Life_under_Siege_The_Jews_of_Magdeburg_under_Nazi_Rule.pdf

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the process of procuring the necessary teaching staff. 174 On 28 April 1939, the
superintendent of schools wrote to the board of the Synagogen-Gemeinde
requesting an update. On 3 May 1939, Dr Ernst Merzbach replied that the
necessary teaching staff had still not been procured and that the board was
continuing its efforts to fill the positions. 175
On 5 July 1939, the superintendent of schools reported to the provincial
government that the board of the Synagogen-Gemeinde informed him that lessons
had commenced in the re-established ‘Judenschule’ on 6 June 1939. 176 The school
consisted of forty-nine male and female pupils and the curriculum was that set
down by the Reichsvertretung der Juden in Deutschland. The teachers employed
were Hermann Spier, formerly of Prenzlau and Max (Meier) Teller, cantor and
former teacher of the dissolved Religionsschule of the Synagogen-Gemeinde. On
26 June 1939, the Gestapa in Magdeburg approved the re-establishment of the
school, as the segregation requirements had been met. 177 On 14 August 1939, the
Reich Minister for Science, Training and National Education mandated guidelines
for all matters relating to the education of Jewish pupils. 178 The desired complete
isolation of Jewish children, which the city had striven to achieve as early as
September 1935, had now been attained. Ironically, yet not surprisingly, for
Jewish pupils, this school experience was entirely positive and fostered a love and
value of all things Jewish in a nurturing environment.
174 Betrifft: Schulunterricht an Juden, 8 März 1939, Bestand Rep. C 28 II, Signatur
Nr. 3996, LHASA MD, op. cit., p. 29.
175 Betrifft: Schulunterricht an Juden, 12. Mai 1939, ibid., p. 30.
176 Betrifft: Schulunterricht an Juden, 5. Juli 1939, ibid., p. 32.
177 Betr.: Beschulung der Judenkinder in Magdeburg, 26. Juni 1939, ibid., p. 31.
178 Betrifft: Ausführungsanweisung zu Art. II der 10. Verordnung zum
Reichsbürgergesetz vom 4. Juli 1939 – RGB1.I S.1079, 14. August 1939, Bestand
Rep. C 28 II, Signatur Nr. 88, Band 2, LHASA MD, op. cit., pp. 78–79.