GB 1556 WL 540 - Papers regarding the Bern trial of the 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion'; papers of 'Weltdienst' (microfilm)

Identificatie

referentie code

GB 1556 WL 540

Titel

Papers regarding the Bern trial of the 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion'; papers of 'Weltdienst' (microfilm)

Datum(s)

  • 1930-1972 (Vervaardig)

Beschrijvingsniveau

Omvang en medium

c 550 frames

Context

Naam van de archiefvormer

Biografie

The fortnightly anti-Semitic periodical, Weltdienst, was founded by Ulrich Fleischauer, a retired German lieutenant, in Erfurt on 1 December 1933. August Schirmer, who, having already been employed at Weltdienst in the 'American Section', took over publication of the periodical in July 1939. Shortly afterwards he announced the relocation of the offices to Frankfurt am Main, where all anti Jewish 'research establishments' under Alfred Rosenberg's direction were concentrated. Schirmer resigned in August 1943, at which time Weltdienst was published in 18 languages.

Weltdienst continued well into 1944. Kurt Richter, the new publisher, was also director of an 'International Institute for the Enlightenment of the Jewish Question', also called 'Weltdienst'. This institute organised gatherings of European antisemites 'with a view to securing an exchange of ideas and experiences designed to steadily strengthen the common European defence action against Jewry'.

In 1934 Weltdienst was given the task of rounding up Russian émigré experts to defend the veracity of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, at Bern. This anti-Semitic forgery came under public scrutiny in June 1933, when a right wing Swiss nationalist organisation known as the National Front began distributing it during a demonstration in Bern. A group of leading Swiss Jews filed a suit against the distributors, contending that the document, which described a Jewish plot to take over the world, fell under the ban on 'indecent writings'.

archiefbewaarplaats

Geschiedenis van het archief

According to a letter at the beginning of the collection, the first part of the collection came via a Jewish lawyer involved in the prosecution of Boris Toedtli , one of the most important Weltdienst men in Switzerland, who was tried for espionage. It is believed that one of the prosecuting lawyers obtained the documentation and subsequently handed it to JUNA, the Jewish press agency of the Swiss Jewish Community. The provenance of the second part is unknown.
GB 1556 WL 540 1930-1972 Collection level c 550 frames Schwed , P; Weltdienst
The fortnightly anti-Semitic periodical, Weltdienst, was founded by Ulrich Fleischauer, a retired German lieutenant, in Erfurt on 1 December 1933. August Schirmer, who, having already been employed at Weltdienst in the 'American Section', took over publication of the periodical in July 1939. Shortly afterwards he announced the relocation of the offices to Frankfurt am Main, where all anti Jewish 'research establishments' under Alfred Rosenberg's direction were concentrated. Schirmer resigned in August 1943, at which time Weltdienst was published in 18 languages.

Weltdienst continued well into 1944. Kurt Richter, the new publisher, was also director of an 'International Institute for the Enlightenment of the Jewish Question', also called 'Weltdienst'. This institute organised gatherings of European antisemites 'with a view to securing an exchange of ideas and experiences designed to steadily strengthen the common European defence action against Jewry'.

In 1934 Weltdienst was given the task of rounding up Russian émigré experts to defend the veracity of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, at Bern. This anti-Semitic forgery came under public scrutiny in June 1933, when a right wing Swiss nationalist organisation known as the National Front began distributing it during a demonstration in Bern. A group of leading Swiss Jews filed a suit against the distributors, contending that the document, which described a Jewish plot to take over the world, fell under the ban on 'indecent writings'.

According to a letter at the beginning of the collection, the first part of the collection came via a Jewish lawyer involved in the prosecution of Boris Toedtli , one of the most important Weltdienst men in Switzerland, who was tried for espionage. It is believed that one of the prosecuting lawyers obtained the documentation and subsequently handed it to JUNA, the Jewish press agency of the Swiss Jewish Community. The provenance of the second part is unknown.

P Schwed

Part I comprises papers relating to the Bern trial of the 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion' including a list of Weltdienst subscribers; correspondence and affidavits relating to the identity of defendants' witnesses, in particular Sergei Sergiejewitsch Nilus, son of Sergei Alexandrowitsch Nilus (1862-1929), responsible for the original publication of the 'Protocols'; verdict and judgement in the case. Part II comprises the correspondence of 'Weltdienst'.

Arranged into two groups: Bern trial material; Weltdienst material.

Open

Copies can be made for personal use. Permission must be sought for publication.
German, English
Microfilm

Description exists to this archive on the Wiener Library's online catalogue www.wienerlibrary.co.uk.

Wiener Collection, Tel Aviv University, Israel.

Williams, Robert C., 'Tödtli, A Bern Defender of the Protocols', Wiener Library Bulletin, vol XXIII , (Wiener library, 1969).

Entry compiled by Howard Falksohn. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. October 2007 Administration of justice Antisemitism Bern Communication process Europe Weltdienst Jews Legal procedure Nazism Persuasion Political doctrines Propaganda Racial discrimination Religious groups Switzerland Tödtli , Boris , b 1901 , leader of the Russian National Socialists in Switzerland Third Reich Totalitarianism Western Europe

Directe bron van verwerving of overbrenging

P Schwed

Inhoud en structuur

Bereik en inhoud

Part I comprises papers relating to the Bern trial of the 'Protocols of the Elders of Zion' including a list of Weltdienst subscribers; correspondence and affidavits relating to the identity of defendants' witnesses, in particular Sergei Sergiejewitsch Nilus, son of Sergei Alexandrowitsch Nilus (1862-1929), responsible for the original publication of the 'Protocols'; verdict and judgement in the case. Part II comprises the correspondence of 'Weltdienst'.

Waardering, vernietiging en slectie

Aanvullingen

Ordeningstelsel

Arranged into two groups: Bern trial material; Weltdienst material.

Voorwaarden voor toegang en gebruik

Voorwaarden voor raadpleging

Open

Voorwaarden voor reproductie

Copies can be made for personal use. Permission must be sought for publication.

Taal van het materiaal

  • Engels

Schrift van het materiaal

  • Latijn

Taal en schrift aantekeningen

German, English

Fysieke eigenschappen en technische eisen

Toegangen

Description exists to this archive on the Wiener Library's online catalogue www.wienerlibrary.co.uk.

Verwante materialen

Bestaan en verblifplaats van originelen

Bestaan en verblijfplaats van kopieën

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notitie Publicaties

Aantekeningen

Aantekening

Alternative identifier(s)

Trefwoorden

Onderwerp trefwoord

Geografische trefwoorden

Naam ontsluitingsterm

Genre access points

Beschrijvingsbeheer

Identificatie van de beschrijving

Identificatiecode van de instelling

Wiener Library

Toegepaste regels en/of conventies

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Niveau van detaillering

Verwijdering van datering archiefvorming

Taal (talen)

  • Engels

Schrift(en)

    Bronnen

    Voorwaarden voor raadpleging en gebruik