Vol. XIX No. 3 March, 1964 INFORMATION ISSUED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF JEWISH REFUGEES IN GREAT BRITAIN 8 FAIRFAX MANSIONS. FINCHLEY RD. (corner Fairfax Rd.), London. N.W.S Office and Consulting Hours: Telephone : MAIda Vale 9096/7 (General Office and Welfare for the Aged). Monday to Thursday Wa.m.—lp.m. 3—6p.m. MAIda Vale 4449 (Employment Agency, annually licensed by the L.C.C.. and Social Services Dept.) Friday 10a.m.—} p.m. 1964, and it was highly essential to reduce the deficit by obtaining more income from JOINT EFFORTS REVIEWED subscriptions and donations. As the work would have to go on for a very long time to come it was also increasingly essential AJR Board Meeting to secure the support of members of the comparatively younger age groups. Organisations often face the danger of how only covered the current ordinary The general report was followed by a becoming bureaucratic institutions and expenses, and not any major repairs, special report given by Mr. A. S. Dresel tosing contact with the community for administration expenses of the AJR and the (Chairman) on the Flatlet Scheme, Avenue ^ose benefit they have been built up. C.B.F. and amortisation of invested capital. Road, Highgate. The property, he stated, itie AJR, established at the outset as a At Osmond House the present maintenance would be jointly owned by the C.B.F. (two- membership organisation, has always had rates of £15 per week for self-paying resi­ thirds) and the AJR (one-third). It was jhe good fortune of being able to enlist the dents were considerably below the actual envisaged to build 48 one-room flats in a ^elp of a great number of men and women current expenses. On the other hand, by twelve-storey tower block; five two-room who devote their time and experience to the establishment of this Home for more flats, one three-room flat and three common tne common cause. These devoted workers infirm people a widely felt gap in our rooms in a two-storey block. The erection of serve on committees such as the Executive, geriatric work had been filled. Due to the a tower block had turned out to be neces­ |fie Management Committee, the Pre-Selec- devoted staff and the unflinching services sary because of the particular shape of the tion Committee or the House Committees of the House Committee members an atmo­ site and also because it was considered lor the Homes, or the AJR Club Committee. sphere of happiness had been created in highly essential that the rooms should face While all these committees are permanent all five Homes. south. Working teams, the AJR Board, which com­ The AJR Employment Agency required prises 80 members, meets only once a year. The estimates of the building costs had the co-operation of our friends, especially been higher than originally expected. On « consists not only of friends, who are con­ for placing elderly persons. There was also stantly active on behalf of the AJR in one the other hand, the scheme would only be a constant demand for rooms at reasonable feasible if the rents to be charged for cover­ neid or another, but also of personalities rents. Lastly, the regular advisory work Whose association with the AJR is an asset ing the outgoings (including the servicing of a psychiatrist had proved most essential of a mortgage) remained within reasonable ^^ \^ ^^^^^ general standing as scientists, and effective. scholars, writers or businessmen, or due to limits. After detailed consultations with "?e positions they hold with other, In the activities for the Homes and in experts and thorough investigations of the Kindred organisations. the work of the Social Services Department building costs for similar projects, the R A cross-section of the community, the a most happy co-operation with the C.B.F. Management Committee and the AJR jfOard may thus be considered as the Par- and Self-Aid has developed. Executive had arrived at the conclusion lament of the Jews from Germany and that, on principle, it would be justified to fiustria in this country. This definition cer- New Premises for AJR Club carry on with the scheme. At the same lamiy calls for some qualification, for, as a time, any possibilities of cutting the costs iion-political organisation, the AJR is sel- During the year under review the AJR down would be explored. While every­ vnt^ ^3ced with questions which may pro- had acquired the house at 9 Adamson Road, thing would be done to expedite the pro­ *OKe heated controversies. But the reports, mainly to accommodate the constantly ceedings, it was bound to take some time vip " at the meetings and the exchange of expanding AJR Club, which had been until the flatlets would be ready. tn tu^ arising from them give new impetus inadequately