Why+the+Jews?+(Laws+in+pre-war+Germany)

= Why the Jews? (Laws in pre-war Germany) =

(Yellow Star worn by Jews) (Yellow Star)

From 1933 to 1939 Hitler imposed countless restrictions and laws upon German Jews. The first set of laws he laid down were restrictions on Jewish public life. The first law he set was the Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service which prevented Jews from state service. Quickly following that were limits on the number of Jewish students allowed into universities, restrictions on medical and legal jobs, and the revoking of licenses for tax consultants.In addition to occupational restrictions, Jews were not able to follow dietary habits, preventing them from slaughtering animals according to purity requirements. This is one of the reasons Hitler gave for the legislation against the Germans. "One of the principle reasons for the legislation in Germany is the necessity to combat Bolshevism. This legislation is not anti-Jewish, but pro-German. The rights of Germans are thereby to be protected against destructive Jewish influences. " (Statements by Hitler)

In 1935 the Nuremberg Laws were instated. Jews were not allowed German citizenship, they were not allowed to marry Aryan Germans, they could not run for public office or even vote, and Jews were considered a race, not a religious and cultural group. If a person had 3-4 Jewish grandparents then they were considered Jewish themselves, even if they didn’t practice the Jewish faith. There was segregation of Jews in public places and were required to register their property and assets. By 1936 many Jewish workers had been fired, and Jewish owned businesses were either shut down, or given to Aryan Germans. In September of 1935 at a Nuremberg Rally Hitler spoke, "The end is not only the end of the freedom of the peoples oppressed by the Jew, but also the end of this parasite [all Jews] upon the nations.After the death of the victim [the common working person], the vampire [the Jew] sooner or later dies too." (Ayer, 61)

From 1937 to 1939 German Hitler stepped up his persecution of the Jews even more. While previously segregated in public places, Jews were now prohibited from them, including schools and universities. Medical and Legal licenses were totally revoked at this time as well. All Jews were required to carry identity cards labeling them as Jewish, passports were stamped with a ‘J,’ and if a person did not have a traditionally Jewish name they had to add the name Israel, for men, and Sarah, for women, to their names. (Anti-Jewish Legislation)

So why was it that the Jews were so persecuted by the Jews? Well it was because the Jews were a scapegoat to blame all of the problems of Germany on. Since Jews usually stayed in separate communities, the majority of their business was done with other Jews. This meant that many Jews and Jewish communities were much wealthier than other Aryan Germans who did their business with people many different people. While the economy suffered for Aryans, it did not affect the Jews as much because most of their wealth was shared in the small communities. Many nationalist, socialist fanatics began to become angry with the difference in wealth that the Jews had. Also, Jews were considered foreigners in Germany and therefore not as loyal to Germany as "real Germans." This caused ill-will and hatred in a people as loyal to their country as the Germans ."Germany will regard the Jewish question as solved only after the very last Jew has left the greater German living space... Europe will have its Jewish question solved only after the very last Jew has left the continent." ( Statements by Hitler)

Isabel.