Information Issued by the Association of Jewish Refugees in Great Britain 8 Fairfax Mansions
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Vol. XVII No. 1 January, 1962 INFORMATION ISSUED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF JEWISH REFUGEES IN GREAT BRITAIN 8 FAIRFAX MANSIONS. FiNCHLEY RD. (corner Fairlax Rd.). London, N.W.S 0//ice and Consulting Hours: Telephone: MAIda Vale 9096/7 (General Ollice and Welfare for the Aged) Mondav to Thursdav 10 am—I a m 3—6 o m MAIda Vale 4449 (Employment Agency, annually licensed by the L.C.C.. monaay lo i luirsaay lu a.m. i p.m. J o p.m. and Social Services Dept.) Friday 10 a.m.—1 p.m. ACROSS THE CHANNEL THE EICHMANN VERDICT From our Jerusalem Correspondent German Jews in France In the trial against Adolf Eichmann on 15 counts for crimes against the Jewish people, A visitor to the Central Synagogue in Paris will one hour's drive from Paris. The former dining- crimes against humanity and war crimes, the court notice in the entrance hall the memorial tablets room and lounge are now used as communal handed down its verdict: guilty on all 15 counts. where the names are inscribed of those who rooms. Most of the residents no longer work. The court arrived at its judgment after hearinis lost their lives during the Second World War as It seems that the distance from Paris does not which opened on April llth, 1961, and concluded members of the fighting forces or of the Resistance matter to them too much. They are compensated on August Mth, after 114 sessions over a period movement. Inside the synagogue the eye is drawn by the wonderful country in which they live. of 16 weeks. The court heard 111 witnesses and to a wall with yalirzeii candles, each bearing a Furthermore, the feeling of being isolated cannot name-plate in memory of a relative who perished easily arise because Limours has become a rally received written transcripts of another 16 in Auschwitz or another extermination camp. All ing centre for " Solidaritd " members in Paris, who examined in Germany, Austria and Italy. One these reminders of the sufferings of French Jewry visit the place on Sundays and also arrange thousand five hundred and forty-three documents, have an additional meaning for us : amonjp the functions there on festive occasions. Lastly, con some of them complete books, were admitted as victims were many German Jews who found trary to London, Jewish refugees in Paris are not evidence. No wonder that it took the three refuge in France after 1933 and who, sub concentrated in a few districts but are spread all judges—Mr. Justice Moshe Landau, Judge Ben sequently, were captured by those from whom over the city; therefore, they are used to travel yamin Halevi and Judge Yitzhak Raveh—four they had fled. The holocaust has reduced the ling when visiting relatives or friends. months to study the material. number of German Jews in France to a mere The judgment made it clear that the court's task 7,000-8,000, and an account of the circumstances Flatlets in Paris was to pronounce law, not to write history. " The Under which they survived would fill many Inside the Paris boundaries " Solidaritd" has path of the court was and remains clear. It can Volumes of tragic stories. This must always be embarked on three housing schemes, each of not allow itself to be enticed into provinces which kept in mind when comparing the position of which provides accommodation in self-contained are outside its sphere. The judicial process has these remnants with that of German Jews in a flats with one. two or three rooms, kitchen and ways of its own. laid down by law. and which do country like ours where they were spared these bath. The first group of flats, like Limours not change, whatever the subject of the trial sufferings. financed out of funds obtained from the German may be." To build up their lives anew after the war Federal Republic, consists of 21 flats (for 65 A word of praise is given both to the prosecutor called for almost superhuman efforts. It was persons) which have been occupied for some time. and the counsel for the defence. " Mr. Hausner their good fortune that they could benefit from The second one was acquired out of Jewish funds, conducted the prosecution in all its stages as a the constructive help of the world-wide Jewish contributed partly by the Conference on Jewish jurist and on a very high professional level. Dr. relief organisations. However, while in Great Material Claims (which administers the payments Servatius, who stood almost alone in this Britain and many countries overseas the Jews made by the German Federal Republic according strenuous legal battle, in an unfamiliar environ from Germany could also fall back