housed for several years. The J:" the Executive, as well as to the Board upper ground floor (three rooms and a tea Restitution and Compensation members themselves. kitchen) would be used for the ordinary j y^^er this aspect, this year's Board meet­ Club activities, and the lower ground floor A brief report on legislative questions of ing, held on January 26, was particularly would comprise two rooms, which would be restitution and compensation was given by ^ccessful. It was opened by the Chair­ used, jointly or separately, for meetings, Dr. F. Goldschmidt (Chief Legal Adviser of man Mr. A. S. Dresel, who first paid tribute and a kitchen. The upper floors consisted URO). He referred to the articles in " AJR pL'^°^,."^eniory of those members of the of four double rooms and four single Information" (August and September, f-xecutive. Board and staff who had passed rooms ; they would not be converted into 1963) on the Draft Bills of the amendments ^way since the Board last met: Dr. Walter proper flatlets, but cooking facilities would to the Federal Restitution Law and to the ^erlin, Dr. Paul Chapp, Dr. Richard Engel, be installed. It was intended to let these Federal Indemnification Law. The Draft of Al* *y™in Heller. Mr. Hugo Stern, Dr. rooms to indigent persons, but it had not the Federal Restitution Law was now being •^red Straus and Miss Hilde Mohr. yet been decided which type of residents considered by two Parliamentary Sub-Com­ fi,,3 "^s report on the general activities would be eligible for this limited accommo­ mittees, and though no exact forecast could yijring the past year, Dr. W. Rosenstock dation. It was hoped that the actual build­ be made it was hoped that the Law would Jf^"ejal Secretarj') dealt with the current ing work could start soon. be promulgated this summer. The Federal W V°/ t^e Old Age Homes. It had been " AJR Information" had continued to Indemnification Law would be dealt with of tiT' ^^ stated, that after the completion render essential services. Other activi­ after this. The speaker stressed that it SLM^ fourth Old Age Home (Heinrich ties during the past year included two pub­ could not be foretold whether all the pro­ infi!? ^ouse) and of the Home for more lic meetings on restitution matters with visions envisaged in the drafts would be mfa^ elderly people (Osmond House) it addresses by Federal German Deputy, incorporated into the final laws. Doll possible to relax the selection Rechtsanwalt Hirsch, and Ministerialrat The reports were concluded by a vivid Huucy. However, there was a steady influx Feaux de la Croix, respectively. talk given by Dr. Eduard Rosenbaum on earn "* applications and, as before, appli- Turning to finances. Dr. Rosenstock the work of the Leo Baeck Institute. Out­ as'et ^ comparatively larger incomes or reported that according to the preliminary lining the ideas and activities of the L.B.I., be al • *^^*'" disposal could, therefore, not figures available for 1963, the income from he stated that by becoming conscious of our rafo < ^^'^ at present. The maintenance subscriptions and donations had amounted historical background we became conscious Afro tr self-paying residents in the Old to £8,780 (against £7,880 in 1962) and the of ourselves. Under this aspect the work onlv "°°^es amounted to £10 per week, but expenditure to £12,800 (against £12,400 in of the Institute was important for every WP^,. ^ v^,^^^^^" proportion of the residents 1962). Due to the expansion of work a ""ere able to pay the fuU rate, which any­ rise of expenditure was to be expected in Continued on page 2, column 1 Page 2 AJR INFORMATION March, 1964 AJR BOARD MEETING FROM THE GERMAN SCENE Continued from page 1 GERMANY'S JEWS CALL FOR ACTION RESIGNATION OF MINISTER The board of directors of the Central Nazi Past Revealed Jew from Germany. The literature of the Council of Jews in Germany has called upon Institute should find its way not only into the West German Government to take Barely three months after he appointed him. libraries, important as this was, but also adequate action against the anti-Jewish Chancellor Erhard was forced to suspend Herr into the homes of all former German Jews. propaganda campaign of Arab offices and Hans Kriiger, the West German Minister for students in the Federal Republic. Pointing Refugees, while instructing a senior Cabinet Even those of our friends who thought that colleague to investigate the details of his they themselves were not inclined to out that antisemitic pamphlets edited by the Arab Information Office in Cairo are being political past. Kriiger has now resigned over become acquainted with this literature, issued in West Germany, the Council has charges relating to his wartime activities.