The dissolution of all Jewish organizations in occupied and unoccupied France and the establishment of a compulsory Union of French Jews which will serve as a centralized body for all Jewish affairs, functioning under the control of the French authorities, was announced today over the Lyons radio.
The announcement said that Jewish religious bodies will not be dissolved. “The government of Marshal Petain does not wish to infringe upon the freedom of religion and considers the Jewish problem not a religious one,” the radio announcer said.
Reviewing in detail the latest anti-Jewish laws issued under the Petain regime, the broadcaster reported that henceforth Jews in France will not be allowed to own buildings, with the exception of the two percent who are permitted to practice their professions. Even these Jews will have to prove that the buildings are necessary for them to continue their activities. All other buildings which they lease or rent will have to be “liquidated” by the temporary administrators already appointed for this purpose.
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.