Nuremburg Laws
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These laws were established to restrict and control Jewish lives in order to fulfill Hitler's dream of creating the "Perfect Race".

Reich Citizenship Law of 15 September 1935

The Reichstag has adopted unanimously the following law, which is herewith promulgated:

ARTICLE I

  1. A subject of the State is a person who belongs to the protective union of the German Reich, and who, therefore, has particular obligations towards the Reich.
  2. The status of the subject is acquired in accordance with the provisions of the Reich and State Law of Citizenship.
ARTICLE II
  1. A citizen of the Reich is only that subject who is of German or kindred blood, and who, through his conduct, shows that he is both desirous and fit to serve faithfully the German people and Reich.
  2. The right to citizenship is acquired by the granting of Reich citizenship papers.
  3. Only the citizen of the Reich enjoys full political rights in accordance with the provisions of the Laws.
ARTICLE III
  1. The Reich Minister of the Interior, in conjunction with the Deputy of the Führer, will issue the necessary legal and administrative decrees for the carrying out and supplementing of this law.
Nuremberg, 25 September 1935
At the Reichsparteitag for Liberty

The Führer and Reich Chancellor
Adolf Hitler
The Reich Minister of the Interior
Frick


First Supplementary Decree of 14 November 1935

On the basis of Article III of the Reich Citizenship Law of 15 September 1935, the following is hereby decreed:

ARTICLE I

  1. Until further provisions concerning citizenship papers, all subjects of German or kindred blood who possessed the right to vote in the Reichstag elections when the Citizenship Law came into effect, shall, for the present, possess the rights of Reich citizens. The same shall be true of those upon whom the Reich Minister of the Interior, in conjunction with the Deputy of the Führer, shall confer citizenship.
  2. The Reich Minister of the Interior, in conjunction with the Deputy of the Führer, may revoke citizenship.
ARTICLE II
  1. The provisions of Article I shall apply also to subjects who are of mixed Jewish blood.
  2. An individual of mixed Jewish blood is one who is descended from one or two grandparents who, racially, were full Jews, insofar that he is not a Jew according to Section 2 of Article V. Full-blooded Jewish grandparents are those who belonged to the Jewish religious community.
ARTICLE III
  1. Only citizens of the Reich, as bearers of full political rights, can exercise the right of voting in political matters, and have the right to hold public office. The Reich Minister of the Interior, or any agency he empowers, can make exceptions during the transition period on the matter of holding offices. These measures do not apply to matters concerning religious organisations.
ARTICLE IV
  1. A Jew cannot be a citizen of the Reich. He cannot exercise the right to vote; he cannot occupy public office.
  2. Jewish officials will be retired as of December 31, 1935. In the event that such officials served at the front in the World War either for Germany or her allies, they shall receive as pension, until they reach the age limit, the full salary last received, on the basis of which their pensions would have been computed. They shall not, however, be promoted according to their seniority in rank. When they reach the age limit, their pension will be computed again, according to the salary last received on which their pension was to be calculated.
  3. These provisions do not concern the affairs of religious organisations.
  4. The conditions regarding service of teachers in public Jewish schools remain unchanged until the promulgation of new regulations on the Jewish school system.
ARTICLE V
  1. A Jew is an individual who is descended from at least three grandparents who were, racially, full Jews. Article II, paragraph 2, second sentence will apply.
  2. A Jew is also an individual who is descended from two full-Jewish grandparents if:
(a) he was a member of the Jewish religious community when this law was issued, or joined the community later;
(b) when the law was issued, he was married to a person who was a Jew, or was subsequently married to a Jew;
(c) he is the issue from a marriage with a Jew, in the sense of Section 1, which was contracted after the coming into effect of the Law for the Protection of German Blood and German Honour of September 15, 1935 (page 1146 of 15 September 1935);
(d) he is the issue of an extramarital relationship with a Jew, according to Section 1, and born out of wedlock after July 31, 1936.
ARTICLE VI
  1. Insofar as there are, in the laws of the Reich or in the decrees of the National Socialist German Workers' Party and its affiliates, certain requirements for the purity of German blood which extend beyond Article V, the same remain untouched.
  2. Any other demands on pureness of blood, not covered in Article 5, can only be made with permission from the Reich Minister of the Interior and the Deputy of the Führer. If any such demands have been made, they will be void as of 1 January 1936, if they have not been requested from the Reich Minister of the Interior in agreement with the Deputy of the Führer. These requests must be made from the Reich Minister of the Interior.
ARTICLE VII
  1. The Führer and Chancellor of the Reich is empowered to release anyone from the provisions of these administrative decrees.
Berlin, 14 November 1935.

