The Denver Jewish news. [volume] (Denver, Colo.) 1915-1925, 1919-10-22
The Desperate Plight Of
the Jews in Bukowina
ARCH BISHOP AIDS THE JEWS
SAYS HAS NEVER DRAWN
ANY DISTINCTION BETWEEN
MAN AND MAN ON THE SCORE
OF RELIGION.

| time under Austrian rule, lived peace
fully and quietly. breathed Little
more freely. and We're treated as on
| n level with human beings But II
misfortune has overtaken them and all
that is thing of the past. Now they
are living thru bad times. and their
outlook is tragic. Bukowina has be-
being administered in thoroly Rou-
manian fashion.
For II hundred and forty-three years.
Iukowina has been an Austrian prov
incc. About 100000 Jews lived there.
almost twelve percent of the entire
population. Ninety percent OF trade.
and 81 percent of all the Industries
were in Jewish hands, AMI the Jewish
workers constituted n strong power
and were considerable factor ia the
life there. AS the majority of the
Jews lived in towns. their children at
tended the state schools. gymnasia
and Realc gymnasia, and the greater
proportion of the students at the
Chernovitz University were Jews. All
public offices We're open TO Jcws--and
iuany held the most important places
in the provincial administration. In
the Bukowinian army. more than half
Of the officers were Jews, and many
distinguished themselves by heroic
deeds, and all We're loyal and devoted
10 the Interests of the Austrian state
hi the nincties, with the founding
Of the Jewish academic alliances,
there began Jewish national move
ment which kept on gathering force.
SO that the Jews there actually lived
u national Jewish life. In political
life. they had u Jewish national par
ty, Jewish representatives in rarlia-
nenf. ami lie Jewish group often play
cd very important role. Generally
speaking. the Jews of Bukowina in
recent years had attained high de-
gree of development. They were re-
spected and esteemed, and had moth
ing to complain of.
And suddnly all of this has changed.
The collapse of Austria was calam-
ity to the Jews of Bukowina, and
Thought them great misfortune. Attic
many Roumanians had always lived in
Bukowina. they had always been ON
GOOD terms with the Jews. In 1918,
right after the defeat of Austria, the
Roumanans' of Bukow.na began to
make pogroms against the Jews, AMI
to drive them out of the regions where
they had been accustomed TO live. The
Goumanian army did indeed suppress
the pogroms. but the exiled Jews have
not to this day returned to their
homes. If they were to do so. they
would jeopardize their lives, anu
would find no protection in the gov
eminent.
An old couple, Mr.. and Mrs Reid
Itch dared return to their home, and
the house was dynamited and the aged
an investigation. but nothing came of
it; no one was punished. and Jewish
life and property remain beyond the
I.ale of the law. The Jewish National
ant and powerful organization-d'd
make a protest and energetically de-
mandcd of the Roumanian govern
ment that it conduct n satisfactory i'll
vestigation and punish the offenders.
hut the results were negligible. The
perpetrators of Jewish outrages go
about freely and unhindered, and car
nv on their anti-Semitic agitation
against the Jews, The strongest anti
Jewish agitation is being conducted
by the official organ of the govern
ment -"Glasul Bukowinei.' whose
publishers and editors are for the most
part gove<nment officials
The Jews, as matter of fact, do
stand well with the Roumanian mill
tary officials. especially with General
Zoldig. the commander-in-chief of the
army. The General has done many
1avors to the Jews-but the civil nd,
ministration is indeed very hostile 10
Jewish interests.
The Jewish Affections in Bukowina
arise from the fact that they have
declared themselves neutral in regard
to the question as to whom Bukowina
should belong. They were loyal to
Austria and at the same time they
did not wish to offend Roumania And
this neutrality is costing them dear.
Austria was not able TO protect them.