German Jews and the Holocaust

Contrary to the article ``Growing Anti-Semitism Concerns German Jews,'' Aug. 10, most German Jews did not perish in the Holocaust. Of the roughly 550,000 Jews living in the country when Hitler came to power in 1933, one-third had left the country by the end of 1938, and another third escaped before [US involvement in] World War II began. Approximately one-fourth of the original community died in concentration camps.

While it is true that the German Jewish presence was virtually eradicated during the Third Reich, individual German Jews actually fared better than their counterparts in countries like Poland, where the percentage of Jews killed by the Nazis was much higher. John Dippel, Plermont, N.Y.

Your letters are welcome. For publication they must be signed and include your address and telephone number. Only a selection can be published, and none acknowledged. Letters should be addressed to ``Readers Write,'' and can be sent by Internet E-mail (200 word maximum) to OPED@RACHEL.CSPS.COM, by fax to 617-450-2317, or by mail to One Norway St., Boston, MA 02115