Aktion Suehnezeichen in Israel

“There is no conflict among the voluntary helpers of ‘Aktion Suehnezeichen’ in Israel as press reports may have suggested”, I was told by Dr. Michael Krupp, the theological adviser of the groups. “It is not correct to allege that some of the young Germans who have been serving their ‘Ziviler Ersatzdienst’ in Israel, got involved in the Arab-Jewish tensions and don’t fit any longer into the ‘official’ Israeli landscape”. “Aktion Suehnezeichen” was founded in 1958 to help in the rebuilding of countries which had directly or indirectly suffered under the Nazis — Norway, France, Poland, Greece, Yugoslavia, Britain—and, especially, to help Israel. The work in Israel began in 1961 during the Eichmann trial. At that time, hardly any kibbutz was willing to accept Germans and only after great efforts, did the first group of 11 volunteers find work and shelter at Kibbutz Urim. Since then, about 500 volunteers have come to Israel—each year two groups of 20 participants each, for a stay of approximately 12 months. At present, the 29th group is in the country. Gradually, the focus of work has shifted from the rural settlements to the “Cities, and in 1964, Jerusalem became the centre of activities. There, the volunteers help at the Institute for the Bund, at the Alin Hospital for Retarded Children, and at an Old Age Home. The work of each group is divided between town and country — they stay six months in a kibbutz and this includes a three months’ intensive course in Hebrew and six months they do city work. Half a year before going to Israel, the members of each group are brought together in Germany and prepared for their tasks. An essential prerequisite for the suitability of a Participant is his recognition of Israel’s right of existence. Most of the young people are students and white collar workers, about one third of them girls. About 60 per cent are Protestants, 30 per cent Catholics and 10 percent Dissidents. Since an agreement in 1968 with the authorities of the German Federal public, service in “Aktion Suehnezeichen Friedensdienst” is considered as “Ziviler Ersatzdienst”, yet the work remains on a voluntary basis and everyone is free to choose into which country he wishes to be sent. 80-90 Per cent of the male volunteers are “conscientious objectors”. In 1967. a delapidated house in Ein Karem, a picturesque suburb of Jerusalem, was converted into a residential home for the volunteers. Four years later yet another house was acquired in Jerusalem—the “House Pax” in Talpioth, the former home of Ben-Yehuda, the pioneer of modem Hebrew, with its faculties for seminars and lectures, its offices, restaurant and guests rooms it has become the active centre of the groups. Some time ago, one of the volunteers, through the good services of the “Inter-Faith Committee”, accepted work at an Arab students’ hostel in Jerusalem and found himself confronted with anti-Israeli and anti-Jewish attacks for which he was not equipped. It was not the first time that helpers had come into contact with Arabs; they had worked in summer camps in Arab villages, sometimes only with Arab youth, sometimes in mixed camps. A few young Germans had done service at the Arab hospital in Nazareth, without encountering any tensions. However, when the young volunteer was recalled from the Arab students’ hostel in Jerusalem, he had the feeling that he had deserted the students whom he was supposed to help and he decided to return to Germany. As a gesture of protest against his “dismissal”, five co-volunteers also left the country. The head of “Aktion Suehnezeichen” Franz von Hammerstein came from Berlin to Israel and discussed the conflict in form of a seminar. He reminded his young listeners that their primary task was to eradicate the vestiges of the Nazi past through active help, and only then was it justified to take interest in minorities, be it the Arab minority or the Jewish-Oriental sector of the population. The hectic development of the State of Israel, so he pointed out, had not left enough time to solve these problems, and to some extent, this omission, too, was due to the dark past. “The majority of volunteers is ‘left’ orientated”, said Dr. Krupp. “This does not mean that they don’t fit into the political scene of Israel. I would guess that their outlook more or less corresponds with the line of Mapam. They have full political freedom and only one principle is sacrosanct: Israel’s right to live. Whoever does not accept it, is sent home”.