Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-12-26
Annual Jewish Festival Marking
Immigration Easing Forecast
Peace Message Hailed
All Over Europe, Says
Rabbi Leo Back


date of President Humans directive
to the State Department regarding
maintenance of immigration quotas,
may be celebrated annually as a
festival by European Jews was ex-
pressed today by Rabbi Leo Back,
first of the leaders of German Jewry
to return to this country since the
war.
DR.. Back, who headed nearly all
prominent Jewish organizations in
Germany from 1888 to 1912, said he
was certain the announcement
signaled celebration in camps for
displaced Jews all over Europe.
1T was big comfort to all of us"
he said. TT was good message. a
message of peace, a message for the
future. The number who will be
admitted to this country is not the
important thing-it is the principle
that counts. This is real first step
toward meeting the problem"
Arrives From London.
DR. Back arrived in this country
last week from London, where he
has been recuperating from more
than two years In a Nazi concen-
tration camp at Theresienstadt,
Czechslovakia. He Is 70.
He is in the United States at the
invitation Of B'nai Birth, Jewish
service organization. He was presi-
dent of B'nai Birth in Germany.
DR.. Back told a press conference
at headquarters of the organization,
1908 K street NV, that the center
OF Jewish energy and spiritual life
has now shifted from Europe to
America and that American Jews
must take the lead In solving the
problems OF world Jewry.
He said, however, that as a haven
of refuge Palestine Is the big hope
for Europe's Jews. All Jews in
camps for displaced persons in Ger
many. with whom he spoke daily
before being himself imprisoned,
want to go there, he said.
Right to Own Place Urged.
Palestine to them is a fact and
a hope" DR.. Back said. Other
wise. in their lives, there is a great
gulf between the hope and the fact"
The first task Of occupation forces
in Germany, he said. must be to
free displaced persons from the
camps in which they are now being
held. Make them placed persons.
Give them place of their own
right, and a right to their own
place." he added.
DR.. Back said he believed no
Jews want to remain in Germany
which he said would be like living
in cemetery of their brothers and
sisters. He placed the number of
actual German Jews left in Ger
many as not more than 1000. Be-
fore the war, he said, there were
about 100000.
Approximately one-half of these
were killed, DR.. Back reported, and
the remainder made their way to
America, England or Palestine. He
said he was proud he had urged
those who could to escape, although
at the time he was accused of de-
featism for giving out this advice.
Clergy Declared Helpful.
Asked whether there was any pos
sibility that Jewish community life
might be restored inside Europe, DR.
Back replied this could be done
only in a limited number of coun-
tries. He did not believe, for ex-
ample, that 1t would be feasible fol-
Jews to remain in Germany, Poland
or Hungary.
He said that the Catholic clergy
in Germany and numerous other
European countries had been OF
enormous help to the Jews in Their
time of trouble.
That Is an historical fact in the
story of the Jews and of the Cath
olic church." he said. II cannot ade-
quately express my gratitude to
these men-bishops and priests alike
for their kindness to u.s."
He said the Jews had also been
helped by members of the Comics
sional Church in Germany.
OF family of three brothers ano
four sisters in Germany at the out.
break of war, DR.. Back is the only
one surviving today. His brothers
were sent to Poland and have moi
been heard from since. His sisters
died in Theresienstadt.
Refused to Leave Germany.
As Germany's most prominent
rabbi, DR.. Back declined to leave
the country after the Nazis came
into power. He had several oppor-
tunities to do so. B'nai Birth anc
the Union of American Hebrew Con-
gregations twice arranged for him te
take over congregations in the
United States. He felt, however
that he was needed by those Jews
who could not escape. He is cred.
tied with having united them in theil
fight for existence.
DR.. Back was president from
1888 to 1889 of the National Com.
mittee of German Jews; in 1899 hi
headed a "union" which replaced the
committee" He also presided ovel
the union of German rabbis ano
the Federation of German Jewish
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