Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1996/11/24
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 01:08 PM 24/11/96 -0500, Marc wrote: [snip] >Well, I don't believe Leitz GAVE cameras to refugees: I believe refugees >BOUGHT cameras to take with them as they were not allowed to take many of >the more conventional forms of valuata (cash, art, watches, jewelry, specie, >&c &c). [snip] My recollection of the story (I heard it over 20 years ago, so I may be in error) was that the cameras were given to the Jewish employess in lieue of wages for the express purpose of defeating laws preventing refugees from removing more conventional valuables from the country. I think the main point was that Leitz was actively involved with the plan, if my memory serves me. I did not know until now of the anti-nazi stand taken by Ernst Leitz II and Else Kuehn-Leitz. Foolishness is a difficult word to use in this context. Is it foolish to take a heroic stand against an oppressive regime? Maybe, but if there were more foolish people in Germany during the Nazi years... Dan C.