“AJC WAS THE FIRST JEWISH ORGANIZATION TO SEEK CONTACT WITH GERMANY AFTER THE HOLOCAUST, AND AJC REMAINS TODAY AN IMPORTANT PARTNER FOR GERMANY— AJC AND BOTH IN TERMS OF DIALOGUE WITH AMERICAN JEWRY AND TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS IN GENERAL.” GERMANY —Angela Merkel, German Chancellor Germany has been part of the power. It was therefore vital, both for American Jewish Committee (AJC) the cause of world freedom and for DNA since the leading global Jewish the future of the Jewish people, to advocacy organization was founded ensure that Germany would reject the in 1906, chiefly by Jews of German antisemitism of its past and adhere to descent, to protect the well-being of the principles of democracy. Jews around the world. With the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, For many Americans—especially AJC was the first American Jewish Jews, six million of whose brethren organization to embrace the renewed had been murdered by the Nazi unification of Germany. AJC was the regime and its accomplices—the only international Jewish group to future of Germany after 1945 was establish a permanent office in Berlin, hardly high on the priority list. in 1998. AJC was the exception. Taking a Today, AJC remains uniquely active long-range view, AJC understood in working together with Germany on that Germany would eventually threats to the Jewish people, to Israel, resume its place as a major European and to democracy. Far left: Woman holding her infant daughter at Bamberg DP camp, 1947 Left: Ruins of the Reichstag in Berlin, 1945 IN 1944, AJC AND NBC RADIO BROADCAST LIVE THE FIRST JEWISH SERVICE HELD ON LIBERATED NAZI SOIL. AJC closely monitors the 1940s postwar situation in Germany, with frequent reports from October 29, 1944 From finances the Gotthold Committee on Displaced visiting AJC staff and the Aachen battlefield, Ephraim Lessing Persons to campaign AJC-NBC radio broadcast Association for the for admitting to the U.S. correspondents in Germany. the first Jewish religious Promotion of Tolerance, Jewish DPs in Germany. AJC works on resettlement service from Germany dedicated to building a 1948 AJC’s Make Way for Jewish displaced persons since the advent of Hitler. new generation of leaders for Youth film promoting in the country. “If we build in the U.S. and elsewhere, 1945 The Office of tolerance and democratic up Germany materially at Advisor on Jewish Affairs, values is screened by the and intensifies research on the present time without attached to the U.S. Army U.S. Army occupation doing a complete the sources and patterns headquarters in Germany, authorities to German spiritual and educational of antisemitism and is established, based on youth groups, teachers, reorganization job, we are an AJC recommendation, and parents. Army authoritarianism. Cooperating building up a Frankenstein to deal principally with representatives inform monster who will infect with U.S. occupation the situation of Jewish AJC that the film helped and menace the world,” authorities, AJC focuses on displaced persons in gain community support says AJC Executive Vice camps in Germany. AJC for a U.S.-sponsored youth education programs in President John Slawson. member Judge Simon H. program in Germany. Germany and the promotion Rifkind is appointed to 1946 AJC Executive the post. Committee Member of democracy. Lessing Rosenwald, 1946 To promote former chairman of Sears, democracy in Germany, Roebuck and Company, AJC organizes and co-founds the Citizens Top: A group of women waiting Top: Kindergarten class at AJC-NBC Jewish radio on line to receive soup, circa the Bergen Belsen DP Camp, broadcast from the Aachen late 1940s circa 1948 battlefield, October 29, 1944 Left: A young Buchenwald survivor at the Feldafing DP Camp, 1947 AJC IS THE FIRST AMERICAN JEWISH ORGANIZATION TO CALL FOR ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH GERMANY. AJC becomes the first American Jewish 1950s organization to call for active engagement with 1951 In a groundbreaking 1952 AJC President October 1959 AJC policy statement, AJC Jacob Blaustein plays a Honorary President Germany, as well as becomes the first key role in negotiating an Irving M. Engel addresses supporting the re-emergence international Jewish $822 million agreement the Bad Godesberg of Jewish life in Germany. organization to call for between the West German Conference, co-organized active engagement with government and the by the Atlantik Bruecke AJC also is the first Jewish postwar Germany. Claims Conference to (Atlantic Bridge) and provide compensation the American Council organization to advocate 1951 AJC leadership to Israel and Holocaust on Germany. Engel plays a critically important for German re-education. survivors. pleads for an immediate role in creating the Working with the West and comprehensive Conference on Jewish 1954 In a letter to German reform of the German German government as well Material Claims Against Jewry, AJC Honorary educational system to Germany and pressing President Jacob Blaustein as U.S. occupation forces. teach recent history and for German government pledges AJC support for AJC supports ongoing instill understanding for compensation payments the community. “I