Italy’s 57,000 Jews were virtually obliterated today from the nation’s social, economic, political and military life.
Sweeping anti-Semitic measures drafted recently by the Fascist Grand Council were codified and approved by the cabinet. among them was premier Benito Mussolini’s proposal banning all marriages between Italians and “non-aryans” and requiring all citizens who contemplate marrying foreigners to get government permission.
Immediately this latter measure was made public, Vatican spokesmen said Pope Pius XI would protest it as a violation of the concordat between the italian government and the holy See.
The Vatican regards marriages involving Catholics as the Church’s exclusive domain, and refuses to admit that persons in good standing with the faith may be forbidden to wed each other, no matter what the couple’s racial background.
The projects which today became law cover almost every phase of human activity. Brand as a Jew was anyone whose ancestry was all-Jewish; one of whose parents was Jewish and the other foreign; whose mother was Jewish and who( does not know the identity of his father; or who has one Jewish parent who remains in some way identified with hebraism, either socially or by religious attachment.
Persons of half-Jewish descent who before last Oct. I practiced a Non-Jewish religion and both of whose parents were italian citizens are exempted from the laws. the interior Ministry is also empowered to allow special exemptions for families any of whose members die for Fascism or in defense of Italy.
Henceforth a person must identify himself as a Jew, within the meaning of the new definition, on all civil registers, census lists and legal documents and certificates.
Following are some of the things Jews are forbidden to do: Serve in the Italian military; act as guardians or conservators for non-Jewish children own businesses working for the national defense or engaging more than 100 employes; own land worth over 5,000 lire ($263) or urban real estate assessed above 20,000 lire; have “aryan” italian servants; send their children to other than special elementary and secondary schools to be established at public expense in localities with more than 16 Jewish children, or to be installed by the Jewish communities themselves provided the Government-stipulated curriculum is met; teach in “Aryan” schools; become members of academies, associations and scientific, literary or artistic institutions; serve in civil, military, provincial or communal administrative posts or in an executive capacity in any organization or enterprise of a public character or under state control; own or operate banks of national interest or private insurance companies; holicivil or military decorations.
Jewish parents of children practicing a non-Jewish religion may be deprived of their paternal powers if they educate the offspring in a manner contrary to the latters1 religious principles or national sentiments. the cabinet decided to interfere in no way with the practice of the hebrew religion or the activity of Jewish communities in Italy.
Italians residing outside the country are subject to all the regulations. Foreign Jews are deprived of the right of domicile in Italy, Libya and Italian Aegean possessions. Jews who took up residence in any of these territories after Jan. 1,1919, must leave within three months. foreign Jews are defined to include all who became italian citizens after the above date. persons more than 65 years old or married to italian citizens are exempt from the expulsion decree.
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.
