The new boycott campaign against Jews in German trade and commerce, proclaimed by the Nazi Trade and Artisans Association to commence on March 23, has already begun with a well-organized and widespread propaganda drive accompanied in several communities by terroristic measures against the Jewish population.
A survey today revealed that in a score of German centers a full-fledged boycott campaign is in progress and brought to light many hitherto unreported cases of violence.
TRADE SEGREGATION SOUGHT
The new boycott drive is regarded by German Jewry as a definite attempt to fasten on Jews in trade and commerce, hitherto theoretically exempt by virtue of their utility to the general German economic structure, the yellow badge of segregation which the Nazis are forcing on Jews in all other walks of life.
The new economic drive on the Jews is reported looked upon with disfavor by the Reich cabinet, which only recently went on record as opposed to interference with Jews in fields where such interference would react on the German economic structure as a whole, The cabinet, however, has taken no stand to prevent the carrying out of the boycott.
NAZIS PICKET STORES
In Nuremberg, placards were posted in all the main streets today reading “Don’t Buy From Jews.” Nazi pickets are standing guard at the entrance of Jewish stores warning prospective customers not to buy from Jews. Thousands of leaflets have been distributed all over Nuremberg, which read, “Whoever patronizes Jews is a traitor.”
The Nuremberg Fraenkische Kurier today published an announcement from the leadership of the Nazi labor front of Middle Franconia, which declared in open contradiction to the recent order of Minister of Labor Franz Seldte that “no Jew can be a leader of a firm in Middle Franconia. Jewish owners of firms will be compelled to nominate an ‘Aryan’ substitute.”
At the same time the official Nazi party of Nuremberg published an information bulletin with a slogan on every page: “Persons buying from Jews deserve to be hanged.”
In Hildersheim all the furniture trucks on the city streets carry large posters “Jews cannot be Germans, buy from Germans only.”
Hanover pavements have been painted with slogans, “Don’t buy from Jews.”
In Gunzenhausen, Bavaria, Nazi hooligans smashed the windows in Jewish stores and carried out attacks on Jewish shops reminiscent of the affair at Arnswalde.
PREVIOUS VIOLENCE REPORTED
On February 24, all Jewish stores, synagogues, houses and Jewish communal institutions in Arnswalde, in accordance with a prearranged plan, were bombarded with stones. The bombardment was accompanied by the firing of revolver shots into Jewish homes.
The synagogue, the community house and the home of the rabbi were invaded by uniformed Nazi storm troopers who destroyed whatever they found. The terror continued through the night. The next day most of the Jews fled from the town leaving everything behind. Nazi authorities hushed the story and the details only became available through Swiss insurance companies who had suffered heavy losses.
Jewish students in the state of Baden were ordered to attend lectures in racial theory where they heard their own race vilified, the “Aryans” exalted, and anti-Semitism preached.
The administration of the sea resort at Westerland announced today that Jews are not desired as guests.
In Berlin uniformed Nazi storm troopers last night raided the Jewish Youth Club maintained by the Jewish community. None was arrested, but the names of all those present at the meeting were taken. All present, including a number of girls, were forced to leave in single file and were beaten with clubs as they passed through the corridor. At the same time the meeting of the Jewish war veterans in Berlin was also raided by Nazi storm troopers.
QUESTIONNAIRES, PLACARDS, ETC.
The new campaign against the Jews is supposed to last two weeks, until April 7. During the campaign all German stores and artisans will be compelled to post large signs urging the boycott against Jews. Questionnaires have been sent to millions of German housewives asking them why they still patronize Jewish stores. Nazi officials all over the country have also been asked to submit full reports on the progress of the anti-Jewish boycott, not later than April 27.
One year ago, on April 1, the Nazis carried out a country-wide boycott against the Jews as an answer to foreign protests against the treatment of the Jews in Germany and the boycott on German goods in other countries.
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.
