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Czech Anti-Jewish Law Provides Quotas in Business, Professions

May 16, 1939
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Reliable Prague advices said today that the anti-Jewish law just drafted by the Elias Government includes in the definition of Jews all persons who were baptized after Nov. 1, 1918, and spouses of Jews. Under the law every Jew must be entered in an official Jewish register and all Jewish property will have to be registered retroactively as of March 15, 1939.

Jews will be eliminated from the civil service and teaching professions. Jewish children will be segregated in special schools. A two per cent numerous clausus will be imposed on Jewish lawyers and their activities will be limited to Jewish clients. The Jewish percentage in licensed trades will be reduced to six in the current year and five next year. Jews will not be allowed to own or lease landed property.

Other provisions are: Jews will not be permitted more than a 60 per cent share in industry during the current year, 40 the next year and 25 the year after. Property owned by Jews may be transferred to "Aryan" hands only with the consent of the Government Commissar. A fund to facilitate Jewish emigration will be established under the direction of the Welfare Ministry.

Six Jewish communities in Prague have been amalgamated into a single community because of the difficult Jewish position.

Reports from Bratislava said Jews being brutally beaten and were starving in Slovak prisons. Several Jews have died in concentration camps. They were believed to have been beaten to death.

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