NEW YORK (JTA) — The remains of one of Hitler's aides were recently buried in the Baltic Sea to prevent his grave site from becoming a pilgrimage site, according to a German newspaper.

Genetic tests on a skeleton dug up in 1972 proved that Martin Bormann did indeed commit suicide in 1945.

Boycott of German products possible

NEW YORK (JTA) — A failure to reach agreement on a compensation fund for slave laborers could lead to a boycott on German products in the United States, according to Germany's chief negotiator in talks designed to create such a fund.

Otto Lambsdorff made his comments after last week's round of talks failed to come up with an agreement on the fund because of differences between German companies and Jewish representatives over the size of the fund.

The next round of talks is scheduled to begin Oct. 6 in Washington.

Mitterand griped about Jewish power

PARIS (JTA) — The late French President Francois Mitterand complained about "the powerful and noxious influence of the Jewish lobby in France," according to a French author.

Mitterand's daughter and some of his fellow socialists, including Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, denied the anti-Semitic implications made in Jean d'Ormesson's latest book "The Gabriel Report," although other sources close to Mitterand confirmed that he spoke of the "Zionist lobby" and that he was known to make anti-Semitic remarks.

Mitterand admitted before he died in 1996 that he worked for the collaborationist Vichy regime before he joined the Resistance.

Israeli embassy receives hate mail

ZURICH (JTA) — The Israeli Embassy in Switzerland has received several hate letters recently.

One letter said: "The Mafia Bronfman has stolen billions of Swiss francs from the people of Switzerland," referring to the campaign led by World Jewish Congress President Edgar Bronfman to force Swiss banks to come to terms with their involvement in Nazi gold.

The letters came in the wake of a recent attack in which an Israeli tourist was seriously injured.

Israeli Philharmonic plays near Buchenwald

BERLIN (JTA) — The Israeli Philharmonic played for the first time with a German orchestra on German soil in a concert near the site of the former Buchenwald death camp.

Sunday's concert, in which Zubin Mehta conducted the philharmonic and the Bavarian State Orchestra, occurred just hours after the 170 musicians toured Buchenwald.

The orchestras played Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 2, the "Resurrection." Mehta, the longtime conductor of the Israeli Philharmonic, now serves as music director of the Bavarian orchestra.