The German postal authorities over the weekend began postmarking letters bound for neutral countries, including the United States, with the yellow-inked slogans, “Great Britain Means Israel” and “Abraham Is the Father of the English,” it was learned here today.
The practice was said to be in line with the new policy of Paul Joseph Gcebbels, Reichsminister of Propaganda, to identify the Jews with Britain, since the former identification with Communism and Soviet Russia had been dropped after conclusion of the Soviet-German non-aggression pact. Informed sources in Paris expressed doubt whether the United States would permit mail bearing the new postmarks to be delivered, on the ground they were a violation of international postal regulations.
However, envelopes bearing these postmarks began to pour into the Netherland, Belgium and other small European neutral countries in large quantities over the Christmas weekend. Even Jewish refugees in these countries received Christmas greeting cards bearing the yellow postmarks on the envelopes. In most cases the cards were sent anonymously, leading to the supposition here that they might have been mailed by Nazi sources in order to spread German propaganda through the mails.
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.
