Search JTA's historical archive dating back to 1923

Foreign Jews’ Residence Status Menaced by Reich Decree

December 19, 1938
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
Advertisement

The status of American and other foreign Jews in the Reich was held today to be in grave danger under the two-month-old decree, effective dec. 31, requiring foreigners to renew residential permits every three months. Informed quarters state that police intended to refuse renewal of Jews’ permits under that principle. Where exceptions are made, Jewish-held passports are likely to be branded with a red line drawn under the name appearing on the permit.

The American consulate is notifying all nations to present their passports to the police for permit renewals before the year-end, in order that the fate of scores of American Jews may be decided within the next fortnight. Instances have already occurred in which foreign Jews, including Americans, have been forced to leave the country because of police refusal to extend their permits.

Meanwhile, additional mass release of Jews from the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, where they have been held since the November pogroms, was reported as Germany remained in the grip of a bitter cold wave which threatened disaster to the remaining ill-clothed prisoners. Since Thursday, releases have been proceeding at the rate of 250 daily. Two thousand remaining from the November round-up are expected to be released soon. Nearly all are being forced to sign pledges that they will leave Germany as soon as possible. Prisoners still remaining are quartered in unheated barracks. They sleep in cast-off army pajamas and have an in- sufficient supply of blankets. Among those released are Dr. Dienemann, president of the Union of Jewish War Veterans, and Dr. Hans Reichman, a leader of the Centralverein der Juden in deutschland.

Recommended from JTA

Advertisement