Читать книгу The History of Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression - Various - Страница 138
Оглавление“In the years of fight, the aim was to employ all means of propaganda which promised success in order to gather people who were ready to overthrow, together with the Party, the harmful post-war regime and put the power into the hand of the Fuehrer and his collaborators. * * * In these years of fight the aim was purely political: I meant the overthrow of the regime and acquisition of power. * * * Within this great general task the education in racial thinking necessarily played a decisive part, because herein lies basically the deepest revolutionary nature of the new spirit.” (2845-PS)
In another official Nazi publication, recommended for circulation in all Party units and establishments, it is stated:
“The whole treatment of the Jewish problem in the years prior to our seizure of power is to be regarded essentially from the point of view of the political education of the German people.” (To disregard this angle of the use made of anti-Semitism means) “to disregard the success and aim of the work toward racial education.” (2427-PS)
D. After the acquisition of power the Nazi conspirators initiated a state policy of persecution of the Jews.
(1) The first organized act was the boycott of Jewish enterprises on 1 April 1933. The boycott action was approved by all the defendants who were members of the Reichsregierung (Reich Cabinet), and Streicher was charged with its execution. Presented as an alleged act of “self defense”, the boycott action was intended to frighten Jewish public opinion abroad and force it, by the threat of collective responsibility to all Jews in Germany, to desist from warning against the Nazi danger. (2409-PS; 2410-PS)
The boycott was devised as a demonstration of the extent to which the Nazi Party controlled its members and the German masses; consequently, spontaneous action and physical violence were discouraged. Goebbels stated:
“The national socialist leadership had declared: ‘The boycott is legal’, and the government demands that the people permit that the boycott be carried out legally. We expect iron discipline. This must be for the whole world a wonderful show of unity and manly training. To those abroad who believe that we could not manage it, we want to show that we have the people in our hand.” (2431-PS)
(2) Laws eliminating Jews from various offices and functions. The Nazi conspirators legislative program was gradual and, in the beginning, relatively “moderate.” In the first period, which dates from 7 April 1933 until September 1935, the laws eliminated Jews from public office and limited their participation in schools, certain professions, and cultural establishments. The following are the major laws issued in this period:
| Document No. | Date | Reichsgesetzblatt page | Title and gist of law | Signed by |
| 1397-PS | 7.4.33 | I.175 | Gesetz zur Wiederherstellung des Berufsbeamtentums (Law for the reestablishment of the professional civil service), removing Jews from Civil Service. | Hitler Frick Schwerin V. Krosigk |
| 7.4.33 | I.188 | Gesetz uber die Zulassung zur Rechtsanwaltschaft (Law relating to admission to the Bar) removing Jews from the Bar. | Guertner | |
| 2868-PS | 22.4.33 | I.217 | Gesetz betreffend die Zulassung zur Patentanwaltschaft (Law relating to the admission to the profession of patent agent and lawyer) excluding Jews from acting as patent attorneys. | Hitler Guertner |
| 2869-PS | 6.5.33 | I.257 | Gesetz uber die Zulassung von Steuerberatern (Law relating to the admission of Tax Advisors) eliminating “non-Aryans” from the profession of tax consultants. | Hitler Schwerin V. Krosigk |
| 2084-PS | 22.4.33 | I.215 | Gesetz uber die uberfullung deutscher Schullen (Law against the overcrowding of German schools and higher institutions) limiting drastically the number of Jewish students. | Hitler Frick |
| 2870-PS | 26.7.33 | I.538 | Verordnung zur Durchfuehrung des Gesetzes uber den Widerruf von Einbuergerungen (Executing decree for the law about the Repeal of Naturalizations and the adjudication of German citizenship) defining Jews from Eastern Europe as “undesirable” and subject to denationalization. | Pfundtner (Asst. to Frick) |
| 2083-PS | 4.10.33 | I.713 | Schriftleitergesetz (Editorial Law) barring “non-Aryans” and persons married to“"non-Aryans” from the newspaper profession. | Hitler Goebbels |
| 2984-PS | 21.5.35 | I.608 | Wehrgesetz (Law concerning Armed Forces) barring “non-Aryans” from military service. | V. Blomberg |
On 10 September 1935, Minister of Education Rust issued a circular ordering the complete elimination of Jewish pupils from “Aryan” schools (2894-PS). This legislative activity, in addition to being the first step towards the elimination of the Jews, served an “educational” purpose and was a further test of the extent of control exerted by the Nazi Party and regime over the German masses.
