[D. 5.19.] The
Baltic States [Lithuania and Latvia 1929-1938]
[Conditions in Lithuania
and Latvia]
The Baltic states of Lithuania and Latvia were an area of
long-standing JDC interest - especially Lithuania. There,
some 153,000 Jews fared better than in Poland. The reasons
for this were, briefly, (p.220)
the smaller percentage (7.5 %) of Jews - Poland had about
10 %; their declared identification with Lithuanian
national aspirations; the more rational economic structure
of the country; and a spirit of local Jewish initiative.
There was, however, a strong desire on the part of urban
middle-class Lithuanians to take over Jewish positions in
business, industry, and the professions. This movement
received additional impetus from the events in neighboring
[?] Germany.
[Jewish schools]
Jewish education was generally in Zionist hands and
embraced some 190 elementary schools, in 180 of which
Hebrew was taught. A number of Hebrew and Yiddish high
schools taught the Jewish national languages as well as
Lithuanian. These were considered private schools but
received some financial assistance from the state
treasury.
[Since 1919: Lithuania:
Cooperative movement and JDC working]
The world economic crisis made itself felt in Lithuania as
well, however, and JDC recognized the need for action
there. The local cooperative movement was quite vigorous,
and in 1936 there were 88 cooperatives with close to
17,000 members,
(End note 90: 41-Gen. & Emerg. Lithuania
1937-41-report, 10/1/37 [1 October 1937])
partially supported by JDC.
(End note 91: In 1937 JDC spent $ 24,824 in Lithuania)
[Reconstruction
Foundation in Lithuania - kassas]
In addition, there were nineteen Reconstruction Foundation
kassas in 1937,
which gave out 56,000 loans averaging $ 107 per loan (thus
indicating a much higher level of economic operation than
in Poland).
[Lithuania: JDC health
work - vocational schools - emigration to Palestine and
South Africa]
Standards of health tended downward, pressure for
emigration began to increase, and the JDC allocation to
vocational schools went up because of the large demand for
training that would prepare Jews for emigration.
(End note 92: See: Farn Folks-Gesundt; Kovno 1937;
published by OSE. OSE's income decreased by 27 % between
1932 and 1935, with corresponding decreases in
expenditure; but a JDC report in 1935 reported 40.5 %
anemic and undernourished children, as against 33.5 % in
1932 (R16, May 1935).
Emigrants went largely to Palestine and South Africa and
caused a slow decline in the Jewish population in
Lithuania. While there were no overtly anti-Semitic laws
or regulations, local disturbances on the Polish model did
occur, though to a lesser degree than in Poland. Kahn
summarized the Lithuanian situation by saying that it was
"not quite so bad (as in Poland and Latvia), but
nevertheless worse than previously."
(End note 93: R16, Kahn, on 11/19/35 [19 November 1935];
There were a ritual murder accusation and a pogrom in 1935
(at Telsiai); See: Jewish Chronicle, 4/19/35 [19 April
1935], 10/18/35 [18 October 1935])
[So, there were pogroms and some robbery, but perhaps no
deaths. This has to be investigated].
[Latvia: Regime of Karlis
Ulmanis destroys Jewry]
Latvia was a different case altogether. The 93,000 Jews in
that country were being systematically deprived of their
means of livelihood by the Karlis Ulmanis dictatorship,
which had (p.221)
come to power in 1934 [since 15 May 1934]. As in other
countries, the Jewish population was declining: 6,000 had
emigrated since 1925 and the birthrate was going down.
Jewish factories were being taken over by the state;
[Latvia: Discriminations
in professions]
since 1930 no Jewish doctor had been allowed to practice,
and government monopolies based on the Polish model (for
the sale of agricultural products, among other things -
a major Jewish trade) almost automatically meant not
only the pauperization of former Jewish owners, but the
sudden unemployment of many Jewish workers as well. With
the ruin of the intellectuals and the traders, Jews tended
to move into manual work, but the transition was difficult
because of the opposition of Lettish workers.
The Jewish educational system was run by the Agudah, the
only Jewish body that cooperated with the government. JDC
gave very little help, and what it did give was mainly
channeled through its credit institutions. As in other
countries, by the end of the 1930s, everyone realized that
emigration was the only feasible solution - but there was
nowhere to go. European Jewry remained trapped.
[There was no Haavarah agreement for Baltic Jews... and
emigration was going on on a low level]
