“The Jew-baiting has become so extreme, far worse than during the first boycott, there are the beginnings of a pogrom here and there, and we expect to be beaten to death at any moment. Not by neighbors, but by purgers who are deployed now here, now there as the ‘soul of the people’. On the tram stop signs on Prager Strasse: ‘Who buys from the Jew is a traitor to the nation’, in the windows of small stores in Plauen sayings and verses from every century, pen and context (Maria Theresa, Goethe! etc.) full of abuse, in addtion, ‘No Jews do we want, in our fair suburb Plauen’, the Sturmer everywhere with the most ghastly race defilement stories, wild speeches by Goebbels — acts of violence in many different places. — Almost as wild, agitation against ‘political’ Catholicism, which is allying itself with Communism, befouls churches and maintains that it was the Nazis … The feeling stronger every day for weeks now, it cannot go on like this much longer. And yet it does go on and on.”
— Aug. 11, 1935
My first reaction to this was, I don’t understand why more Jews didn’t flee Germany when Judenhass became so blatant and widespread. But I do understand. Nowhere else in the world would these Jews be able to build such cultured and prosperous lives. And the hatred toward them was plainly madness, and must ebb. Who would leave while the smallest hope remained?
Also – the changes were so gradual. It is amazing what people can tolerate. Klemperer talks about the lowering of standards the Jews gave to themselves…
“It’s not so bad … it can’t get worse…”
He had great contempt for them.
Also: he had great pride, and could only speak German. He was a professor of German philosophy. He did not feel he could make a living anywhere else.
And his wife was a Christian … so things got bad for them in a very gradual slippery-slope. It’s a terrifying book to read, because … all along the way … hindsight tells us: You must leave NOW. But they were in the middle of it …