LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
[Correspondents are requested to keep their letters as brief as is reasonably possible. Signed letters are given a preference over those bearing a pseudonym, and the latter must be accompanied by the name and address of the author, which will be treated as confidential.—Ed. THE SPECTATOR]
GERMANS IN SWITZERLAND
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR]
Sta,—Your correspondent Miss Wiskemann speaks of the "Einsatzbereit German students who are shortly to be sent from Germany to Swiss Universities," but she does not mention that large numbers are already there. In Geneva special lectures in German for law students have been given for long years in order to attract German students to that town. After the last War they came in large numbers in order to learn French, for they were naturally unwelcome in France.
When I was in Geneva in November one of the professors of law, M. Liebeskind, speaking of the then recent pogroms in Germany, declared in a lecture, if I remember rightly, that they were contrary to common law. The leader of the German students, Waldemar Epp, interrupted him, and asked for a, further explanation. M. Liebeskind replied that he had nothing further to add. On a given signal, the Nazi students rose in a body and left the room. The University authorities after that incident apologised to the Nazi chief, and reprimanded the Swiss students, who had signed a declaration of sympathy and solidarity with the insulted professor. Finally, a joint declaration was signed by M. Liebeskind and M. Epp, declaring that each had make a mistake. Geneva University would have suffered a large financial loss had the German students returned to their country. This is only one small instance of the economic hold which Germany possesses in Switzerland.
I am relying upon my memory in reporting this incident. The Genevese Press contained a full account at the time. It suffices to show that Switzerland is already beset with Einsatzbereite Studenten. Those to whom Miss Wiskemann refers, who are about to be sent to Switzerland, are merely a reinforcement. The prompt and unequivocal reaction of the Swiss students shows the necessity, from the German point of view, for such reinforcements.
One dangerous factor in the situation is the fact that the general public in Geneva do not take seriously enough this and similar incidents.—Yours faithfully,
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