The Denver Jewish news., 1925-06-11
BN NN NMtHIN

u the Germnn republic has aroused u
storm of protests In every corner of the
globe. What may the Gcrmnn=Iew expect
FROM the field marshal PRESIDENT VIII
anti Semtism he strengthened WIN anti.
Jewish Iunkcrism rourishl The writer
Of thls article htscs his views on intimate
knowledge " the new presidents past re-
actions 20 jewish life 1.-THE Editor.
The election Of Field Marshal Paul
Won Hinderburg to the presidency Of
the German Republic is being consid-
cred in many Jewish circles in Amer
lea and Europe as n victory for the
anti -Scmites. 1t is true that Hinden-
burg is monarehistically inclined, but
the fear expressed in the Jewish press
that he might foster the cause of the
is totally unfounded.
is neither anti nor Philo-
Semitic. He is totally Indifferent to
the Jews and the Jewish problem. He
has never uttered word that would
Indicate his hostility to the Jews, but
he has expressed himself at various
times in a fashion that would Indicate
his lack of prejudice against Jews.
The only way in which to evaluate
attitude toward the
Jews is to review his past utterances
and actions with regard to the Jews.
Before the outbreak Of the World war
had but slight opportun-
ity to meet Jews, much less to express
an opinion on them. Being in service
as n Prussian officer, he was subject
to the rules and code of his clique.
Prussian officers Of the old school did
not, as a rule, speak Of politics. They
were not allowed to participate in any
political activities, nor were they al
lowed to express opinions on political
subjects.
The average .Prussian officer was
not favorably inclined towards the
Jew, because anti-Semitism was q
with the Prussian army. AL
though, legally, German jew had the
right to join the officers corps, and
upon exhibition of merit, could be pro-
yet, in practice, the Jew was
excluded from the body of officers. He
vas not even permitted to become
because the officers of
the Prussian army would not tolerate
a Jewish fellow officer in their midst.
Jew could not even attain the rank
&c /, NON ,on,p,;S vinpoJ off,car ,Ip1aee
he was a physician or an engineer.
Many time the leaders of the Liberal
parties in the Reichstag criticized the
government for curtailing the consti-
tutional rights of the Jews, by not per-
hitting them to enter upon military
career, but everytime the spokesman
for the government replied, he de-
,lared that the minister of war could
not combat the entire body of officers;
the officers of the Prussian army were
against the Jews.
1t can thus be taken for granted
that Hindenburg, to an extent, shared
the views of his fellow officers with
regard to the Jew. 1t is also possible
that the problem never confronted
him, and he had no opportunity of de-
claring himself on the subject.
But soon after the war declaration
against Russia, he, probably for the
first time in his life, had to face the
,r,l,Io,, &c +b, lou, ForA lypo,,, .b,+
the first battles between Teuton and
Slav would take place in the Jewish
pale. Hindenburg and Ludendorff
were in charge of Commando Ost"
eastern 'front.' and both came to the
speedy realization of the fact that
unless they evidenced a friendly atti
tudc to the Jews of the pale, the in
vading army would meet with great
A few days after the fir
ing of the first shot on the Eastern
front, Hindenburg and LudcndOrtf
signed manifesto addressed to the
Jews, living in the Russian borderland,
which declared that the Germans were
coming to deliver the Jews from the
Russian yoke. The manifesto was
couched in the most friendly terms,
and German airmen distributed mil
lions of copies.
Considering the hostile attitude that
the Russian army leaders had adopted
toward the Jews, Hindenburg's mani
festo made the desired impression.
The more the Russian military chief
tains harrassed the Jews, the more
loud was the Jewish praise of linden
burg as a messiah and redeemer. But
this manifesto cannot be taken as an
absolute token of friendIiness towards
the Jews. Hindenburg needed jew
ish friendship and he tried to obtain
it.
The real test of Hindenburg's atti-
tude came after the German armies
had taken the Russian borderland,
Poland, Lithuania, part of Ukrainia,
and the Baltic provinces. Hindenburg
who remained Mt the head of Com