Evening star., 1943-11-12

Ouc morning ~ Am. the r010S
against the Jews began. They were
conducted by small groups Of Ger
man soldiers and s. s. men travelling
In trucks. Men, women and children
were loaded In cars and hauled
away to an unknown destination.
There was tremendous indignation
among the Italian population, who
had never seen their former alliet
work so brutally.
Nazis Arrive.
My next-door neighbors were
Jews, but had given up their nat TO,
the summer. When two heavy, we'll
fed German soldiers came to the
door they unfolded a large docu-
ment and asked other neighbors IL
Jew so-and-so lived there.
My neighbors said "Yes, so-and-so
used to live here, but has moved
away"
I had the impression the soldiers
were little embarrassed before the
group which gathered. One soldier
asked where the Jewish couple had
moved.
"To Naples" one of my Italian
friends said.
OF course, it wasn't true, but II
was all for the best, for Naples nov
was In the hands Of the Allies.
Undaunted, the Germans went on
to ask for the Naples street address
and other details. They received q
detailed answer, while those present
had difficulty to hide their laughter
Why were the raids against the
Jews regarded as necessary, in view
OF the fact that Italy. as Germany s
Axis partner. had sponsored anti
Semitic measures since 1888?
Jews Suffered Little.
The reason is that until the Ger
mans occupied the country anti
Semitic measures were applied so
moderately In Italy that 1t was one
Of the few European countries where
Jews had at least a relatively safe
maven Oh refuge.
There had even been a migration
of Jews from occupied countries
These non-1talian Jews hardly felt
the effects of anti-Semitic leRisla-
ton.
Fascist circles in certain cases
protected Jews against the brutal
common in other coun-
tries.
In Val d'Aosta in the Alps last
year I saw a concentration camp for
Jews which was more like
a rest home for summer guests. The
internees were permitted to move
freely on their word Of honor, buy
cheap food from the peasants and
even do little mountain climbing
OF course, no one wanted to leave
the camp, which was established
more to protect its occupants from
the sadistic methods practiced in
many places.
Nazis Become Impatient.
After Italy entered the war the
Germans became more and more
impatient with the Italians for the
ineffective measures being taken
against the Jews and suggested in
directly that they-the Nazis-
should take over handling of the
Jewish question in Italy.
The Fascist government gave posi-
tive assurances. however, that anti
Semitic DEGREES would be applied
more strictly
A number of Italian Jews even-
tually were drafted for labor service
and some were assigned to dredge
sand from the almost-dry Tiber
River bed.
One day Isdecided to see how they
we're making out. I found the
soldier assigned to guard them run
ming up and down the bank getting
them ice cream. The work Of the
Jews was being done amateurishly,
for many had never touched a
spade before.
After a while work was halted
when a group Of friends of some
Of the workers who belonged to q
fashionable rowing club in Rome
came rowing down, the Tiber with
cigarettes and beverages
The Republican Fascist govern
ment" which was set up in Northern
Italy after the German occupation.
however, was forced to surrender to
German wishes in regard to the
Jews. as many of. the latter were
accused by the Germans of playing
part in Benito Mussolini's downfall
Concessions Granted.
Nevertheless, improbable as it may
seem, the Germans of late have
granted certain concessions to Jews
which were ungranted
in other occupied countries. OF
course, they were small concessions,
but they indicate certain regard
for the original Fascist legislation
on the subject.
Thus Jews and Jewesses who mar
ried non-Jews were unmolested, as
were Jews who had been decorated
for bravery in the World War.
In addition, Jews who had been
Christians since a certain date were
given separate position dependent
upon their religion rather than upon
their race, although this is not the
case in Germany.
There are certain other fields
where one notices certain consid-
erations on the part of the Ger
mans.
It Is surprising that these conces-
sions are granted when it is re-
called that Italy Is to be punished
by the Nazis for her terrible trea-
son" and also in view of the mis-
trust and contempt with which the
German army regards the Fascists
Occupation Money Withdrawn.
As one example OF leniency, Ger.
man occupation money, which musI
be accepted by the civilian popula
ton IN other occupied countries, wa.
withdrawn from the Italian market