The Grey Book: A collection of protests against anti-semitism and the persecution of Jews issued by non-Roman Catholic churches and church leaders during Hitlers ruleSnoek, Johan M.
Religion
The Grey Book: A collection of protests against anti-semitism and the persecution of Jews issued by non-Roman Catholic churches and church leaders during Hitlers rule
Snoek, Johan M.
Antisemitism; Christianity and other religions -- Judaism; Judaism -- Relations -- Christianity; Protestant churches -- Europe
On June 22, 1941, Germany invaded Russia and the Hungarians joined forces
with the Germans. On August 8, the third anti-Jewish law was enacted. [433]
This law defined who was to be considered a Jew, according to the well-known
principles of the Nuremberg laws.
"Bishop Ravasz, the leading speaker of the representatives of the Reformed
Church, after having delivered his address of refusal, read a solemn
declaration signed by all the Bishops, and by four general elders, in which
the signatories protested against the passage of the law and disclaimed all
responsibility for its passage." [434]
I have tried to obtain a copy of Bishop Ravasz's address of refusal and of
the declaration mentioned above. Dr. Elek Mathe, of the Reformed Church of
Hungary, replied to my request:
"Unfortunately there is no available copy of the address referred to in your
letter...; even less, newspaper cuttings, for the simple reason that at that
time the daily press was under strict government control and the text of such
an address could not be printed. [435]
In the summer of 1941, the Hungarian government ordered an inquiry into
the citizenship of all the Jewish residents of Northern Hungary. 11,000
Jews unable to give satisfactory proof of their citizenship were deported
to Galicia, where a systematic extermination was carried out by the German
troops.
"Baroness Edith Weisz called on Bishop Ravasz, and asked for his intervention.
The Bishop requested an audience with the Regent, and appearing before him,
informed him of the situation and asked that the Minister of Interior be
instructed to give due regard to humanitarian viewpoints. <195>
Bishop Ravasz then called on Francis Kereszres-Fischer, Minister of the
Interior, who himself later on was carried away by the Germans, warning
him that after the conclusion of the war an account would have to be given
before world Protestantism, of the fate meted out to the Jews.
He requested the adoption of such measures as would enable him to appear
before any foreign Church body in future days, with a clear conscience
regarding these matters.
An end was put to all abuses and the lives of many persons were saved." [436]
Bishop Ravasz thus tried to do something on behalf of non-Hungarian Jews, this
in contrast to the tendency of those in other lands who rendered resistance
only when Jews of their own nationality were deported.
From March, 1942, to March, 1944, Kallay was Prime Minister. His Cabinet
withstood German pressure to deport the Jews.
b. Mass Deportations
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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