A decision recently handed down by the Supreme Administrative Tribunal here is widely regarded as marking an end of the discriminations against Jews under the laws applied in Poland when it was part of the Tzarist Empire. This decision which confirmed the right of a Jewish farmer to hold land makes it opportune to review the subject of the Tzarist restrictions.
Although Poland established its own code when it became a Republic, the question of the validity of the restricted law as against Jews was not settled until March, 1931.
In March, 1931, the Tzarists discriminatory laws were annulled by the Polish Parliament after discussions that have lasted for several years. Several times the Bill for the abolition of the laws was carried at the first and second readings only to be held up on some technical point and on one occasion because the Sejm was dissolved and new elections held. Finally in March, 1931, however, the Bill was finally carried and published in the Official Gazette as the law of the country.
The list of restrictions repealed touches on almost every phase of Jewish economic and political life. They include (1) Decree of the Administrative Council of the Kingdom of Poland, 1841, imposing double tariffs on Jews in public hospitals; (2) Article of the Polish Civil Code, forbidding non-Christians to exercise any public function or employment involving authority over Christians; (3) Article of the Penal Code forbidding Jews to change their surnames or first names; (4) Article of the Mining Law, forbidding Jews to take part in the Mining Industry; (5) Article of the Customs Law in virtue of which Jews suspected of contravening customs regulations might be removed to a distance of 100 Kilometres from a frontier; (6) Jmperial Ukase of 1913, forbidding Jews to lease trust-properties.
The Provisional Russian Government after the Revolution of 1917, it was explained in the report, formally abolished by special decree all these measures, and they accordingly ceased to be enforced in Esthonia and Latvia, but as Poland was then in the occupation of the Central Powers the decree could not apply to that country. The Polish Republic, it added, did not put any of this exceptional legislation into force, but the Jews of Poland considered it a question of honor that they should not remain on the Statute Book.
Right up to the present day, however, the Medieval restrictions against the Jewish population of Poland continue in force, Deputy Sommerstein, the
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