Italy today warned Jews abroad that she would take revenge on Jews here for any boycott of Italian products. The Government mouthpiece, Giornale d’Italia, declared: “The fate of the Italian Jews is still in suspense, but if the Jews of both worlds make inconsiderate gestures, the Jewish situation in Italy will become rather serious.”
Education Minister Giuseppe Bottai today urged provincial governors to eliminate textbooks by Jewish authors from public and private schools.
Exodus of foreign Jews, in compliance with the Italian decree giving them six months to leave the country, was well under way today in leading cities. In Bologna, 109 Jewish foreigners out of a total Jewish population of 826 were making final preparations for their departure.
It was announced officially that the decree permitting Jewish students already registered in universities to continue their studies does not apply to foreigners, most of whom have already left Italy. Suspension of Jewish professors, under the decree closing the Italian educational system to Jews, continued with dismissal of II instructors at the University of Bologna.
Tallying by the press of the number of Jews in the various trades and professions continued. Florence was reported to have 64 Jewish traders, and 51 Jews among the city’s 960 lawyers. Thirty shops in Bologna were accounted Jewish-owned.
Italy’s adoption of sterilization measures similar to those enforced in Germany was urged by the bologna newspaper IL Resto Del Carlin.
“The time has come to consider the grave social peril provoked by the reproduction of sick men who perpetuate for generations germs which both science and society are arduously seeking to wipe out,” the newspaper said. The newspaper, whose comment gained significance in view of the Fascist-sponsored racial policy, cited the measures carried out by Germany and some South American countries and proposed that Italy do the same.
“We urge this measure for the defense of the race in the certainty that the Fascist regime will give this problem a final solution some day — a day we hope is not too distant,” the newspaper 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.
