The Office of the Premier informed the Union of Italian Jewish Communities today that it had distributed a circular to all local census offices in Italy reminding the census officials that a 1944 law bans all references of a racial nature from census documents.
The Premier’s Office took the action after a request by the Union. A similar circular will be issued soon by the Italian Ministry of Justice to all local offices. Both actions stemmed from a formal protest by the Union, which had criticized the fact that many local administrative offices in Italy were still using forms printed in fascist times which inquired about the race of applicants.
Dr. Sergio Piperno, president of the Union, meanwhile issued a circular letter to all presidents of Italian Jewish communities asking their cooperation in helping to assure that all racial references be eliminated in certificates issued by local authorities to Italian Jewish citizens. Dr. Piperno also asked that representations be made to news-papers to help eliminate all such references.
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