on their own to the Hague Agreement) and partly by the Leo ment, always directed himself to the essence of organisations which they had built up before or Baeck Charitable Trust (which acJministers the the matter, and refrained from unnecessary con during the war, the German Jews in France had funds of the Council of Jews from Germany). It troversy over matters which did not seem vital to to start from scratch in this respect as well. It provides accommodation for 16 families— him for the defence of the client, thereby afford testifies to the strength and, perhaps, also to the altogether 40 persons. ing valuable assistance to the court." organisational gifts of the Jews from Germany To mark the completion of these flats, a Press Eichmann was found guilty on each of the that, in spite of the adverse circumstances, they conference was arranged by the " Solidarite" a 15 charges against him with the following reser succeeded within a comparatively short time in short while ago. Greetings were conveyed on vations: His activities in the Emigration Centres creating a representative body of their own com- behalf of the Claims Conference by Mr. Saul in Berlin, Vienna and Prague, the deportations to [yiunity. They gave it the significant name of Kagan and on behalf of the Leo Baeck Charitable Niscom and the expulsions from Stettin. Baden Solidarite". Indeed it is this solidarity which Trust by the writer, Mr. Charles Jordan, the and the Saar, did not constitute crimes against has enabled them to carry out widespread activi European Director of the " Joint", who also the Jewish people ; he was not guilty of giving ties in the course of the past years. Apart from spoke, stressed that in recent years the " Joint" had developed the policy of delegating the care Continued on page 2, column 1 taking up the general interests of those in their for the victims of Nazi persecution to the organisa charge, they have also embarked on a variety of tions built up by the victims themselves. This Social schemes. These include, among others, policy, he went on. was a departure from the line mention the Old Age Home in Annet-sur-Mame support of persons in need of financial aid. taken during the first years after the war when which is not run by " Solidaritd " but by another However, one aspect of social work which also the " Joint" carried out this function under its organisation. The history of this Home dates plays an important part in the activities of the own auspices. Yet gradually the " Joint" had back to the war years, when an organisation of '^JR has increasingly come into the foreground : come to realise that people in need of care could German Jews in the United States. " Selfhelp ", tjie erection and administration of homes. In best be looked after by those who had shared provided funds for Jewish persecutees in France. this work, " Solidarite " has been assisted by the their fate and therefore understood their require After the war, " Selfhelp" raised the means for *-°uncil of Jews from Germany to which it is ments and their mentality. the purchase of a building to be used as an Old stfiliated, by the great Jewish relief organisations Age Home for German Jews. In 1956, this Home and by the German Federal Republic. Yet A third group of 15 flatlets, financed by the was transferred to its present place, Annet. Like "nancial support, indispensable as it is, would not Branche Fran(^ise of the Jewish Trust Corpora Limours, it is also a former chateau situated in alone have made the schemes succeed without the tion out of the heirless property in the former a beautiful park. The average age of the "evoted voluntary work of the leading members French zone of Western Germany and by the Leo residents is slightly below that of our Homes in °t ' Solidarity ". The average age of these Com- Baeck Charitable Trust, will be completed shortly. London, and while in London the houses were iTiittee members is less than that of their opposite The groups of flats acquired by " Solidaritd" to a considerable extent converted and adjusted nurnbers in this country. Maybe the memory of are not situated in buildings exclusively inhabited before they were put to their present use, the ineir common sufferings during the war years has by refugees. As most of the residents of the flats chateau has been left more or less uiichanged, A ^Pt them more closely attached to their com- are still able to work, they do not need a warden new wing was added only a short while ago. The giumty of origin than their contemporaries in to look after them. Therefore, and also for facilities, especially the communal rooms, cannot other reasons, the procedure in France differs be compared with those of our Homes.