Nazi Propaganda for the Arab World (56 page)

202. "Volkische Lebensfragen: Das Rassenpolitische Amt gibt Auskunft," Neues Volk: Blatter des Rassenpolitisches Amt der NSDAP, vol. 10, no. 5, PAAA R99175, Inland Partei Akten, Umgang fremdrassiger Auslander mit deutschen M5dchen,1941-43.

203. Franz von Papen to AA (June17, 1942), "Zeitschrift des RassenpolitischesAmt der NSDAP `Neue Volk,"' PAAA R99175.

204. [Franz] Rademacher to [Walter] Gross (May 16, 1942); also on same issue "Ges. Dr. Schworbel, 30 Juni 1942," PAAA R99175. Also see "Rademacher, Franz;" in Ernst Klee, Das Personenlexikon zum Dritten Reich:Wer war was vor and nach 1945 (Frankfurt/Main: Fischer Verlag, 2003), 476.

205. "Dr. Wetzel, Rassenpolitisches Amt An das Auswartiges Amt, Legationsrat Rademacher" (July 9,1942), and "Dr. Astel, Rektor derFriedrich Schiller Universitat," Jena (June 11, 1942), and "An dem Deutsche Studienwerk fur Auslander" (June 15,1942) PAAA R99175.

206. Fritz Grobba to "D 111 4267/42" (July 24,1942), PAAA R99175.

207. The Arab Nation, December 23,1942, 6:0o p.m., "The Grand Mufti's Speech;" Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 782, Cairo (December 23,1942), Axis Broadcasts in Arabic ... December 18 to 31, 1942, 13-15, NACP RG 84, Egypt: Cairo Embassy: General Records, 1936-55, entry 2410, 815.4- 820.02,1942, box 77. Also see the discussion of the speech in Herf, Jewish Enemy, 179-80.

The Koranic verse in question is Sura 5, verse (aya) 82: "You [Prophet] are sure to find that the most hostile to the believers are the Jews and those who associate other deities with God," in The Qur'an, trans. M. A. S. Abdel Haleem (NewYork: Oxford University Press, 2004), 75. Also see the selection of translations by Marmaduke William Pickthall, M. H. Shakir, and A. J. Arberry in Andrew G. Bostom, ed. The Legacy of Islamic Antisemitism: From Sacred Texts to Solemn History (Amherst, N.Y.: Prometheus Books, 2008), 218.

208. "The Grand Mufti's Speech," Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 782, Cairo (December 23, 1942),13-15,

209. Ibid.

210. Deutsche Gesandschaft Teheran, "Propagandistische Moglichkeiten unter der iranischen Bevolkerung im Hinblick auf die religiosen Erwartungen der Schiiten," Tehran (February 2,1941), PAAA R6o69o, Kult Pol, Orient. Juden um Roosevelt, 1941-42, Bd. 1.

211. Ibid.

212. Hans Alexander Winkler, Aufzeichnung den ehemaligen Kulturreferenten der Deutschen Gesandschaft in Teheran: Erfahrungen aus der deutschen Propagandaarbeit in Iran vom November 1939 his September 1941," Berlin (January 1o,1942), PAAA R6o69o.

213. Ibid.

Chapter 6. "The Jews Kindled This War in the Interest of Zionism"

1. This account draws on "The Allied Offensive in Africa" in Gerhard Weinberg, A World at Arms: A Global History of World War II (NewYork: Cambridge University Press, 1994), 431-47.

2. Langmann, "Aufzeichnung Ober die Propaganda nach Nordafrika," Berlin (February i8, 1943), PAAA R1o2974 Pol. II, Richtlinien. B) Nordafrika: Propaganda 1943,1942-43,5-6. These materials included copies of speeches by the Mufti and photos of him speaking in Berlin and inspecting Muslim volunteers fighting alongside the Germans in Europe.

3. AA Kult Pol VII, "Italienisches Propagandamateriel fur Nordafrika" (April 15,1943), PAAA, Rom 142,481/43. Translation byAndrew Masloski.

4. Ibid. It is not clear if this is material written by the Italians or by the Germans to be sent to the German Embassy in Rome. The anti-Semitic focus suggests Nazi authorship.

