3.2 Life Changes for the Jews in Germany

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3. EXCLUSION | PERSECUTION | GENOCIDE     3.1 The Nazis Come to Power  |  3.2 Life Changes for the Jews in Germany  |  3.3 Ghettos  |  3.4 Mass Shootings and Camps  |  3.5 Guilt, Responsibility and Punishment

This exercise contains a list of laws and regulations implemented by the Nazis which demonstrate some of the key steps taken in their antisemitic agenda. By the end of this activity you will have gained a greater awareness of the necessity to protect and uphold democratic values and human rights. You will also have reflected on how subtle changes in society can lead to indifference to the suffering of others and horrific consequences.

What to do?

Read the list of laws and discuss the questions presented below.

Racial Laws

Soon after their takeover, the Nazis started to pass laws and regulations that made life increasingly difficult for Germany’s Jews. These had started to appear as early as 1933 and, within a couple of years, hundreds of such laws had been introduced. The list below shows some examples.

3-2 Life Changes Jewish Minority

Antisemitic inscription at the entrance of the library in the Deutsches Museum in Munich. "Juden Zutritt verboten!" ("Jews are not allowed to enter!") (The photo was taken in January 1935.)

 

Discuss the Questions

  • 3.2.a Think of a Jewish newspaper editor, a student, a nurse and a shop owner. How were the lives of these people affected by the new laws and regulations? Which applied to some of them and which applied to all Jews in Germany?

  • 3.2.b What do you think the Nazis were hoping it would all lead to?

  • 3.2.c Pick five laws that you think affected the daily life of German Jews the most. Justify your choices.

Examples of Antisemitic Laws 1933–1943

1933
  • All Jews with at least one Jewish grandparent are dismissed as state employees
  • The quota of Jewish students at universities is limited
  • Jews are no longer permitted to work as newspaper editors
  • Jewish musicians and actors are forbidden from participating in “Aryan” performances
1934
  • Restrictions in opportunities for Jews to train as doctors, dentists, pharmacists or lawyers
1935
  • Jews are no longer allowed to do military service and Jewish officers are dismissed from the Army
  • Jews are forbidden to marry or to have sexual relations with people of “German blood”​​​​​​​
  • Jews lose their civic rights and instead become ”subjects” of the state​​​​​​​
  • Jews may no longer vote in German elections​​​​​​​
1936
  • Jewish families may no longer receive child benefits from the state
1937
  • Jews are no longer able to study for a PhD at university
  • Jewish children in municipal schools are separated from non-Jewish children and are obliged to study in their own classes​​​​​​​
  • Jews are forbidden from giving the Nazi salute​​​​​​​
1938
  • Jewish assets in excess of 5000 Reichsmarks must be registered
  • Jewish shops must be marked in such a way that it is clear that they are Jewish
  • Jews may no longer run publishing houses or bookstores
  • Jewish-owned newspapers are banned
  • All Jewish and Hebrew literature in Germany to be confiscated​​​​​​​
  • Jews are no longer allowed to study in state schools or universities​​​​​​​
  • Jews lose their driving licences
  • Jews who leave the country lose the right to bring their property with them​​​​​​​
  • Jewish doctors and lawyers are forbidden from serving non-Jewish patients and clients
  • Jews and non-Jews must be treated separately in hospitals
  • Jews must carry special identity cards and passports stamped with the letter “J”
1939
  • All male Jews are to add “Israel” and female Jews are to add “Sara” to their given names
  • All Jewish organisations are banned​​​​​​​
  • Jews are no longer allowed to practice as dentists or veterinarians​​​​​​​
  • All Jews must surrender all of their jewellery (with the exception of wedding rings) to the state​​​​​​​
  • Unemployed Jews must participate in forced labours
  • Jews are no longer allowed to live in the same house as “Aryans”​​​​​​​
  • Jews are under curfew from 9pm during the summer and 8pm during the winter
  • Jews may not own wireless radios​​​​​​​
  • Jews who attempt to leave the country without permission are to be sent to concentration camps
1940
  • Jews may only shop in grocery stores after 3.30pm
  • Jews may not use telephones​​​​​​​
1941
  • Jews over the age of six must wear a yellow star on their clothes
  • Jews without special permits may not use public transport​​​​​​​
  • Jews may no longer leave areas under German control​​​​​​​
  • Deported German Jews lose their citizenship and all of their assets are to be seized​​​​​​​
1942
  • Jews must surrender their household pets
  • Jews may no longer purchase newspapers or magazines
  • Jews are no longer allowed to buy books from non-Jewish bookstores
  • Jews must mark their apartments with a black Star of David​​​​​​​
  • Jews may no longer have their hair cut at non-Jewish hairdressers​​​​​​​
  • All Jews must surrender electronic devices, optical instruments (e.g. binoculars), bicycles and typewriters​​​​​​​
  • Jewish children are no longer allowed to go to school, regardless of whether it is a state school or otherwise
  • Jews no longer receive ration cards for eggs, meat or dairy products
1943
  • All German Jews lose their citizenship
  • Legal rights are completely removed from German Jews, and they are now placed directly under the jurisdiction of the police (security apparatus)​​​​​​​
View all (1933-1943)