Dr. Achim Gercke, racial expert of the Ministry of the Interior, stated:
“The laws are mainly educational and give direction. The aspect of the laws should not be underestimated. The entire nation is enlightened on the Jewish problem; it learns to understand that the national community is a blood community; it understands for the first time the racial idea, and is diverted from a too theoretical treatment of the Jewish problem and faced with the actual solution.” (2904-PS)
It was clear, however, that the Nazi conspirators had a far more ambitious program in the Jewish problem and put off its realization for reasons of expediency. In the words of Dr. Gercke:
“Nevertheless the laws published thus far cannot bring a final solution of the Jewish problem, because the time has not yet come for it, although the decrees give the general direction and leave open the possibility of further developments.
“It would be in every respect premature now to work out and publicly discuss plans to achieve more than can be achieved for the time being. However, one must point out a few basic principles so that the ideas which one desires and must have ripened will contain no mistakes. * * *
“All suggestions aiming at a permanent situation, at a stabilization of, the status of the Jews in Germany do not solve the Jewish problem, because they do not detach the Jews from Germany. * * *
“Plans and programs must contain an aim pointing to the future and not merely consisting of the regulation of a momentarily uncomfortable situation.” (2904-PS)
(3) Deprivation of Jews of their rights as citizens. After a propaganda barrage, in which the speeches and writings of Streicher were most prominent, the Nazi conspirators initiated the second period of anti-Jewish legislation (15 September 1935 to September 1938). In this period the Jews were deprived of their full rights as citizens (First Nurnberg Law) and forbidden to marry “Aryans” (Second Nurnberg Law). Further steps were taken to eliminate Jews from certain professions, and the groundwork was laid for the subsequent expropriation of Jewish property. These laws were hailed as the fulfillment of the Nazi Party program.
The major laws issued in this period are listed below:
| Document No. | Date | Reichsgesetzblatt page | Title and gist of law | Signed by |
| 1416-PS | 15.9.35 | I 1145 | Reichsbuergergesetz (Reich Citizenship Law), first Nurnberg Law, reserving citizenship for subjects of German blood. | Hitler Frick |
| 2000-PS | 15.9.35 | I 1146 | Gesetz zum Schutze des deutschen Blutes, (Law for protection of German blood and German honor), forbidding marriages and extra-marital relations between Jews and “Aryans”. | Hitler Frick Guertner Hess |
| 1417-PS | 14.11.35 | I 1333 | Erste Verordnung zum Reichsbuergergesetz (First regulation to Reich citizenship law), defining the terms “Jew” and “part-Jew”. Jewish officials to be dismissed. | Hitler Frick Hess |
| 2871-PS | 7.3.36 | I 133 | Gesetz ueber das Reichstagwahlrecht (Law governing elections to the Reichstag) barring Jews from Reichstag vote. | Hitler Frick |
| 1406-PS | 26.4.38 | I 414 | Verordnung ueber die Ammeldung des Vermogens von Juden (Decree for reporting Jewish-owned property), basis for subsequent expropriation. | Goering Frick |
| 2872-PS | 25.7.38 | I 969 | Vierte Verordnung zum Reichsbuergergesetz. Fourth decree on the Citizenship Law, revoking licenses of Jewish physicians. | Frick |
| 2873-PS | 17.8.38 | I 1044 | Zweite Verordnung zur Durchfuhrung des Gesetzes ueber die Aenderung von Familiennamen und Vornamen (Second decree on law concerning change of first and last names), forcing Jews to adopt the names “Israel” and “Sara”. | Frick |
| 2874-PS | 27.9.38 | I 1403 | Fuenfte Verordnung zum Reichsbuergergesetz. (Fifth decree to law relating to the Reich citizenship), revoking admission of Jewish lawyers. |
(4) Program of 9 November 1938 and elimination of Jews from economic life.
In the autumn of 1938, within the framework of economic preparation for aggressive war and as an act of defiance to world opinion, the Nazi conspirators began to put into effect a program of complete elimination of the Jews. The measures taken were partly presented as retaliation against “world Jewry” in connection with the killing of a German embassy official in Paris. Unlike the boycott action in April, 1933, when care was taken to avoid violence, an allegedly “spontaneous” pogrom was staged and carried out all over Germany on orders of Heydrich.
The organized character of the pogrom is also obvious from the admission of Heydrich and others at a meeting presided over by Goering at the Air Ministry in Berlin. (1816-PS)
The legislative measures which followed were discussed and approved in their final form at a meeting on 12 November 1938 under the chairmanship of Goering, with the participation of Frick, Funk and others. The meeting was called following Hitler’s orders “requesting that the Jewish questions be now, once and for all, coordinated and solved one way or another.” The participants agreed on measures to be taken “for the elimination of the Jew from German economy.” Other possibilities, such as the establishment of ghettos, stigmatization through special insignia, and “the main problem, namely to kick the Jew out of Germany”, were also discussed. All these measures were later enacted as soon as conditions permitted. (1816-PS)
The laws issued in this period were signed mostly by Goering, in his capacity as Deputy for the Four Year Plan, and were thus connected with the consolidation of control over German economy in preparation for aggressive war.
