The official German news agency today confirmed the news from occupied Holland that the Nazi authorities have issued a decree prohibiting Dutch Jews from appearing in public without displaying a Mogen David on their clothes. The Vichy radio today reported that all Jews in Amsterdam have been confined to three ghetto districts.
Information from Holland received through private sources indicates that persistent ill-treatment of Jews has aroused indignation among all classes of Netherlanders. When the Germans nail up notices reading, “Jewish Business” outside Jewish shops, Netherlanders patronize these establishments more than ever.
When Jews were ordered to register during a three-week period, the Dutch registrars said to the first Jews arriving, “Why are you in such a hurry. There is plenty of time.” The result was that all Jews postponed registering until the last day, when they lined up in such great number that only a fraction of them could be registered, necessitating issuance of a new order with consequent trouble for the Germans. Then, when the Jews ultimately registered, the German authorities found that few of them had the required letter “J” stamped on their identity cards, for which the registrars excused themselves by saying that “our rubber stamps mysteriously disappeared, we were unable to stamp the cards.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.