(By Our Berlin Correspondent)
A secret anti-Semitic organization for the purpose of putting into effect a nation-wide economic boycott against the Jews in Germany has been at work for some time, according to revelations made here by Helmuth von Gerlach, the noted Liberal publicist, in his weekly, “Welt am Montag.”
A considerable amount of material information regarding the secret organization, which is called the “German Brotherhood Against the Jewish Solidarity,” was secured by Herr von Gerlach from a person who is familiar with the doings of the anti-Semitic society. According to this information, the organizer and leader of the movement to oust the Jews from German industry and business through a boycott is one Beythien, twenty-seven years old, formerly private secretary to the Nationalist anti-Semite, Alfred Roth. This Beythien is sponsored by Professor Goerke of Brandenburg and Prince Salvator von Ysenburg. Director Meier of the Reichsverband Deutscher Lohndampfpflueger, has placed his office at Belle-Alliance-Platz 17, at the disposal of Beythien’s organization.
In approaching leading Christian personalities and business firms for the purpose of securing their support for his anti-Jewish “brotherhood,” Beythien uses the following appeal, which constitutes the platform of the organization:
“To take money from the Jews, wherever possible, but to spend it only in places that are in right standing! In this way the Jewish money front will be effectively weakened. To be as unscrupulous as the Jews! To learn from the Jews and become cleverer! To fight the Jews to the knife!”
Beythien is striving to create a national German chain, from which Jews will be completely barred. Every phase of business and the leading professions, such as law, medicine, etc., are represented in his society and the members pay dues ranging from 10 to 300 marks each. Herr von Gerlach has a list of all the members, among whom are found 112 Berlin members, and of these he publishes the names of the following members, who are more or less prominent:
Dr. Karschny, v. Kleist, Heiko Heikes, Zielisch, Alfred Koeppen, Lignitz, Eplinius, Kunkel, Adolph Kur, Rettowski, Dr. Wiede, Werda, Walter Hans. Stern, Justizrat Lahn, Dr. Kagermann. Dr. Guischard, Lucke, Justizrat Salomon, Dr. Pohl, Zelle, Justizrat W. Hahn, Ernst Junaier, A. Scherk, Will, Dr. Karras, Dr. v. Alten-Reuss, Dr. Ricius, Dr. Kummerdt, Dr. Rockstroh, Dr. Bruno Dommar, Ministerialdirektor a. D. Dr. Meyer-Gerhard, Hans Stark, Justizrat Walter Schutz, Kurt Lange.
Herr von Gerlach writes, regarding this matter: “The organizer of this society is hampered somewhat by the fears of many of his Teutonic business friends. They may profit from his ‘Ringsystem,’ but they are afraid that they will lose business when their secret hocus pocus will become known to the public. An amusing situation took place in regard to one firm, in the iron industry field. After becoming a sponsor and supporter of the ‘German Brotherhood Against Jewish Solidarity’ this firm sent a Jewish representative to tour Palestine in its behalf.
“It is planned that after the foundation has been laid in Berlin, the movement will be spread throughout the country. Beythien is counting on the key industries. With their support he expects to be able to develop his undertaking to vast proportions. As for propaganda and publicity, he hopes to have the assistance of the anti-Semitic ‘Stahlhelm’ organization, with whom he is already negotiating. He is asking the ‘Stahlhelm’ to furnish him two of its members in 3,000 cities. In this way the whole country is to be covered with an anti-Jewish boycott net.”
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.
