Embassy in Israel Dramatize Their Opposition

Black smoke poured from a memorial in the form of a Nazi crematorium during a protest meeting held in a cemetery here against the establishment of Israeli diplomatic relations with West Germany which was to open its Embassy here today.

The meeting, held at the Treblinka Memorial in the Nahlat Yitzhak Cemetery also was in protest against the appointment of Dr. Rolf Pauls, who served in the German army during World War II, as the first Ambassador to Israel, and that of Dr. Alexander Toeroek as counselor to the West German Embassy here. Dr. Toeroek, a naturalized German, served as a Hungarian diplomat in Berlin during the war. The two diplomats were cleared of any Nazi ties by both Governments.

Pessah Bernstein, leader of the Committee of Association of Holocaust Victims, told the gathering that “Germany has not changed. The Bonn Government could not find anyone bearing less of the Hitlerian strain than Pauls who served in the Wehrmacht and Toeroek who was in the Hungarian Embassy in Berlin.”

A silent protest was held tonight at Kfar Dizengoff against Dr. Pauls’ arrival. Yellow Stars of David, such as the ones the Nazis forced the Jewish captives to wear, were distributed to the participants.

Meanwhile, Dr. Toeroek made an unpublicized protocol visit today to the Foreign Ministry office in Jerusalem where he met Y. Gaulan, Israel’s Chief of Protocol. After the meeting, he made a brief tour of Jerusalem and then returned to Tel Aviv. The precise date of Dr. Pauls’ arrival remained unknown but it was assumed he would arrive this week.

It was disclosed today that the Israel Police Band which lost all its instruments in a fire a few days ago will be able to perform the German national anthem when Dr. Pauls presents his credentials to President Shazar. At the request of the Foreign Office, the Army band has loaned the Police Band enough instruments for it to carry out the assignment.