Press release and Open Letter to the Frankfurt Book Fair
Vienna, November 17, 2005

THE "PROTOCOLS OF THE ELDERS OF ZION" AT THE FRANKFURT BOOK FAIR

As representatives of literary translators and writers we express our protest and outrage against the display of anti-Semitic literature at the Frankfurt book fair.

We recall that the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion" are a fabrication that formed the basis of Hitler's anti-Semitic baiting and the unspeakable horrors that resulted thereof. Furthermore, it does not appear to be pure chance that the Iranian president's call for the annihilation of Israel coincided with the public display of the "Protocols" and came at a time when the victims of the November Pogrom and the Shoah are commemorated.

Our suspicion that the book fair is being misused as an international platform for the dissemination of political propaganda against Israel and the Jewish communities all over the world is substantiated by the fact that Henry Ford's "The International Jew. The World's Foremost Problem", a classic among infamous anti-Semitic writings, as well as the title "The Tale of the 'Chosen People' and the Legend of ,Historical Right'" were on display alongside with the "Protocols" - all of them in English and extensively annotated by the Iranian "Islamic Propaganda Organisation".

Our solidarity lies with those voices in Iran expressing their opposition against the tyranny of the clergy; with the writers, translators and all others who dedicate their voices and writings to promote enlightenment and who risk their lives by claiming the right to freedom of expression.

We despise and reject any form of anti-Semitism and racism and urge the organisers of the book fair to ensure at least in future that the book fair shall not serve as a platform for this nor any other kind of propaganda.

Übersetzergemeinschaft, Austrian Association of Literary and Scientific Translators
Werner Richter, president

IG Autorinnen Autoren - Austrian Writers' Association
Gerhard Ruiss, director

VdÜ, German Literary Translators' Association
Gerlinde Schermer-Rauwolf, president