Finland – University of Helsinki to probe treatment of Jewish scholar in 1937

Finland – The University of Helsinki said Thursday that it would investigate whether Israel-Jakob Schur, a Jewish orientalist, had been ill-treated in 1937.

In the unprecedented probe in Finnish academic history, the university is to establish how the scholar’s honour may be restored in the case wrongdoing is unearthed.

The university rejected the Helsinki-born candidate’s doctoral thesis in 1937.

Simo Muir, a Finnish Yiddish expert, wrote in an article published in a periodical late last year that the rejection had been partly motivated by anti-semitism.

Ilkka Niiniluoto, the rector of the university, said he would discuss the Schur matter with the faculty of arts and consult with legal experts in order to establish whether degrees could be awarded posthumously. [stt]