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Anti-jewish Law Nears Completion in Prague

June 4, 1939
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The drafting of a comprehensive anti-Jewish law for Bohemia-Moravia has reached its final stage, it was reported today from Prague. Negotiations were said to be in progress regarding “Aryanization” – which really means Germanization- of Jewish business. A compromise was also expected to be reached regarding the creation of “honorary Aryans” when certain “non-Aryans” were indispensable in the national economy.

Meanwhile, numerous Czechs have been visiting the Jewish community at Maerisch-Ostrau offering bedding for 4,000 Jews and Czechs held in a concentration camp near the city.

Dr. Geza Fritz, Slovakian Minister of Justice, declared at the unveiling of the first monument to Father Andreas Hlinka at Niznisebes, near Presov, that segregation of Jews under Slovakia’s “Jew law” did not mean elimination of Jews from economic life and added that loyal Jewish citizens would be allowed to be merchants and manufacturers. Jewish circles in Bratislava believed that the declaration, while not representing the actual situation, indicated the Government’s desire to secure the cooperation of some Jews to halt the catastrophic decline of Slovak economic life resulting from the ousting of Jews.

In Prague, inhabitants of the Jewish quarter were panic stricken by the discovery of two more unexploded bombs, one in the rabbinate building on Josefgasse and a second near the Maisel Synagogue. Police patrols were reinforced throughout the quarter. Jews’ houses remained locked, even in the daytime.

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