Columbia students previously rallied against Nazis – now they are rallying against them again
Almost 100 years ago, Columbia students protested against the university’s support for Nazi Germany. Today, Columbia students are now rallying in support of Hamas terrorists, echoing the actions of the Nazis. How did this unusual reversal of roles occur?
In December 1933, Columbia president Nicholas Murray Butler invited the Nazi German ambassador, Hans Luther, to speak on campus. This led to a massive protest rally by students against Luther.
I interviewed one of the protesters, Nancy Wechsler, who later became a prominent Manhattan attorney. She said, “Hitler had been in power for almost a year, and enough was known about his totalitarian and anti-Semitic policies that his representative should not have been welcomed on campus.” Nancy met her husband, James Wechsler, the editor of the student newspaper, at this protest.
President Butler dismissed the protests, stating that Ambassador Luther, as a representative of a friendly government, deserved respect and courtesy. He considered the protests a form of persecution.
Despite the protests, Columbia continued its friendly relations with Nazi Germany, as detailed by Stephen Norwood in his study, “The Third Reich in the Ivory Tower.” The university even participated in student exchanges with Nazi Germany.
Students and faculty at Columbia voiced opposition to the university’s participation in events at Heidelberg University in Germany, which had implemented anti-Semitic policies. However, the administration did not heed the protests.
Fast forward to today, where Columbia students are supporting Hamas terrorists, who have been likened to the Nazis. These extremists are calling for violence reminiscent of the Holocaust against Israel.
Columbia’s faculty bias, especially in fields like history and Middle East studies, plays a significant role in this crisis. Many professors have defended Hamas actions as legitimate resistance, despite Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza years ago.
The administration must address this crisis by acknowledging past mistakes, taking a firm stance against pro-Hamas protesters, and disciplining faculty members who support extremist views.
The Columbia administration must act decisively to address this crisis, just as it would against any other form of hate speech or extremism on campus.
Dr. Medoff is the founding director of The David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies and author of numerous books on Jewish history and the Holocaust.
