Only a national of Germany or similar blood, who proves by his behavior that he is willing and able to serve the German people and Reich, is a citizen of the Reich.
A Jew may not be a citizen of the Reich. Jews have no vote; they may not fill any public office. Marriages between Jews and citizens of German blood are forbidden.
This was the First legal action taken against the Jews it was taken two years after the Nazi's gained power. Hitler did this because he wanted the German people to unite and he could do this by fighting the Jews; he also wanted the public to agree and go along with him that's why he waited two years. The second law made it so that the Jews were no longer seen as people more as goods or subjects; this meant the Germans could do what they liked with them. The third law made life easier for the German public because it freed up jobs, so more Germans could get work, this also brought the unemployment number down because only Germans were seen as people so the Jews wouldn't be kept on the unemployment list. The Jews had also been banned from having certain jobs like lawyer, teacher and doctor. A year after these laws were passed Jews were no longer allowed to own records, typewriters or bicycles. Valuable property was forcefully taken. Education for Jews was also taken away, all Jews were banned from schools and universities and all Jewish Schools were closed.
In 1936 the Olympic Games were taking place in Berlin. There was a lull in anti-Jew campaigns, anti-Jewish propaganda stopped and anti-Jewish posters and signs taken down.
Out of the blue Hitler confiscated more Jewish businesses and stepped up the Aryanisation of businesses, this was in September of 1937, the first time in two years.
1938 was a big year for Jewish persecution:
"In 1938 march Germany united with Austria and 190,000 Austrian Jews became victims of persecution" this increased the number of Jews trying to escape. April of 1938 all Jewish people had to register what property they had making it a lot easier for Germans to confiscate it! Germans started confiscating everything including houses. From June and July Jewish doctors were forbidden to treat all Aryans, this was a step in getting rid of them from places of power. In October Jews now needed to be recognised easier and the red letter "J" was stamped on their passports.
Even after all of this many Nazis felt Hitler had not done enough to drive the Jews out of German life. Kristallnacht or crystal night or the night of broken glass was to follow, 9th of November, Hitler was told that a Nazi had been shot and killed by a young Jewish man. Hitler remarked to Joseph Goebbles "The SA should be allowed to have a fling." From these few words a night of violence emerged, in which 400+ Jewish synagogues all over Germany and Austria were burned. 7500 Businesses, shops, anything owned by Jewish people was targeted and destroyed. Nearly 100 Jewish people were murdered and over 20,000 Jewish men sent to concentration camps. These figures cannot be trusted though because there are many different records for example in a report of Reinhardt Heydrich, Chief of security police, on the damage, dated 11 November "shops - 815 destroyed, Synagogues - 276 destroyed, Jews - 20,000 arrested, Foreigners - 3 arrested, Looting 174 looters arrested" Heydrich noted: "the true figures must be several times greater than those reported." So even a chief of security didn't believe the figures he was told. The Nazis would have wanted the figures to be lower so that it wouldn't give them a bad reputation around the world, but the Jews would have wanted them to be higher so that people would take notice and help them out.
The events of Kristallnacht written by the US consul in Leipzig on 21st November 1938, shows how brutal 9th November was. "In one of the Jewish sections an 18 year old boy was hurled from a three storey window to land with both legs broken on a street of broken glass littered with burning bed. The main streets of the city were a positive litter of shattered glass. All of the synagogues were completely gutted by fire. One of the largest clothing stores was destroyed. The fire brigade made no attempts to put out the fire. It is very difficult to believe, but the owners of the clothing store were actually charged with setting fire to their own store and were dragged from their beds at 6:00am and thrown into prison, many male Jews have been sent to concentration camps."
Even after this night of horror the Jewish shops and businesses that survived still got business.
Decrees issued by Herman Goering, 12th November 1938. Certain parts basically say it was the Jews fault and that they have to repair and pay for it, "All damage of Jewish businesses or dwellings on 8, 9 and 10 November 1938, because of the indignation of the German people over the actions of the international Jews against National Socialist Germany must be repaired by the Jewish occupant or Jewish businessman."
"The cost of repair will be borne by the owners of the businesses or buildings concerned."
"A fine of 1,000,000,000 Reich marks has been imposed on the Jews of German nationality." New laws were also employed after this such as "Jews are not permitted to employ female citizens of German blood less than 45 years of age as domestic help." The Nazis were tightening the ring around the Jews.
The destruction of Jewish property and Jewish arrests continued into 1939. A letter written by a German Jew in February 1939 was smuggled out of Germany and published by the German freedom party (these were one of many underground opposition party's), shows us this. He describes how after being fetched and taken to the police station, on the way he saw much destruction. "On the way I saw Jewish shops which had been destroyed. The big synagogue was in flames," he also writes about how unfriendly crowds lined the streets to see the Jews leave. "About six o'clock we were formed into a precession of about 2,000 and began to march to the railway station. Crowds lined the streets, some shouted abuse, but the majority remained silent."
Germans increased the ease of being able to identify a Jew; in January 1939 all Jews had to add new first names, Israel for men, Sarah for women. Jews were now encouraged to emigrate, and the Reich office for Jewish Emigration was founded to promote their emigration.
Hitler wanted more living space for his 'superior' Aryan race. So in August of 1939 he ordered men to kill people of polish decent, he said "I have placed my deaths - head formation in readiness - for the present only in the east - with orders to send to death mercilessly and without compassion, men, women and children of polish descent and language. Only thus shall we gain the living space that we need."
September 1939, Poland invaded by Germany under Hitler's order. Hitler didn't only want to rule more land he also wanted to get rid of people that already lived in Eastern Europe to give members of the Aryan race more room to live. Poland was divided between Nazi Germany and Soviet Union, they both killed massive amounts of Polish Jews. Two days later Britain and France went to war with Germany.
By Marcus Wright
