“A practical plan by a practical business man,” by means of which it would be possible to place several thousands of German Jews in Palestine, is presented by Samuel A. Frommer, Indianapolis advertising executive and social worker, upon his recent return from Europe.
While there, Mr. Frommer conducted an investigation for a group of American Jewish social agencies into the condition of Jews throughout the Continent but most especially Germany, in which, he said, the status of Jewry was even more tragic than he had thought it was when he first left for Europe.
“Before I left Indianapolis,” said Mr. Frommer, “leaders of the Zionist organization there informed me that many of the German Jewish immigrants to Palestine would come under the Labor classification. I was told that these immigrants would require $1,000 in order to get into Palestine but that half of the sum could be in land, and that organizations like the Jewish National Fund and others had land that was available for such a purpose. Therefore only $500 in cash would be necessary to enable such immigrants to enter Palestine. But it is well known that these people have no such sum even if the Nazis would let them withdraw the money, which is highly doubtful.
CITY HELPS A FAMILY
“So I offered the Zionist organization in Indianapolis a check for $250 provided they would raise the other half by selling tickets, running affairs, or in any way they saw fit. Well, I learn that the money has been raised. So Indianapolis will have the honor to send the first German Jewish family to Palestine under this plan.
“I firmly believe that there must be at least 15,000 earnest American Jews who would be willing and happy to provide for individual German families in this fashion. Jewish organizations such as the Zionists, the Hadassah, the Council of Jewish Women and all other Jewish organizations that are conscious of the horrible doom hanging over the heads of German Jewry would cooperate; and I am certain that there would be no difficulty in settling 5,000 German Jewish families in Palestine within the course of the next twelve months.
“I am certain that here in New York City there are a large number of Jews, certainly a minimum of 5,000 men and women, with Jewish hearts, to whom such a plan would appeal as the most practical of all plans to transfer terror-stricken Jewish families from the hell that is Germany, to the peaceful farms of Palestine.
“The money need not be an outright gift, on the contrary, it should be a loan which the settlers will repay over a period of years. The payments could be spread over a period of, say, 15 years and in that way, the movement could perpetuate itself. And it must be borne in mind that one of the most prominent German Jewish leaders said to me, ‘for the next fifty years emigration of the Jews from Germany will continue.’
“Call this plan anything you like,” said Mr. Frommer, who said that the Indianapolis Zionists were calling it the Frommer plan, “but we must do something and do it quickly. If we can send five thousand families in the next five years to Palestine it will mean a minimum of 75,000 Jewish settlers in Palestine, since a family includes at least three persons.”
Then Mr. Frommer told of what he had seen and heard in Europe. An interview had been arranged for him with one of the noted leaders of German Jewry in a neutral country where even a German Jew could speak his mind freely.
“You can have no idea,” said Mr. Frommer, “of what a system of espionage the Nazis have set up. It is worse than the Cheka and has more money to spend.
“This distinguished German Jew said to me: ‘During the Czarist regime, 500 Jews were killed in Kishenev in the course of the brutal pogrom that aroused the indignation of the entire world. Today in Germany 550,000 Jews are slowly starving to death and no one knows when the end will come, that is, if there is to be an end.’
“When he heard that I planned to visit Germany he told me, ‘Stay away from the big cities; everything there is calm and peaceful on the surface, the spies will follow you everywhere and no one will dare talk to you, go to the small towns.’
“Let me tell you of the refinements of cruelty practiced by the Nazi government. Under an agreement made with the German government, Jews in the Zionist capitalist classification may withdraw up to a thousand pounds, providing they comply with the regulations and pay the many assessments against them.
“When such a person approaches the Nazi authorities they give him freely an authorization to withdraw the money. Then he goes to the Reichsbank, where he is asked how he would like his money. If he says in marks they tell him that no one is allowed to take more than 200 marks out of the country. If he asks for his money in francs, he is told that it is against the law to handle foreign exchange. There is nothing left to do but to walk out of the bank with the worthless authorization of the Nazi tormentors.”
Then Mr. Frommer, lounging in his easy chair in his hotel suite, proceeded to tell a series of stories gathered from refugees and from the heads of Jewish committees in countries bordering on Germany, stories familiar enough by now, but which seem to have a slight touch of unreality. “And don’t think for a moment that all this is a thing of the past,” said Mr. Frommer; “these arocities are continuing even now; there is no letup.
“I went to Europe for a vacation, but when I was asked to make an investigation, I did it gladly. But the month’s experiences are enough to scar the soul of any man. I returned with only one desire and that is to let my fellow Jews in this country know exactly what is going on in that frightful country called Germany.”
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.
