The "pitiless extermination" of Austrian Jews is threatened in letters which are being widely distributed with the help of district officials of lower Austria demanding that the Jews leave the country voluntarily. The penalty for not complying with this threat are all manner of violent death imaginable.
A typical letter which the "Wiener Morgenzeitung" handed over to the authorities has this peroration: "In the near future the Aryan people will arise and mercilessly put and end to the Jewish domination. The Jews will first of all be stricken down, then indiscriminately murdered, exterminated and hung, their bodies being thrown in the Danube. Then and then only shall Vienna be free of this vampire. Help us, oh God of the Germans, in this task."
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.