The major laws issued in this period are listed below:
| Document No. | Date | Reichsgesetzblatt page | Title and gist of law | Signed by |
| 1412-PS | 12.11.38 | I 1579 | Verordnung ueber eine Suhneleistung der Juden (Order concerning expiation contribution of Jews of German nationality), obligating all German Jews to pay a collective fine of 1.000.000.000 Reichsmark. | Goering |
| 2875-PS | 12.11.38 | I 1580 | Verordnung zur Ausschaltung der Juden aus dem deutschen Wirtschaftsleben (Decree on elimination of Jews from German economic life), barring Jews from trade and crafts. | Goering |
| 1415-PS | 28.11.38 | I 1676 | Polizeiverordnung ueber das Auftreten der Juden in der Queffentlichkeit (Police regulation of the appearance of Jews in public), limiting movement of Jews to certain localities and hours. | Heydrich (assistant to Frick) |
| 1409-PS | 3.12.38 | I 1709 | Verordnung ueber den Einsatz des Juedischen Vermoegens (Order concerning the Utilization of Jewish property), setting time limit for the sale or liquidation of Jewish enterprises; forcing Jews to deposit shares and securities held by them; forbidding sale or acquisition of gold and precious stones by Jews. | Funk Frick |
| 1419-PS | 30.4.39 | I 864 | Gesetz ueber Mietverhaeltnisse mit Juden (Law concerning Jewish tenants) granting to landlords the right to give notice to Jewish tenants before legal expiration of lease. | Hitler Guertner Krohn Frick Hess |
| 2876-PS | 4.7.39 | I 1097 | Zehnte Verordnung zum Reichsbuergergesetz (Tenth decree relating to the Reich Citizenship Law), forcible congregation of Jews in the “Reichsvereinigung der Juden in Deutschland”. | Frick Rust Kerrl Hess |
| 2877-PS | 1.9.41 | I 547 | Polizeiverordnung ueber die Konnzeichnung der Juden (Police order concerning identification of Jews) forcing all Jews over 6 years of age to wear the Star of David. | Heydrich |
(5) Extermination of German Jews. Early in 1939 Hitler and the other Nazi conspirators decided to arrive at a “final solution of the Jewish problem.” In connection with preparations for aggressive war, further consolidation of controls and removal of elements not belonging to the Volksgemeinschaft (racial community) were deemed necessary. The conspirators also anticipated the conquest of territories in Eastern Europe inhabitated by large numbers of Jews and the impossibility of forcing large-scale emigration in wartime. Hence, other and more drastic measures became necessary. The emphasis in this period shifted from legislative acts to police measures.
On 24 January 1939 Heydrich was charged with the mission of “arriving at a solution of the Jewish problem.” (710-PS)
On 15 January 1939 Rosenberg stated in a speech at Detmold:
“For Germany the Jewish problem will be solved only when the last Jew has left Germany.”
On 7 February 1939, Rosenberg appealed to foreign nations to forget “ideological differences” and unite against the “real enemy,” the Jew. He advocated the creation of a “reservation” where the Jews of all countries should be concentrated (2843-PS). In his Reichstag speech on 30 January 1939, Hitler made the following prophecy:
“The result [of war] will be * * * the annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe.” (2663-PS)
Thus the direction was given for a policy which was carried out as soon as the conquest of foreign territories created the material conditions. (For the carrying out and results of the program of the Nazi conspirators against Jewry, see Chapter XII.)
In the final period of the anti-Jewish crusade very few legislative measures were passed. The Jews were delivered to the SS and various extermination staffs. The last law dealing with the Jews in Germany, signed by Frick, Bormann, Schwerin V. Krosigk, and Thierach, put them entirely outside the law and ordered the confiscation by the State of the property of dead Jews (1422-PS). This law was a weak reflection of a factual situation already in existence. Dr. Wilhelm Stuckart, assistant to Frick, stated at that time:
“The aim of the racial legislation may be regarded as already achieved and consequently the racial legislation as essentially closed. It led to the temporary solution of the Jewish problem and at the same time prepared the final solution. Many regulations will lose their practical importance as Germany approaches the achievement of the final goal in the Jewish problem.” (Stuckart and Schiedermair: Rassen und Erbpflege in der Gesetzgebung des Reiches (The care for Race and Heredity in the Legislation of the Reich), Leipzig, 1943, p. 14.)