5. Langmann, "Aufzeichnung Ober die Besprechungen betreffend die Koordination der Propaganda nach Nordafrika," Berlin (March 11, 1943), PAAA R102974, Pol. II, Richtlinien. B) Nordafrika: Propaganda 1943,1942-43.

6. Preikecher, Aufzeichnung for die BFP im Stabe des Herrn Reichaussenminister, Herrn Dr. Magerle" (March 16,1943), NACP RG 242, Records of the German Foreign Office (microfilm), T12o, roll 1015

7. Rudolf Rahn, "Propaganda in Nordafrika," n.d. and n.p. (probably March 1943), PAAA R102974. Rahn's career path was typical of the foreign policy elite. After serving a year in the army (1917-18), he studied sociology, political theory, and sociology of religion at the universities in Tubingen, Berlin, and Heidelberg, where he received a doctorate in 1923. He joined the Foreign Ministry in 1928 and the Nazi Party on June 1, 1933. He was familiar with the region, having served in Ankara from 1934 to 1936. In 1940 he worked with the German military command in France and from May to September 1941 was in charge of German propaganda activities there. In 1941 he was appointed to Ribbentrop's personal staff. From November 15,1942, until May to, 1943, during the battle for Tunisia, as German ambassador he coordinated propaganda activities with German and Italian military forces. Following the Axis defeat in spring 1943, he fled to Italy, where he was appointed German ambassador in Rome and then to Italy's fascist government in the north in 1943.

8. "Summary of the Subversive Situation in Middle East: Analysis of Muftist Propaganda in Egypt: OWI Directive, Overseas Branch, Egypt" (October 19,1942), Egypt 2930, NACP RG 165, MID, Regional File, 1922-44, Egypt, entry 77, box 751, folder 3800.

9. OWI Appreciation, Overseas Branch, "Background Guidance on Egypt" (October 15,1942) 5-6 Egypt 2930, NACP RG 165, MID, Regional File, 1922-44, Egypt, entry 77, box 751, folder 3800.

10. OWI, Overseas Branch, "Basic Directive for Egypt" (January 30, 1943), 2-5, Egypt 2930, NACP RG 165, MID, Regional File, 1922-44, Egypt, entry 77, box 751, folder 3800, 6-7.

n. In so doing, the OWI officials offered another example of the "traps" to which Shlomo Aronson has referred in his Hitler, the Allies and the Jews (NewYork: Cambridge University Press, 2004).

12. W. A. Aiken to Cloyce Huston, "Concerning Reports on Axis Broadcasts in Arabic from the American Legation in Cairo;" Washington (April 27, 1943), NACP RG 84, Egypt: Cairo Embassy General Records, 1936-55, 820.00-822.00,1943, entry 2410, box 93.

13. Berlin in Arabic, January 2,1943, "Berlin Islamic Institute," Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 788, Cairo (January 11, 1943), Axis Broadcasts in Arabic ... Januarys to 7,1943, NACP RG 84, Egypt: Cairo Embassy General Records, 1936-55,820.00- 822.00, entry 2410, box 93.

14. VFA, January 11, 1943, "The Jews;" Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 804, Cairo (January i9, 1943), Axis Broadcasts in Arabic ... January 8 to 14,1943, NACP RG 84, Egypt: Cairo Embassy General Records, 1936-55, 820.00-822.00, entry 2410, box 93.

15. Berlin in Arabic, January 13,1943, 6:30 p.m., "An American Senator and Palestine," Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 804, Cairo (January 19, 1943), 24.

16. Bari in Arabic, January 13,1943, 8:00 p.m., "Appeal to the Egyptians," Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 804, Cairo (January19,1943), 25.

17. The Arab Nation, January 16,1943, 6:00 p.m., "North Africa," Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 817, Cairo (January 26,1943), Axis Broadcasts in Arabic ... January 15 to 21,1943,6-7, NACP RG 84, Egypt: Cairo Embassy General Records, 1936-55, 820.00 -822.00, entry 2410, box 93.

18. "Newspapers, Egypt Political," and "Egypt: European Language Newspapers," Cairo (November, 23,1943), both in NACP RG 165, MID, Regional File, 1922-44, Egypt, entry 77, box 751.

19. Berlin in Arabic, January 20,1943,6:3o and 9:30 p.m., "Speech by Rashid Ali Kilani," Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 817, Cairo (January 26,1943), 20-23.

