VOLUME 15 NO.11 NOVEMBER 2015 journal The Association of Jewish Refugees Royal salutes he British royal family has long It is, however, far from reassuring when held a special place in the hearts defenders of the royal family attempt to of AJR members. The monarch trivialise the giving of the Nazi salute by Tacts as the figurehead of the nation that claiming, as the ‘historian’ (as the Daily admitted the Jewish refugees from Hitler Mail styles him) James Holland did, that after 1933 and, as head of state, is the there could hardly have been a British child symbol of the national community whose who did not give the salute in jest at some citizenship most of those refugees chose point in the 1930s; in point of fact, there to acquire after 1945. While the British were tens of thousands of Jewish children, politicians and civil servants responsible for a start, who would not have been seen for dealing with the Jewish refugees in the dead giving the Hitlergruß. 1930s and 1940s were almost all associated Enough is also known of the political with the complexities, ambiguities and views of the Prince of Wales, the future straightforward shortcomings of the Edward VIII, who was to abdicate in immigration policies of those years, most December 1936 to marry Wallis Simpson, refugees have almost automatically assumed for readers not to be completely surprised at that the monarchy – standing above politics seeing him pictured laughing as he gives the – can be respected without reservation. Nazi salute. One cannot class the Duke of The AJR has since its earliest days been Windsor, as he became after his abdication, eager to show its respect for and loyalty to King George VI, 1895-1952 among the small band of British Nazis but the monarchy, taking pride in the fact that rather as one of those members of the upper in the post-war years most of its members acknowledged. Extensive extracts from classes who flirted with the Third Reich, came to regard themselves as loyal British some of the principal speeches are printed as his visit to Germany in October 1937 citizens. For example, when King George on this page, as we believe that our friends demonstrates. He is probably best defined VI died in February 1952, the AJR sent a who may have listened in to the broadcast as a potential sympathiser who chose to devotedly loyal message of condolence to part of the proceedings will wish to keep close his eyes to the more repellent aspects his widow, Queen Elizabeth (the Queen a record of the memorable utterances.’ of Nazi policy. It is absurd to claim, as the Mother), which appeared on the front Even allowing for the more deferential historian Andrew Roberts did, that the page of the March 1952 issue of AJR attitudes of the day, the terms of this photo published in the Sun shows him Information: ‘On behalf of the Jewish recommendation to AJR members (‘our mocking the Nazi salute, when he is plainly Refugees from Nazi oppression who have friends’) to read and keep the Duke’s words doing no such thing; it was in full earnest found a new home in this country we beg convey a profound sense of gratitude and that he gave the Nazi salute during his visit leave to express to Your Majesty and to pleasure at royal recognition of the refugee to Germany, when he and his wife were the Royal Family our deepest sympathy community. Much more recently, the AJR photographed smiling as they shook hands in your sad bereavement. The reign of has been honoured by the presence of the warmly with the Führer. His Majesty King George VI was of Prince of Wales at The Roundhouse in The Prince of Wales’s social circle special significance for the community Chalk Farm on 9 November 2014 for the included people who were close to Nazi we represent. While he was King, Jewish commemoration of the Kindertransports views and attitudes. Among them was persecutees from the Continent were that included the London premiere of Carl the socialite Alexandra Metcalfe, whose admitted to this island and later granted Davis’s The Last Train to Tomorrow. unrestrained admiration for Oswald Mosley British citizenship.’ Readers who share these sentiments and his fascists earned her the nickname On a happier occasion, when the will have been disturbed to see the images ‘Baba Blackshirt’. She was the daughter of tercentenary of the readmission of Jews to published in the Sun last July of four Lord Curzon, Viceroy of India at the time England in 1656 was celebrated at a grand members of the royal family giving the of her birth in 1903; his Indian servants banquet held at the Guildhall on 29 May Nazi salute in 1933. It is obvious that two had called her ‘Baba Sahib’ – ‘the Viceroy’s 1956, AJR Information published part of of those filmed, the Princesses Elizabeth (as baby’. In 1925, Alexandra married Major the speech given by the Duke of Edinburgh she then was) and Margaret, were far too Edward Dudley Metcalfe, known as Fruity, and stated with evident pride: ‘Mention young to understand the significance of a close friend and equerry to the then Prince was made especially and conspicuously the gesture they were being asked to make; of Wales; when, as Duke of Windsor, he of the recent refugees whose contribution the scene tells us precisely nothing about married Wallis Simpson in France on to the national cause was generously their political views when they were older. continued on page 2 journal NOVEMBER 2015 Royal salutes continued KRISTALLNACHT MEMORIAL SERVICE at Belsize Square Synagogue 3 June 1937, Metcalfe acted as best man. He was a member of the January Club, a Wednesday 11 November 2015, 2 pm discussion group founded by Mosley in 1934 to attract support from Establishment Guest speaker: Sir Peter Bazalgette, Chair, UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation figures for his British Union of Fascists. The Professor Leslie Baruch Brent will recall his experiences on Kristallnacht 1938 Duke played an ambiguous role during Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg will officiate the war. In summer 1940, when Hitler invaded France, he and the Duchess fled, We will be lighting memorial candles. Light refreshments will be served at the conclusion of the service. travelling to Spain and then to Portugal; the We are providing free transport to and from Belsize Square Synagogue with collections at Stanmore, Germans, possibly planning to install him Golders Green and Finchley Road Station. as a puppet monarch, hoped to persuade him to return to Franco’s Spain, if necessary Please contact Karin Pereira at AJR Head Office on by kidnapping him. That prospect so 020 8385 3070 or at [email protected] if you would like to travel on the coach. alarmed Churchill that he ordered the Duke to return to Britain under threat of court martial and packed him off as Governor to the Bahamas, where he could do no were the Bolsheviks, who had murdered Annual Election Meeting of The further harm. Tsar Nicholas II, George V’s cousin, and his Association of Jewish Refugees (AJR) More unexpected and more disconcerting family in 1918; the growth of the socialist for loyal admirers of the royal family is the left was seen in royal circles as a broadly he Annual Election Meeting of The image of Elizabeth, the wife of the future Association of Jewish Refugees similar threat to the existing order and to the T(AJR) will take place at 11 am on King George VI and later the much loved monarchy in particular. By comparison, the Tuesday 24 November 2015 at Belsize Queen Mother, holding up her hand in Third Reich initially appeared reassuringly Square Synagogue, 51 Belsize Square, the Nazi salute. For Queen Elizabeth, as patriotic, authoritarian and hierarchical. London NW3 4HX. she became when her husband replaced Can one ever imagine members of the Agenda: Annual Report, Financial Report, his brother Edward VIII on the throne, Discussion, Election of Trustees. royal family giving the clenched fist salute The following have been nominated for re- is widely admired for her role during the of the militant working class, even in jest, election as Trustees: Andrew Kaufman, Joanna war, when she joined the King on morale- as carelessly as they gave the Nazi salute in Millan and Sir Erich Reich. boosting visits to the blitzed East End and the images published in the Sun? All questions for the chair should be supported her husband, never confident in The brutality and excesses of the Nazi submitted by Monday 16 November 2015 to his royal role, during his time of trial. The the Chief Executive at Jubilee House, Merrion regime alienated many of those who were in Avenue, Stanmore, Middx HA7 4RL. usual crew of ‘royal historians’ appeared in 1933 potentially predisposed to sympathise the press to explain away the photograph. with it. But during the 1930s organisations If you wish to attend please contact One of these, Hugo Vickers, claimed that, Karin Pereira on were established that found a ready 020 8385 3070 or at [email protected] far from being pro-German, Elizabeth membership, small but influential, among had become strongly anti-German during those on the right who remained attracted the First World War and had remained so to Nazi Germany. These organisations were well after 1945; Vickers fails to explain located politically between the mainstream why this resolute antipathy to all things of the Conservative Party, which, while German apparently did not extend to the supporting Prime Minister Chamberlain’s AJR GROUPS ANNUAL Nazi salute.