1935 Nuremberg Laws
The Nuremberg Laws were antisemitic laws in Nazi German which
were introduced at the annual Nazi Party Rally in Nurembrg.
The Nuremberg Laws deprived Jews of citizenship and prohibited
marriage between Jews and other Germans.
At the time of Hitler’s assumption of power on 30 January 1933, less
than one percent of the German population was Jewish.
For discrimination to be effective, it was essential to have a clear definition of
who was or was not a Jew.
People defined as Jews could then be barred from employment as lawyers,
doctors, or journalists. Jews were prohibited from using state hospitals and
could not be educated by the state past the age of 14.
Public parks, libraries and beaches were closed to Jews. War memorials were
to have Jewish names expunged.
Jews, at the insistence of Swiss immigration officials, were required to adopt a
middle name: “Sara” for women and “Israel” for men when applying for
passports. These passports were required to have a large “J” stamped on
them and could be used to leave Germany (but not return).
The Laws for the Protection of German
Blood and German Honour
(September 15, 1935) Entirely convinced that the purity of German
blood is essential to the further existence of the German people, and
inspired by the uncompromising determination to safeguard the future
of the German nation, the Reichstag has unanimously resolved upon
the following law, which is promulgated here with:
Section 1
Marriages between Jews and citizens of German or kindred blood are
forbidden. Marriages concluded in defiance of this law are void, even
if, for the purpose of evading this law, they were concluded abroad.
Proceedings for annulment may be initiated only by the Public
Prosecutor.
Section 3
Jews will not be permitted to employ female citizens under the age of
45, of German or kindred blood, as domestic workers.
Section 2
Extramarital sexual intercourse between Jews and subjects of the
state of German or related blood is forbidden.
Section 4
Jews are forbidden to display the Reich and national flag or the
national colours.
On the other hand they are permitted to display the Jewish colours.
The exercise of this right is protected by the State.
Section 5
A person who acts contrary to the prohibition of Section 1 will be
punished with hard labour.
A person who acts contrary to the prohibition of Section 2 will be
punished with imprisonment or with hard labour.
Section 6
The Reich Minister of the Interior in agreement with the Deputy Fuhrer
and Reich Minister of Justice will issue the legal and administrative
regulations required for teh enforcement and supplementing of this
law.
Section 7
The law will become effective on the day after its promulgation;
Section 3, however, not until January 1, 1936.
The Nuremberg Laws established a pseudo-scientific basis for racial identification. Only
people with four German grandparents (four white circles in top row left) were of “German
blood”. A Jew is someone who descends from three or four Jewish grandparents (black