Letter from Ambassador Knappstein Responding to Rabbi Lamm’s Concern Regarding Germany’s Involvement with the United Arab Republic (1965)

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Letter from R. Applbaum about West German Scientists Working on Anti-Israel Weapons (1964)

Dear Colleague: We, of the Rabbinical Council of America, are very grieved and perturbed to note the fact that the West German government, whose scientists have been helping Egypt prepare mass destructive lethal weapons with which to destroy Israel (Rachmana Litzlon), has refused, after many requests and demands, to recall these scientists and to assure us that they will no longer assist the Egyptian government, as has been proven they have been doing until now.We, therefore, turn to you, dear colleague, with the request that you immediately send a telegram or a letter on your behalf, from the congregation, and from as many of your members as you can possibly get, addressed to the German Ambassador to the United States, the Honorable Karl Heinrich Knopstein, 4645 Reservoir Rd., N.W., Washington, D.C. In this letter, you are to demand of the German government that they discontinue this inhuman action towards the Jewish people, whose death of 1/3 of their nation they were directly and completely responsible for during this past generation.I do not believe that we need to spare the Embassy or the Ambassador any harsh words in this matter. The letters that we write should be as critical and as sharp as decency will permit.It would also be advisable if you would send a copy of the letter that you are sending to the German Ambassador to the State Department of the United States as well, and we too would greatly appreciate a copy of your letters.I trust that you will take care of this matter immediately.Very cordially yours,Rabbi Sidney ApplbaumIsrael Commission

Zionism

Letter to Ambassador Knopstein about West German Scientists Working on Anti-Israel Weapons (1964)

Dear Mr. Ambassador: I write to you not only on my own behalf, but also on behalf of our entire membership. Rarely has an event of public importance caused as much distress and outrage amongst our people as the failure of the West German government to do something immediate and decisive about West German scientists who are now helping Nasser and Egypt to "finish the job" that a previous German government had begun. It is completely beyond our comprehension that a generation of government leaders who had personally witnessed the unprecedented horrors visited upon the world by the Nazis should now stand impotent, eager helplessness in the face of a few legalisms, while allowing their own countrymen to continue to participate in the diabolical schemes to destroy the State of Israel, which is composed so largely of refugees from Greater Nazism.There was a time when a number of our people began to accept the fact that the new German government was, on the whole, a group of sincerely dedicated anti-Nazis who genuinely rued what had been done. The latest series of events, however, have pretty well disillusioned us and made us feel that to an unfortunately large extent the democratic character of the West German government is more of a public relations "image" than an authentic fact.None of the explanations that have been forthcoming for or on behalf of the West German government are in any way convincing. I beg to remind you that we have six million reasons to be suspicious of any contrived “explanations” that fall short of the drastic measures that are deemed incumbent upon your government.Sincerely,RABBI NORMAN LAMMNL\:ffCC: Mr. M. Stern — Rabbi S. Applbaum — RC

Zionism

Letter to Ambassador Knappstein Criticizing West Germany's Attitude to Israel (1965)

To: Rabbi Jung. From: Sec. of Rabbi Lamm. This is the text of the telegram sent to German Ambassador Karl Hendrick Knappstein, German Consulate, 460 Park Ave., N.Y.C. (For your files). Most emphatically protest West Germany's surrender to Nasser blackmail. Your government is undoing all its previous efforts to restore your country to mankind's respect. Dr. Leo Jung, Norman Lamm, Rabbis of N.Y.C.

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