The Central Union of German Citizens of Jewish Faith has succeeded in obtaining a ruling from the law court in Stendal, in Saxony, that the antisemitic cry “Perish Judea”, is an incitement to class enmity and a punishable offence under paragraph 130 of the penal code.
The cry “Perish Judea” is generally raised in crowds, at demonstrations, and in street processions, it is pointed out, so that it is difficult always to bring it home to a particular person. Even in the case in which the Stendal court handed down its ruling, it was impossible to find sufficient evidence to convict the particular person before the court, and he was acquitted.
The ruling is, nevertheless, considered of the utmost importance in principle.
The cry “Perish Judea”, the ruling of the court reads, achieves the purpose of inciting people against a class of the population. In the present period of economic depression and of political excitement, the cry of “Perish Judea” may easily become the starting point of political conflicts and passions and of incitement to acts of violence against the Jews. The cry, therefore, has the purpose of endangering the public peace.
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.