pray democracy and civic education and democracy to survivors and to the to God that from the responsibility. Following State of Israel. tragedies of the past you efforts in Germany, while the conference, Engel will draw the strength 1951 AJC is the first and AJC Paris Director publishing constant alerts to look to the future Jewish organization Zachariah Schuster meet about the growing with hope, secure in the to advocate for German with German Chancellor knowledge that we have numbers of Nazis in re-education following Konrad Adenauer to not forgotten you,” writes WWII. An AJC educational discuss educational government, resurging Blaustein. program supported by reforms. popularity of neo-Nazi the U.S. Department May 11–13, 1956 AJC’s 1959 AJC publishes groups, and antisemitism. of State and U.S. High Executive Board calls The German Dilemma: Commission for Germany, on the West German On Antisemitism and Ultra- as well as important government to take nationalism in Germany. German leaders, advocates prompt action against for denazification and an upsurge in antisemitic a reorientation toward and anti-democratic democracy. propaganda, specifically noting renewed interest in the notorious forgery The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. AJC Press Release, Top: Scene from Make Way for Top: AJC Committee Reporter, July 14, 1952 Youth, a film co-sponsored by March, 1947 AJC and the National Social Welfare Assembly Right: Jacob Blaustein, AJC President AJC ENCOURAGES REFORM OF THE GERMAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM AND PROMOTES DEMOCRATIC EDUCATION AJC steps up efforts to 1960s encourage reforms of Germany’s educational February 1960 AJC June 1960 AJC Honorary German education, war- system and promote presents recommendations President Jacob Blaustein crimes trials, Holocaust on fighting antisemitism meets with German restitution, and the Middle democratic education, and anti-democratic Chancellor Konrad East. reaching out to high-level influences at a meeting of Adenauer to warn about 1960 to 1971 AJC German officials and creating the German Permanent resurgent neo-Nazism and sponsors the “German Conference of the antisemitism, after reports annual study trips to the U.S. Educators Program,” a Ministers of Education. of over 1,000 antisemitic series of annual three- to expose leading German incidents in Germany Early 1960s AJC protests week study trips by West that began with the educators and academics to cancellation of West German educators and desecration of a Cologne American-style discussion German arms shipments academics to observe the synagogue on December to Israel and the military teaching of democratic forums and teaching 25, 1959. work of German scientists values in the U.S. and to methods. AJC lodges in Egypt on missile 1965 AJC’s Foreign study American methods protests with West German development. Affairs Committee meets of social and civic with West Berlin Mayor education. politicians about policies in Willy Brandt in New the Mideast threatening Israel. York, where they discuss Top: The Brandenburg Gate in Above: John Slawson, AJC Top: German educators visit AJC delegation meets East Berlin behind the Berlin Executive Vice-President, a NYC classroom to observe with West Berlin Mayor Wall. A sign in German warns meets with West Berlin Mayor American methods of social Willy Brandt, center, of the border between East and Willy Brandt, March 23, 1966 and civic education for use April 19, 1966 West Berlin, August 13, 1965 in German school curricula, circa 1960s AN AJC DELEGATION TO GERMANY CONVINCES CHANCELLOR HELMUT SCHMIDT TO ABOLISH THE COUNTRY’S STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS ON THE MURDER OF JEWS DURING THE NAZI PERIOD. AJC intensifies efforts to eliminate antisemitic 1970s stereotypes in the well-known Oberammergau Passion Play. February 1978 An AJC 1979 AJC President delegation travels to Richard Maass heads AJC leaders work to abolish Munich, Germany, to an AJC delegation to the statute of limitations participate in a major the Federal Republic of regarding murders of Jews conference with Catholic Germany that convinces partners on antisemitism in Chancellor Helmut during WWII. AJC conducts passion plays, and meets Schmidt and other intensified discussions with with organizers of the government figures to Oberammergau Passion abolish the country’s German officials regarding Play to discuss changing statute of limitations on ways to strengthen bridges the antisemitic script and the murder of Jews between the German staging, and eliminating its during the Nazi period. anti-Jewish features. government and the U.S. Jewish community. Above: West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt receives a Chaim Gross lithograph presented by AJC President Richard Maass, AJC Press Release, June 8, 1979. Left to right: Oberammergau Passion Play June 8, 1979 Helmut Schmidt, Richard Maass, performance Rabbi Marc Tanenbaum Top: West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt in Cologne synagogue for commemorative service on 40th anniversary of 1938 Nazi programs, November 9, 1978 AJC, TOGETHER WITH THE KONRAD ADENAUER FOUNDATION, LAUNCHES A PATHBREAKING U.S.