"... The reasons for the diverse reactions to our fundraising appeals in the German and the French-speaking parts of Switzerland, are of a complex nature. From an inquiry made by the cantonal committees we learn that the press in general took a stand against aid to refugees. An article by Pierre Grellet, the Bern correspondent of the 'Gazette de Lausanne', published in November, had a distinct undercurrent of anti-Semitic feeling, characteristic of his attitude. There were also other expressions of anti-Semitism in the press. In contrast to the German-speaking press which protested against the turning away of refugees from our borders, this action triggered no particular reactions in the French-speaking press. [467] c The Admission of Refugees Like the Government of the Netherlands, the Swiss Government had already closed the Swiss borders before the war. <212> The Church Council of Canton Zurich stated, in 1938: "It pains us that consideration for so many unemployed citizens in our own nation prevents us from offering a protecting asylum to the suffering refugees, who, like wild game, are chased from country to country." [468] In the summer of 1942, mass raids took place in France and many Jewish refugees tried to find asylum and safety in Switzerland. They often crossed the French-Swiss frontier "illegally". On August 13, 1942, the border police were instructed to send back civilian refugees from France who had entered into Switzerland illegally, with the exception of political refugees. "Refugees for racial reasons only, for instance Jews," were not considered political refugees. [469] The Federation of the Protestant Churches as well as other organizations turned to the Federal authorities. [470] Their protests were not ineffectual. On August 23, Federal Councillor von Steiger ordered that in special cases rejection should be waved. On August 24, a meeting was convened with the "Swiss Central Office for Refugee Aid", where all the Institutions for refugee aid were represented. The "Central Office" informed the press of the result of this partly tumultuous meeting on the same day: "Foreign refugees, who had entered Switzerland before 13th August, 1942, and register with the police, will be sent back only if, after careful investigation, they must for important reasons be considered undesirable." [471] <213> On August 30, 1942, at the meeting of the "Young Church" which has been mentioned before [472], Rev. W. Luthi said: