Newspapers apologize for Holocaust neglect
new york (jta) | A newspaper group expressed regret for the failure of U.S. publishers to aid Jewish journalists fleeing Nazi Germany.
The Newspaper Association of America’s statement came in response to a petition organized by the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies and former New York Times reporter Laurence Zuckerman. The petition cited research revealing that U.S. journalism schools refused requests to accept Jewish journalists fleeing Hitler because they feared the increased competition for jobs.
The research also revealed that
the American Newspaper Publishers Association, the precursor to the NAA, rejected a request by Harvard professor Carl Friedrich to discuss the issue for 10 minutes at its 1939 convention.
In a March 3 letter to the Wyman institute, John Sturm, president of the Newspaper Association of America, acknowledged and expressed “regret” for the ANPA action in 1939.
The NAA has pledged to highlight the issue at its forthcoming national convention and board of directors meeting.
Arson damages Holocaust project
san antonio (jta) | Arson damaged the offices of a Holocaust history project in San Antonio. Last week’s fire caused extensive damage to the offices of the Holocaust History Project, which works to confront Holocaust denial.
“Although the fire caused significant damage to our offices, there is no way we will be silenced,” said Harry Mazal, the project’s director.
The arson comes after the group’s Web site has been repeatedly attacked by computer viruses during the past 18 months. Police are investigating the incident, which has been confirmed as arson.
France sued for war damages
new york (ap) | A lawsuit filed last week seeks damages from the French government for property lost by 75,000 Jews and others who were sent to Nazi death camps during World War II.
The lawsuit was filed in Manhattan federal court by Holocaust victims and their heirs. It said France established and ran holding camps where Jews and others were forced to turn over their property — from bank accounts and insurance policies to artwork and other valuables.
The plaintiffs are seeking an accounting of the property and repayment of money allegedly earned through fraudulent means.
Hungary reopens payment program
budapest (jta) | Hungary reopened a Holocaust compensation program.
Survivors and victims’ relatives of the Holocaust from Hungary have until July 31 to apply for the program, which pays $1,800 per deceased, to be divided among any surviving parents, spouses, children or siblings.
The reopening of the program, which was launched with lower payment amounts in 1997, came after pressure from the Claims Conference and the World Jewish Restitution Organization. More information is available at www.claimscon.org.
Holocaust Center sponsors contest
The Holocaust Center of Northern California has announced its Morris Weiss Writing Contest, open to high school students.
This year’s theme is Stanley Baldwin’s quote: “I ask you to come to the aid of victims not of any catastrophe in the natural world, not of earthquake, not of flood, not famine, but of an explosion of man’s inhumanity to man.”
Baldwin said this on British radio, asking British citizens to sponsor children from Nazi-occupied Europe.
Entries can be an essay, poem, prose or fiction and should examine this quote in the context of the Holocaust.
Entries must be postmarked by Thursday, March 30 and sent to Rachel Isquith, HCNC Morris Weiss Writing Contest, 121 Steuart St., Suite 10, San Francisco, CA 94105 or [email protected]. Further information: www.hcnc.org/contest.
Seeking survivor’s recipes for cookbook
A Maryland resident and her son are collecting recipes of Holocaust survivors for a cookbook.
Joanne Caras, of Clarksville, Md., is seeking recipes from survivors — including those from the Bay Area — that will appear in the book, along with a brief description of the contributor.
Proceeds will benefit the Carmei Ha’ir Soup Kitchen in Jerusalem, where Caras’ son Yonatan and daughter-in-law Sarah have been volunteering.
Recipes can be submitted on the Web site, www.survivorcookbook.org, by email to [email protected] or by mailing them to Survivor Cookbook, P.O. Box 230, Clarksville, MD 21029. Information: Joanne Caras (443) 604-2643.