20. Berlin in Arabic, January 18,1943,7:30 p.m., "Roosevelt the Jew," Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 817, Cairo (January 26,1943),13-14.

21. See Herf, Jewish Enemy, 63-64,73-74.

22. The Arab Nation, January 30,1943 9:00 p.m., "Britain and the Jews," Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 848, Cairo (February 10, 1943), Axis Broadcasts in Arabic ... January 29 to February 4, 1943, 3-4, NACP RG 84, Egypt: Cairo Embassy General Records, 1936-55, 820.00-822.00, entry 2410, box 93.

23. On the connection between the two, see Andrei Markovits, Uncouth Nation: Why Europe Dislikes America (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2007).

24. Athens in Arabic, January 31,1943, 8:00 p.m., "The Jewish National Home;" Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 848, Cairo (February 10,1943), 6.

25. See Joseph Bendersky, The Jewish Threat.. Anti-Semitic Politics of the U.S. Army (New York: Basic Books, 2000), esp. chaps. 2 and 9.

26. Gwynn, "Notes on the Situation in Syria and Lebanon for the Week January 1-7,1943" George Wadsworth to General F. M. Andrews (Beirut, January 10, 1943), NACP RG 84, Lebanon: U.S. Consulate and Legation and Embassy Beirut, Classified General Records, 193661, Boo, entry 2854A, box 8.

27. Gwynn, "Notes on the Situation in Syria and Lebanon for the Week January 8-14,1943," George Wadsworth to General F.M. Andrews (Beirut, January 16,1943), NACP RG 84, Lebanon: U.S. Consulate and Legation and EmbassyBeirut, Classified General Records, 1936-61, 800, entry2854A, box 8. Ten weekly reports came from Beirut to the G-2 staff in Cairo and were followed by biweekly reports. Wadsworth to Lt. Col. R. W. McClenahan, G-2, Cairo (Beirut, March 13,1943). On McClen- ahan's suspicions about Jews, see Bendersky, Jewish Threat, 146.

28. Cordell Hull to American Legation Beirut, "Circular, February 17,1943," NACP RG 84, Lebanon: U.S. Consulate and Legation and Embassy Beirut, Classified General Records, 1936-41, 110.2-891 entry 2854A, box S.

29. (George) Wadsworth, OWI, Beirut to SecState, Washington (February 19, 1943), 2-3, NACP RG 84, Lebanon: U.S. Consulate and Legation and Embassy Beirut, Classified General Records, 1936-41,110.2- 891, entry 2854A, box 8.

30. Charles C. Miller, "Radio;' Beirut (June 2,1943), NACP RG 84, Lebanon: U.S. Consulate and Legation and Embassy Beirut, Classified General Records, 1936-41,110.2 to-891, entry 2854A, box 8.

31. Wadsworth, Beirut to SecState, Washington (February 19,1943), 2-3.

32. George Britt, OWI, Beirut, "Political Notes on the Lebanon and Syria" (February 13,1943), i, NACP RG 84, Lebanon: U.S. Consulate and Legation and Embassy Beirut, 1936-41, Classified General Records, 110.2-891, entry 2854A, box 8.

33. Ibid.,5.

34. George Britt, "Beirut September to June" (June 1943), 3, 4, NACP RG 84, Lebanon: U.S. Consulate and Legation and Embassy Beirut, 1936-41, Classified General Records, 110.2-891, entry 2854A, box 8.

35. Ibid., 7.

36. Berlin in Arabic, February 8,1943, "An Interview with H.E. the Grand Mufti of Palestine," Kirk to Secretaryof State, No. 869, Cairo (February 20,1943), Axis Broadcasts in Arabic ... February 5 to 11, 1943, 8-9, NACP RG 84, Cairo Embassy General Records, 1936-55, 820.00-822.00,1943, entry 2410, box 93, 9.

37. The Arab Nation, February", 1942, 9:00 p.m., "American Propaganda in Arab Countries," Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 869 (February 20,1943), 17-18.

