Thousands of Alien Jews in Germany Affected by New Aliens Registration Laws: Deportation for Anyone

Thousands of Jews who are subjects of Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and other parts of Czarist Russia, and are now living in Prussia, the majority in Berlin, will be affected by the new Prussian Aliens Law, which will enter into force on July 1st., it emerges from the official explanation given to the J.T.A. here by the Berlin police authorities.

There are about 200,000 aliens living now in Berlin alone, it appears, who will all be required to obtain registration cards, in accordance with the provisions of the law. Most of these 200,000 aliens are believed to be Jews, from Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, and the territory constituting present-day Russia, who are not, however, Soviet citizens but Staatenlose, in possession of Nansen passports.

Registration has been necessary also previously, in the case of aliens living in Berlin and other parts of Prussia, but under the new law the authorities will have power to deport at any time any alien considered an “undesirable”, a powerful weapon in the hands of the authorities at a time like the present, when the Nazis are the strongest Party in the Prussian Parliament, and may obtain inclusion in the next Government.

The new law provides that every alien living in Prussia must appear before the police and explain why he is staying in Germany, and only if he can satisfy the police that his reason is satisfactory, he will be permitted to remain. Permits will be issued for terms varying from six months to three years, and in some cases for a longer period. Such permits do not give the right to aliens to be employed in Germany, however. Aliens who are employed in German firms, or who depend for their livelihood on their employment in Germany, will not be permitted to remain in the country.