1933

  • All Jews with at least one Jewish grandparent are dismissed as state employees
  • The quota of Jewish students at universities is limited
  • Jews are no longer permitted to work as newspaper editors
  • Jewish musicians and actors are forbidden from participating in “Aryan” performances

1934

  • Restrictions in opportunities for Jews to train as doctors, dentists, pharmacists or lawyers

1935

  • Jews are no longer allowed to do military service and Jewish officers are dismissed from the Army
  • Jews are forbidden to marry or to have sexual relations with people of “German blood”
  • Jews lose their civic rights and instead become ”subjects” of the state​​​​​​​
  • Jews may no longer vote in German elections​​​​​​​

1936

  • Jewish families may no longer receive child benefits from the state

1937

  • Jews are no longer able to study for a PhD at university
  • Jewish children in municipal schools are separated from non-Jewish children and are obliged to study in their own classes​​​​​​​
  • Jews are forbidden from giving the Nazi salute​​​​​​​

1938

  • Jewish assets in excess of 5000 Reichsmarks must be registered
  • Jewish shops must be marked in such a way that it is clear that they are Jewish
  • Jews may no longer run publishing houses or bookstores
  • Jewish-owned newspapers are banned
  • All Jewish and Hebrew literature in Germany to be confiscated​​​​​​​
  • Jews are no longer allowed to study in state schools or universities​​​​​​​
  • Jews lose their driving licences
  • Jews who leave the country lose the right to bring their property with them​​​​​​​
  • Jewish doctors and lawyers are forbidden from serving non-Jewish patients and clients
  • Jews and non-Jews must be treated separately in hospitals
  • Jews must carry special identity cards and passports stamped with the letter “J”

1939

  • All male Jews are to add “Israel” and female Jews are to add “Sara” to their given names
  • All Jewish organisations are banned​​​​​​​
  • Jews are no longer allowed to practice as dentists or veterinarians​​​​​​​
  • All Jews must surrender all of their jewellery (with the exception of wedding rings) to the state​​​​​​​
  • Unemployed Jews must participate in forced labours
  • Jews are no longer allowed to live in the same house as “Aryans”​​​​​​​
  • Jews are under curfew from 9pm during the summer and 8pm during the winter
  • Jews may not own wireless radios​​​​​​​
  • Jews who attempt to leave the country without permission are to be sent to concentration camps

1940

  • Jews may only shop in grocery stores after 3.30pm
  • Jews may not use telephones​​​​​​​

1941

  • Jews over the age of six must wear a yellow star on their clothes
  • Jews without special permits may not use public transport​​​​​​​
  • Jews may no longer leave areas under German control​​​​​​​
  • Deported German Jews lose their citizenship and all of their assets are to be seized​​​​​​​

1942

  • Jews must surrender their household pets
  • Jews may no longer purchase newspapers or magazines
  • Jews are no longer allowed to buy books from non-Jewish bookstores
  • Jews must mark their apartments with a black Star of David​​​​​​​
  • Jews may no longer have their hair cut at non-Jewish hairdressers​​​​​​​
  • All Jews must surrender electronic devices, optical instruments (e.g. binoculars), bicycles and typewriters​​​​​​​
  • Jewish children are no longer allowed to go to school, regardless of whether it is a state school or otherwise
  • Jews no longer receive ration cards for eggs, meat or dairy products

1943

  • All German Jews lose their citizenship
  • Legal rights are completely removed from German Jews, and they are now placed directly under the jurisdiction of the police (security apparatus)​​​​​​​
Previous Exercise
3.1 The Nazis Come to Power
Next Exercise
3.3 Ghettos

Authors: The pedagogues of Eternal Echoes     |     Fact-checking: Historian Stéphane Bruchfeld

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