A law closely resembling the anti-Jewish Nuremberg Laws of Nazi Germany was issued last week in Bulgaria, it is reported in the Donau Zeitung, Nazi paper for the Balkan countries, reaching here today.
The law forbids Jews in Bulgaria to intermarry with non-Jews. It bars them from holding any positions in government, municipal or other public institutions. It requires them to use Jewish names only, and stipulates that no Jew may become dependent upon the community.
The new law orders every Jew in the country to register with the police authorities as a measure of “national protection.” It specifies that Jews are no longer permitted to reside in Sofia, the capital of the country, or in any other Bulgarian cities where residence for Jews may be prohibited by local authorities. A limited number of seats for Jewish children in Bulgarian schools is allowed under the law, with the stipulation that the Jewish children are to be ousted “whenever the seats are needed for Bulgarian children.”
At the same time, the new decree abolishes the exemptions from anti-Jewish legislation granted to certain categories of Jews who performed outstanding service for Bulgaria during the last war.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
