Evening star., 1939-01-25
BY CONSTANTINE BROWN,
Star Staf1 Correspondent

b l. q II A u e, YugOSlaVia.-The
Jewish question has not arisen off,
cially IN Yugoslavia because there
are no Jews to speak of in this
country. Yet the few who do live
here have become uneasy, for there
are sign that steps will soon be taken
by the Stoyadinovich government to
adopt the racial policy of the Rome
Berlin axis.
Already local authorities refuse to
extend residence permits of Jews
who came here in the last few
years. Government officials men
ton the fact that the entire bank
ing business and most of the big
wholesale and retail businesses in
Zagreb are in the hands of Jews
who were inherited from Austria
when Croatia and Slovenia joined
the Serb state after the World War.
The total number of Jews in
Yugoslavia, according to official
figures, is not more than 5000 out
of total population of over 15,0O0,-
600.
Majority in Serbia.
The majority of non -Aryans estab-
lished themselves in Serbia several
hundred years ago. These are Jews
who fled from Spain because of the
Catholic prosecutions and found
haven in the Turkish Empire.
From Salonika and Constantinople
they found their way to Serbia,
which at that time was a Turkish
province. They settled here and
became a part of the nation, but
have maintained their Hebrew faith.
They have also conserved their Ian
guage. which is Spanish dialect.
1t Is unlikely any drastic measures
will be adopted against them.
There are few in the government
services or the army, and, as there
is no such thing as big business in
Serbia proper, resentment against
them Is slight. But there are some
25,0O0 in the provinces which used
to belong to the Austro-H Hungarian
Empire. These are of distinctive
type, since they come mostly from
Poland. They are wealthy and play
an important role in the business
life of the country.
Besides these, there are some
5000 or 10000 who came from Ger
many and Austria soon after Hitler
rose to power. Some have been
naturahzed, others not. These have
been given residence permits and
probably in the course of the year
will find themselves homeless.
Croatian Jews Better on.
The Croatian Jews, who are con-
sidered natives under the present
laws, are, for the time being, in a
better position. But the probabili-
ties are that racial laws like those
enforced in Italy, Poland and Hun
gary Will be adopted in Yugoslavia
also and a thorough purge will be
carried out.
There is a minority problem in
this country, however, although lit
tie is said about it oficially.
At present no less than $4,000
Germans reside in Yugoslavia, liv-
Ing in the same section of the
country and forming majority as
compact as the Sudeten Germans in
Czecho- -Slovakia. They are quiet
and peaceful now for as soon as
signs of any Nazi organization ap-
pear the leaders are slapped into
jail. II organizers come from out
side they are bundled of across the
border without much ceremony. But
Germany has more important mat
tiers to think about, 50 is not active
ly organizing this minority which,
as a matter Of. fact, does not like
the Nazi system. However, the
Yugoslav Germans are being kept
In close relationship with Berlin.
The German government is loan
ing them money to buy land. The
Belgrade government puzzled for a
while over how these German
farmers, who are not as thrifty as
the Serbs, were able to get money
to increase their holdings. 1t solved
the riddle by discovering that they
had Reichsmarks and their newly