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Annual Report of the Secretary [Chesley Perry]
DISBANDMENT OF ROTARY CLUBS IN GERMANY AND AUSTRIA
The decree of the National Socialist Party in Germany that
members of that party, who were also members of Rotary clubs in
Germany, must withdraw from those clubs by December 31, 1937,
and the published disagreement of leaders of the party with some
phases of the program of Rotary, brought the Rotary clubs in
Germany to a decision to resign from Rotary International and
disband.
The membership in R. I. of all of the clubs in Germany and the
Free City of Danzig was terminated as of 15 October, 1937, and
the charters originally issued were returned and cancelled.
In
March, 1938, when Austria became politically united with
Germany, the 11 Rotary clubs in that country also resigned and
disbanded. Their membership was officially terminated as of the
18th of March, 1938, and their charters relinquished and voided.
Governor Hugo Grille of the 73rd district, R. I.; Director and
Governor of the 73rd district, Franz Schnelderhan, and R. I.
committeemen in Germany and Austria resigned when their clubs
disbanded.
Rotarians everywhere are deeply regretful that the clubs in
Germany and Austria have found it necessary to sever the ties
which have bound German and Austrian Rotarians in friendly
fellowship with men of many other nations, and at the same time,
discontinue the fellowship they had in the weekly meetings of
their own clubs.
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