Nazis Determined to Make the Reich “entirely Judenrein” by April, Berlin Reports

Berlin correspondents of Swedish newspapers today reported that despite the fact that deportation of Jews from Germany has been temporarily suspended, the Nazi government is determined to make the Reich “entirely judenrein” by April 1, 1942.

The correspondents relate that Jewish homes are still being raided by the Gestapo at night in Berlin and other German cities. The Jews, dragged from bed, are ordered to vacate their apartments within several hours and are not permitted to take along with them more than bare necessities, leaving the remainder of their belongings behind them.

Estimating that of the 700,000 Jews who resided in Germany and Austria before the Nazis came to power there are now only some 100,000 left, the Swedish journalists in their reports from Berlin reveal that even the Jews who are not deported, are being taken to police stations where they are forced to sign a declaration that they will “voluntarily” emigrate from the Reich. Their passports are then stamped with a special stamp reading “returned emigrant” which means that they are no longer regarded as people belonging to the population of the Reich and are considered as officially having emigrated from the country.

In the light of these measures, the Swedish correspondents are at a loss to explain why the Nazi government issued an order this week banning the emigration of Jews between the ages of 18 and 60. Hitherto the ban was applied to Jews up to 45 years old. No reason was given by the Nazi authorities for the extension of the age limit. It is obvious that people nearing 60 can hardly be considered as an important part of labor reserves. The correspondents are, therefore, inclined to believe that the measure was taken with a view of frightening Jews in overseas lands into thinking that they may never see their relatives again if they continue their anti-Nazi activities in their respective countries.