The Führer and Reich Chancellor
Adolf Hitler

The Reich Minister of the Interior
Frick

The Deputy of the Führer
R. Heß
Reich Minister without Portfolio


Law for the Protection of German Blood and German Honour of 15 September 1935

Thoroughly convinced by the knowledge that the purity of German blood is essential for the further existence of the German people, and inspired by the inflexible will to safe-guard the German nation for the entire future, the Reich Parliament has resolved upon the following law unanimously, which is promulgated herewith:

SECTION I

  1. Marriages between Jews and nationals of German or kindred blood are forbidden. Marriages concluded in defiance of this law are void, even if, for the purpose of evading this law, they are concluded arranged abroad.
  2. Proceedings for annulment may be initiated only by the Public Prosecutor.
SECTION II
  1. Relations outside marriage between Jews and nationals of German or kindred blood are forbidden.
SECTION III
  1. Jews will not be permitted to employ female nationals of German or kindred blood in their households.
SECTION IV
  1. Jews are forbidden to hoist the Reich and national flag, and to present the colours of the Reich.
  2. On the other hand, they are permitted to present the Jewish colours. The exercise of this authority is protected by the State.
SECTION V
  1. Who acts contrary to the prohibition of Section I will be punished with hard labour.
  2. The man who acts contrary to the prohibition of Section II will be punished with imprisonment or with hard labour.
  3. Who acts contrary to the provisions of Sections III or IV will be punished with imprisonment up to a year and with a fine, or with one of these penalties.
SECTION VI
  1. The Reich Minister of the Interior, in agreement with the Deputy of the Führer and the Reich Minister of Justice, will issue the legal and administrative regulations which are required for the implementation and supplementation of this law.
SECTION VII
  1. The law will become effective on the day after the promulgation, Section III however only on the 1 January 1936.
Nuremberg, the 15 September 15 1935
At the Reich Party Rally of Freedom.

The Führer and Reich Chancellor
Adolf Hitler

The Reich Minister of the Interior
Frick

The Reich Minister of Justice
Dr. Gurtner

The Deputy of the Führer
R. Heß
Reich Minister without Portfolio


Second Decree Implementing the Law Concerning the Change in Family Names of 17 August 1938

PARAGRAPH I

  1. Jews may receive only those first names which are listed in the directives of the Ministry of the Interior concerning the use of first names.
  2. This provision does not apply to Jews of a foreign nationality.
PARAGRAPH II
  1. If Jews should bear first names other than those permitted to Jews according to Paragraph I, they must, as of 1 January 1939, adopt an additional name. For males, that name shall be Israel, for females Sara.
In a circular instruction of the Ministry of the Interior, these names were announced as Jewish first names:

Male First Names:
Abimelech
Ahasver
Anschel
Bachja
Barak
Baruch
Chaggai
Chajin
Chananja
Denny
Ehud
Eisig
Faleg
Feibisch
Feitel
Gedalja
Hemor
Henoch
Isidor
Itzig
Jakusiel
Jiftach
Jomteb
Kaleb
Korach
Laban
Leiser
Machol
Menachem
Mosche
Moses
Naftali
Nissi
Nochem
Oscher
Pinchas
Pinkus
Rachmiel
Sallum
Salusch
Schalom
Schnur
Teit
Tewele
Uria
Zedek
Zephania
Female First Names:
Abigail
Baile
Breine
Brocha
Chana
Cheicha
Chinke
Deiche
Driesel
Egele
Feigle
Fradchen
Gaugel
Ginendel
Hadasse
Hitzel
Jachel
Jezabel
Keile
Libsche
Machle
Milkele
Nacha
Peirche
Pesse
Pessel
Rebekka
Rechel
Reitzsche
Scharne
Scheindel
Schlaemche
Tana
Treibel
Zilla
Zimle
Zipora
Folkish Observer, 24 August 1938.


Police Decree Concerning the Marking of Jews of 1 September 1941

PARAGRAPH I

  1. Jews (see Paragraph 5 of the First Executive Decree Concerning the Reich Citizenship Law of 14 November 1935) over the age of six are forbidden to show themselves in public without a Jew's star.
  2. The Jew's star consists of a six-pointed star of yellow cloth with black borders, equivalent in size to the palm of the hand. The inscription is to read JEW in black letters. It is to be sewn to the left breast of the garment, and to be worn visibly.
PARAGRAPH II
  1. Jews are forbidden:
(a) to leave their area of residence without carrying, on their person, written permission from the local police;
(b) to wear medals, decorations, or other insignia.

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