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Life_under_Siege_The_Jews_of_Magdeburg_under_Nazi_Rule.pdf

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325<br />

In consort with those measures, they also experienced the radicalisation <strong>of</strong><br />

their stigmatisation in the public domain. This marked the prelude to the third<br />

phase <strong>of</strong> the Shoah, culminating in deportation and extermination. In June 1941<br />

the <strong>Nazi</strong> Party for the Gau <strong>Magdeburg</strong>-Anhalt requested that the provincial<br />

government legislate to ban <strong>Jews</strong> from attending ‘German cultural events.’ 73 <strong>The</strong><br />

argument raised was that despite <strong>Jews</strong> not being permitted to attend theatres,<br />

cinemas, concerts, public lectures, art shows, dances and all cultural events, the<br />

onus <strong>of</strong> not permitting entry to <strong>Jews</strong> was still placed on the organiser <strong>of</strong> the event<br />

or the proprietor. According to the complaint, <strong>Jews</strong> were using this perceived legal<br />

ambiguity to their advantage and attending such venues. <strong>The</strong> complainant felt that<br />

this was further evidence <strong>of</strong> the ‘typical impudence’ <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Jews</strong>. In order to cease<br />

this alleged practice, the suggestion was made to legislate and thus legally prevent<br />

all <strong>Jews</strong> from attending any venues where ‘Aryans’ would also be in attendance. 74<br />

On 16 June 1941, the provincial government replied to the complaint and<br />

complied with the request. 75<br />

On 22 July 1941, the provincial government issued a police ordinance banning<br />

all <strong>Jews</strong> from attending any cultural venue, including theatres, concerts and<br />

cinemas. <strong>The</strong> ban further specified that cabarets, variety shows, taverns, dances,<br />

markets, parks and amusement parks were banned to <strong>Jews</strong>. Breaches <strong>of</strong> the<br />

ordinance attracted a fine <strong>of</strong> RM 150 or two weeks’ imprisonment. 76 On 9<br />

September 1941, the Reich Office for Propaganda for <strong>Magdeburg</strong>-Anhalt lauded<br />

73<br />

Betrifft: Besuch deutscher Kulturveranstaltungen durch Juden, 12. Juni 1941,<br />

Bestand Rep. C 20 I. I b, Signatur Nr. 119, LHASA MD, op. cit., pp. 336–337.<br />

74<br />

Ibid.<br />

75<br />

Betrifft: 1. Besuch deutscher Kulturveranstaltungen durch Juden. 2. Einkaufszeiten<br />

für Juden, 16. Juni 1941, ibid., pp. 430–432.<br />

76<br />

Polizeiverordnung über das Verbot des Besuchs kultureller Veranstaltungen durch<br />

Juden, 22. Juli 1941, ibid., p. 346.

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