Anti-Jewish measures are being intensified in various parts of conquered Yugoslavia, with Croatia barring Jews from citizenship and Hungary planning to expel Jews from the territory she occupied, it was reported here today.
Ante Pavelic, installed by the Nazis as Chief of State in Croatia, has approved a decree under which only “Aryans” will be considered as Croat citizens, while Jews will be considered “subjects,” the newspaper Pester Floyd reported. The decree, modelled on Germany’s Nuremberg laws, sets up distinctions among Jews, half-Jews and quarter-Jews and annuls all changes of name by Jews since December, 1918.
Other reports reaching here from Zagreb indicated that the Pavelic regime would seek to equal Germany in anti-Semitism. A number of Jews committed suicide following establishment of the new regime, it was said. It was believed that there were about 12,000 Jews in Zagreb before the German invasion.
Meanwhile, the military commander of the Hungarian part of Yugoslavia ordered “all Serbs, Bosnians, Montenegrins, gypsies and Jews and their descendants who were not Hungarian citizens before Oct. 31, 1918,” to move out within three days beginning May 28. Those forced to leave may take only such property as they can carry and enough money to cover traveling expenses. Exemptions for Jews were provided only for women two weeks before or after childbirth and persons over 75 years of age.
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.