38. The Arab Nation, February 25,1943,9:00 p.m., "They Say Sweet Words but Have Nothing in Their Hearts but Treachery," Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 896, Cairo (March 6,1943), Axis Broadcasts in Arabic ... February 19 to 25, 1943, 26-27, NACP RG 84, Egypt: Cairo Embassy General Records, 1936-55, 820.00-822.00, entry 2410, box 93. Also see VFA, March 6,1943, 8:15 p.m., "Roosevelt Insists on Jewish National Home in Palestine," Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 930, Cairo (April 5, 1943), Axis Broadcasts in Arabic ... March 5 to 11, 1943, 4, NACP RG 84, Egypt: Cairo Embassy General Records, 1936-55, 820.00-822. oo, entry 2410, box 93.

39. Athens in Arabic, March 6,1943, 8:00 p.m., "Palestine;" Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 930 (March 20,1943), 3.

40. The Arab Nation, March 15,1943, 6:00 p.m., "North Africa," Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 944, Cairo (March 25,1943), Axis Broadcasts in Arabic ... March 12 to 18, 1943, 8, NACP RG 84, Egypt: Cairo Embassy General Records, 1936-55, 820.00-822.00, entry 2410, box 93.

41. Berlin in Arabic, March 19,1943, 6:30 p.m., "Speech by the Grand Mufti of Palestine," Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 961, Cairo (April 5,1943), Axis Broadcasts in Arabic ... March 19 to 25,1943, 1-2, NACP RG 84, Egypt: Cairo Embassy General Records, 1936-55,820.00 -822.00, entry 2410, box 93.

42. AA Kult Pol VII,"Italienisches Propagandamateriel fur Nordafrika" (April 15,1943), PAAA, Rom 142.

43. Langmann, "Aufzeichnung Ober die Propaganda nach Nordafrika," 5-6, Berlin (February 18,1943), PAAA R102974.

44. Berlin in Arabic, "Speech by the Grand Mufti of Palestine;" Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 961 (April 5,1943),4-5.

45. Broadcasts on similar lines were recorded from Berlin in Arabic, April 26,1943, 8:30 p.m., "Talk: Look for the Jewish Deeds in Arab Countries;" Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 1018, Cairo (May 12,1943), Axis Broadcasts in Arabic ... April 23 to 29,1943,5 - 6, NACP RG 84, Egypt: Cairo Embassy General Records, 1936-55, 820.00-822.o0, entry 2410, box 93.

46. Arab Nation, April 30,1943,9:00p.m.,"Has the Jewish Danger Passed?" Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 1047, Cairo (May 15,1943), Axis Broadcasts in Arabic ... April 30 to May 6,1943, 1, NACP RG 84, Egypt: Cairo Embassy General Records, 1936-55, 820.00-822.00, entry 2410, box 93.

47. Berlin in Arabic, May 2,1943, 7:30 p.m., "Speech by Rashid El Kilani;" Kirk to Secretary of State, No.1047 (May 15,1943), 6-10.

48. Bari in Arabic, May 6,1943 8:0o p.m., "Letters Exchanged between Mussolini and Rashid El Kilani," Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 1047 (May 15,1947), 6-10.

49. VFA, May 21, 1943, "British Control;" Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 1071, Cairo (June 1, 1943), Axis Broadcasts in Arabic ... May 21 to 27,1943, 3-4, NACP RG 84, Egypt: Cairo Embassy General Records, 1936-55, 820.00-822.00, entry 2410, box 93.

50. Berlin in Arabic, May 25,1943, 7:30 p.m., "The Kingdom of Judas," Kirk to Secretary of State, No.1071 (June 1,1943),13-14.

51. VFA, May 25,1943, "Tunisia and the Jews," Kirk to Secretary of State, No.1071(June 1,1943), 16-17.

52. "Propaganda to the Arabs in North Africa," Robert D. Murphy (May 7,1943), NACP RG 84, Morocco, U.S. Consulate Casablanca, Classified General Records, 1942-64, entry 2998.

53. Berlin in Arabic, May 22,1943,10:30 p.m., "Islam and National Socialism;" Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 1071 (June 1,1943), 6.

54. VFA, May 29,1943, 8:15 p.m., "The Americans," Kirk to Secretary of State, No. 1095, Cairo (June 10, 1943), Axis Broadcasts in Arabic ... May 28 to June 3,1943,5-6, NACP RG 84, Egypt: Cairo Embassy General Records, 1936-55, 820.00-822.00, entry 2410, box 93.