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THE JEW AND THE WAR

THE PUZZLE OP GERMAN SUJRNAMES. (By Nathan I'V Spielvogel,. in the ' "Hebrew Standard.") Many of our Australian co-religionists iiave German surnames, and as a consequence (which is not unnatural) aro objects ol' suspicion 10 people who are personally unacquainted with them. I know two Jewish lads, Australian horn to the sccond generation, but possessing German surnames. By reason of this they were continually taunted in camp by their comrades. >.

How have so many Jews German names? Aro they .all of German descent? No! .truly German Jews are comparatively few. Eighty per cent, of the world's Jews are descendants of the huge colony that inhabited Poland. Till tlio disruption of Poland, they were Polish subjects. My own grandfather, Reb Itzack Halivi, resided in Lemborg at tho timo of the great grab, and this town, with the rest of Galicia, was the booty of Holy Austria. One of tho first acts of the conqueror was to order .all the Jews to t'ako German surnames. Thousands declined to resign their ancient names in favour ol hateful foreign names. • On a certain date all these stubborn folk were, rounded up to tho burgomaster's office, and wero given names at tho sweQt will of a none too dainty mouthod Austrian officer. Some of these names were in meaning most disgusting, bub the unfortunate folk were compelled to keep them, and forced to uso them.

The youths watched for opportunities to flee Irom their conquered homes, to ovude military service in tho ranks of their enemy's army. My own father, in 'i' 2, at the age of 15, slipped out, lound his -way to British possessions, became a naturalised subject, lived and died a most loyal Britisher, and brought up his sons as Englishmen. Never did ic occur to him to Anglicise his name, and we, proud of tho man who gave us that name, wero content to keep it. And, to-day, we have been taunted with being Germans I And there are many like us! But there is another side I . Any Jew, living but « year under . tho Union Jack would be an imbecile" if he'were not loyal to that flag.. Gratitude first. Gratitude for a'home, gratitude for justice, gratitude for a chance to work out his destiny fairly with his fellow men.. Self-interest, second. What Jew would wish_to exchange tho conditions of lifo in England, where all positions nro open to him, oven to the Chief Justiceship, for tlioso of Germany, where there is no statue to its greatest poet, Heine, jtist bccause lie was a-Jew? The Jew knows the German. Ho heard . his Hymn of Hate three "hundred years ago, in Frankfurt-on-Maiil, at Maycnce, and at Hamburg. The Jew has reason to hate the breed of the serpent, for Israel's heel has been bitten full often.

The naturalised foreign Jew is, a 6 a rule,_ intensely loyal, more so even than his Gentile friends, for ho knows well and fears much the Beast of Berlin. Ho wants no further dealings with him. As for the native born, the recruiting'lists show whore his heart lies. \

_A Masterton trooper with the 9th New Zealand Reinforcements writes)' stating that tho 9th silent three, days' in Albany. Some of the soldiers we're refused leave, aiuUthe "coalies" would not coal the vessels until tho men.were allowed ashore. The people of Albany have no hesitation in saying that the Now Zealand boys lead the way as far as good conduct is concerned. '

"We get our mails and parcels regularly now, and we have nothing to complain of —that is, as far as our company is concerned," -writes a Masterton. soldier from Egypt. .

Mr. S. A. Vyner, of Hastings, who some time ago, among others, contributed to the Hawke's Bay Overseas Tobacco Fund, has just received the following message, written on a card which accompanied the gift:—"Thanks very much for nice present of cigarettes and tobacco. They are always very welcome here, as we have no chance to buy any. We are having very cold weather just now, four inches of snow lying on the ground, and a keen frost, so that it's not very pleasant for fighting, and we are.not downhearted yet. I belong to the Main Body, and haven't lost any blood yet, but would not mind a week's holiday in Hastings, as I spent five years there when in New Zealand. Thanking you once' more for your nice present, and wishing you a bright New Year." The letter, which is signed by Private J. E. Davidson, A-Company. Wellington Infantry, was written shortly before the memorable evacuation of Anzac.

When a party of officers of the New Zealand- Rifle Brigade wore at Suez they were returning to the lailwa.y station one night, when they, were stopped by a man who breathlessly informed them that a steward off one of the transports was lying "doped" in a sido street. Two of them, one being Padre Greon, a Salvation Army cdjntant, rushed off and found the man lying insensible in a dark street, surrounded by a crowd of natives, vith a Rash -on his head and his pockets turned inside out. The Padre rushed in, grabbed the man, slung him over his broad shoulders, and ran with him to the station. "I think," writes the •Taranaki "Herald's" informant, "that only a Salvation Army Padre would <lo such a thing as that. Anyway, wo tor.U him in the train _ with us to the sliin and put him in his bunk, looking more like a corpse than anything else. It had at least the effect of snowing the men more than all the talking 111 the world the dangers of drinking at these low-down native cafes."

A remarkable scene in a Farnborougji street Was described at Alders'liot, when William Hogg, 47, was charged with making statements likely to prejudice recruiting, on October 19. Airs. Templar, wife of Major Templar, stated that while walking through Alexandria Road she saw Hogg throwing his anus about, and making a speech. She heard him say: "They are sending them out to murder themi" evidently referring to some troops. She called him a traitor, and when he said, "Come hero and say that again," she went- up to him and said, "Yes, you are a traitor, and a traitor." "May I state that I make no excuse for using that expression," added Mrs. Templar, "because it was the only word I could think of at the moment in which io convey my condemnation of this abominable thing." Hofjg was fined £5, or in default a month's imprisonment.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19160205.2.85

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2687, 5 February 1916, Page 12

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,095

THE JEW AND THE WAR Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2687, 5 February 1916, Page 12

THE JEW AND THE WAR Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2687, 5 February 1916, Page 12

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