Page 193 - Was Hitler a Riddle?

180 The American Diplomats

the ambassador then offered Hitler some additional information on
how the Jewish problem might be solved; he explained that in the United
states a way had been found to handle the issue of the “over-activity of Jews
in university or official life” whenever that threatened to cause “trouble.”
senior administrators “managed to redistribute the offices in such a way as
not to give great offense.” even “wealthy Jews” supported the practice of
limiting the number of Jews in “high positions.”
Clearly, dodd did not understand the nature of Hitler’s anti-semitism,
which was rooted in racial doctrines that did not allow for toleration of
people such as the Jews, who were considered degenerate and ruthlessly
ambitious. to the ambassador’s surprise, the Führer “came back [to his sug-
gestion] with a still more vigorous reply”; he claimed that Jews “occupied
59% of all public positions in russia and that they had ruined the country.”
taken aback, dodd could not think of anything to say except that Nazi
policies toward the Jews were causing “embarrassments” in the United
states. But this comment did not deter Hitler from continuing his ha-
rangue. When dodd tried to change the subject by asking if Hitler favored
the convocation of a disarmament conference, “he waived an answer and
turned once again to attacking the Jews as being responsible for the feeling
that Germany wants to go to war.” 90
despite all we now know about the atrocities of the Nazis, some details
about the depth of their hatred for Jews still seem incredible. On april 1,
1935, ambassador dodd passed on to Washington a particularly incendi-
ary comment made by Julius streicher, editor of Der Stürmer, the leading
organ of anti-semitic venom: “to those who argue that Christ was a Jew,
i would say, ‘Were i to call Christ a Jew, i would be calling him a crimi-
nal.’” Perhaps even more noteworthy in light of subsequent developments
91
was the circumspection with which Nazi leaders touched on the possibility
of exterminating the Jews. dodd reported, also on april 1, 1935, that the
“fanatical Julius streicher lately published a warning against ‘certain irre-
sponsible elements who have spread rumors that the Jews were planning
an attack upon the Führer’s life and that consequently they must be ex-
terminated.’” streicher made it clear that he insisted on “the utmost disci-
pline in his district” and that he had therefore dismissed a local leader “for
undue rashness.” the implication of the last two words requires no com-
ment. dodd also reported that a journalist known by american diplomats
had told someone at the embassy that Goebbels had “made the significant
statement that the ‘Jewish question will soon be liquidated’ but denied per-
mission that publicity be given to his remark.” after publication of the
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