The long expected executive decrees implementing the anti-Jewish laws passed by the Reichstag at Nuremberg on September 15 were officially promulgated this morning over the signatures of Reich Chancellor Adolf Hitler, Minister of the Interior Wilhelm Frick and Rudolph Hess, Minister without portfolio.
The decrees deal with citizenship and the regulations “for the protection of German blood and German honor,” but do not define the status of Jews and other “non-Aryans” in the field of commerce. This omission is believed to have been prompted by the fear that if the decrees ousting Jews completely from the economic life of Germany were promulgated they would influence America in staying out of the Olympics. As a result it is expected they have been deferred, rather than abandoned altogether, until after the meeting in December of the Amateur Athletic Union at which a final decision on United States entrance will be taken.
According to the decrees, foreign citizens may not be tried on charges of “Rassenschande” before the ministries of justice and the interior are consulted by the authorities.
The regulations clearly define the status of Jews and other “### Aryans,” declaring them to be non-citizens. They also prohibit the intermarriage of Jews and “Aryans”, “non-Aryans” and “Aryan” and finally of Jews and those who are only one-fourth “non-Aryan”.
The regulations make it clear that no charges of violation of the laws “for the protection of German blood and German honor” may be brought against foreign citizens without the consent of the Reich Ministers of Justice and Interior.
The law prohibiting Jews from employing “Aryan” women under 45 years of age as domestics is to be applied also to Jews of foreign citizenship who are permanent residents of the country.
While the Nuremberg laws, as they were proclaimed September 15, dealt clearly with Jews only, today’s executive decrees specifically cover “non-Aryans” as well, thus crushing the hopes of hundreds of thousands of persons in that category who had expected that they would be exempt from the regulations.
An exception is made in the decrees, however, for “non-Aryans” having one Jewish grandparent. “Non-Aryans” having three Jewish grandparents are to be considered full-blooded Jews. Those with two Jewish grandparents will also be considered Jews, providing they are members of a Jewish religious group or became members of a Christian church after September 15, 1935, date of the Nuremberg laws proclamation.
According to the decrees, “non-Aryans” married to Jews will be considered Jews and children of illegal marriages with Jews will be regarded as Jews.
The regulations provide that:
1) “Jews cannot be citizens of the Reich.
2) They have no voting rights in political matters.
3) They cannot maintain any public office.
4) Jewish officials are automatically to be dismissed on December 31. If they participated in the World War at the front, fighting for Germany and her allies, they are to receive pensions.”
The regulations further declare that:
“Affairs of religious communities are not to be affected by this legislation. The position of Jewish teachers in the Jewish public schools remains unaffected pending reorganization of the Jewish school system.”
Only Hitler himself has the right to make exceptions to the ### laws and regulations, it is provided in the decrees. ### of the Interior, Wilhelm Frick, and Hitler’s ### are given the right to withdraw citizens ### an all-inclusive citizenship law is ###.
Further details of the regulatory decrees follow:
Foreign citizens desiring to marry a Jew or a “non-Aryan” in Germany may not be refused a license without consulting the ### try of the Interior.
Only actual sexual relations between Jews and “Aryans” are to be considered as “Rassenschande” under the Nuremberg laws. This provision also includes sexual relations between Jews and “non-Aryans” having only one Jewish grandparent.”
Marriage between Jews and “non-Aryans” with only one Jewish grandparent is prohibited. “Non-Aryans” with two Jewish grandparents must obtain a special permit from the Minister of the Interior and the Reich Chancellor’s deputy before marriage to an “Aryan” or a “non-Aryan” with one Jewish grandparent.
Marriages between “non-Aryans” in the one-Jewish-grandparent category are strictly prohibited on the ground that they would increase the amount of Jewish blood in their families and that would be contrary to the plans of the Nazis who are seeking the constant diminution of the proportion of Jewish blood.
The servant girl situation is the subject of careful regulation in the decrees. The regulations provide:
1) No household may keep an “Aryan” woman if the head of that household is a Jew or a “non-Aryan” of two or more Jewish grandparents.
2) An “Aryan” woman servant may not be employed in any home where there is a male Jewish boarder.
3) In the category of servant girls come not only full-time workers but also domestic help paid by the hour. These may not work for Jews.
4) “Aryan” women who have been in the employ of Jewish families for many years may retain their positions provided they attain the age of thirty-five before Next January.
5) Foreign citizens who are not permanent residents of Germany ### exempted from the restrictions with respect to employment of ### “Aryan” women.
The regulations in connection with “Rassenschande” and employment, of “Aryan” women are to be applied to Jews who are “Staatenlo###, persons without a country, as well as to German Jews.
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.
