The Life Of The Jews In Germany After The Nazi Rise To Power | Yad Vashem

In January 1933, a chilling shadow loomed over the world as the Nazi party seized power in Germany. Little did the world know that this would mark the onset of one of history's darkest chapters. At that time, approximately 500,000 Jews resided in Germany, comprising less than one percent of the total population. Most of them considered themselves part of the German nation, identifying their Jewishness solely through religion or shared heritage.

The rise of Hitler's regime unleashed a storm of anti-Jewish policies that permeated every facet of Jewish life in Germany. These policies encompassed anti-Semitic propaganda, exclusion from public life, and legislations that stripped Jews of their civil rights. The consequences were profound, plunging German Jews into increasingly dire circumstances. By the late 1930s, their situation had deteriorated significantly, as they became the targets of popular violence and mass arrests.

Gradual Escalation of Persecution

The Nazi policy toward Jews didn't emerge in one fell swoop but rather evolved incrementally from Hitler's ascent to power until the outbreak of World War II in September 1939. The authorities consistently adjusted their approach based on public reactions and international pressures.

The first major anti-Jewish action was a financial boycott of Jewish businesses in Germany, initiated on April 1, 1933, and orchestrated by the Nazi Party. This boycott sparked international outrage and prompted interventions by foreign governments and businessmen, both Jewish and non-Jewish. The backlash was not confined to moral concerns but extended to the potential damage to business and unemployment rates, causing alarm in financial circles.

As time passed, anti-Jewish legislations were enacted, further constricting the lives of German Jews and isolating them socially and economically. For instance, the "Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service," established on April 7, 1933, provided the legal framework for dismissing Jews from public positions. This wave of anti-Jewish legislation culminated in September 1935 with the notorious Nuremberg Laws, which stripped German Jews of their citizenship.

Unfolding Realities and Reactions

In addition to the legislative onslaught, popular anti-Semitism against Jews intensified. German citizens increasingly harassed their Jewish neighbors. This hostile atmosphere prompted the reorganization of Jewish groups like the Right Representation of German Jews and the Youth Aliyah. These organizations formed social welfare systems, offering financial aid, medical assistance, professional guidance, and fostering educational and cultural activities.

Some German Jews chose to emigrate, with 37,000 leaving the country in the first year of Nazi rule. Paradoxically, even as new anti-Jewish legislation was passed in 1935, many Jewish organizations didn't interpret it as a call to emigrate. The prevailing assumption was that Jews could coexist as a separate minority in Germany.

A brief respite from anti-Jewish actions arrived during the 1936 Summer Olympic Games when unofficial actions against Jews ceased. This, however, was a short-lived detente. Labels distinguishing between Jewish-owned and Aryan businesses were removed, and signs barring Jews from specific places were taken down, fostering a semblance of law and order in German-Jewish relations.

A Surge of Suffering

The winds of change, though ominous, reached their zenith with the annexation of Austria in March 1938, known as the Anschluss. Viennese Jews bore the brunt of unprecedented violence, leading to a surge in Jewish emigration that year. The Aryanization of property escalated, with Jewish assets confiscated both in Austria and Germany.

In July 1938, the Evian Conference, an international summit involving 32 nations, aimed to find a solution for the emigration of German and Austrian Jews. Unfortunately, none of the participating countries practically opened their doors to Jewish immigration or increased refugee quotas.

The cataclysmic night between the 9th and 10th of November 1938, known as Kristallnacht, stands as a harrowing chapter in this dark saga. During this night, Jewish stores and synagogues were obliterated, around a hundred Jews were murdered, and tens of thousands were dispatched to concentration camps. Kristallnacht and its aftermath delivered a fatal blow to Jewish life in Germany.

Towards the late 1930s, and especially from the latter half of 1938, Jewish emigration from Germany and Austria became a primary goal of Nazi policy. The number of Jews leaving Germany surged as they transformed from immigrants into refugees, forcibly deported from their homeland.

This disturbing period in history serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of unchecked hatred and discrimination. It is crucial to remember the past to ensure that such horrors are never repeated.