09.06.2013 Views

Life_under_Siege_The_Jews_of_Magdeburg_under_Nazi_Rule.pdf

Life_under_Siege_The_Jews_of_Magdeburg_under_Nazi_Rule.pdf

Life_under_Siege_The_Jews_of_Magdeburg_under_Nazi_Rule.pdf

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

326<br />

the initiative <strong>of</strong> the provincial government for having effectively removed <strong>Jews</strong><br />

from any public space in <strong>Magdeburg</strong>. 77 Henceforth, <strong>Jews</strong> would only be in public<br />

when attending to their own affairs. However, in spite <strong>of</strong> this measure, the subject<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>Jews</strong> allegedly attending ‘Aryan’ venues remained a constant annoyance to the<br />

local authorities.<br />

Owing to complaints that in judicial matters <strong>Jews</strong> were still being identified as<br />

Reich Germans, in June 1941 the Reich Minister for Justice ruled that <strong>Jews</strong> were<br />

to be identified as ‘subjects <strong>of</strong> the state’ or ‘Staatsangehörige,’ reconfirming their<br />

status. He further requested that the word ‘German’ not be used in any form in any<br />

reference to matters pertaining to <strong>Jews</strong>. 78 In September 1941, female Jewish<br />

students <strong>of</strong> nursing in <strong>Magdeburg</strong> were notified that they were no longer insured,<br />

owing to the cancellation <strong>of</strong> all insurance policies for <strong>Jews</strong> from 21 July 1941.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Reichsvereinigung der Juden in Deutschland, which operated the nursing<br />

establishment in Berlin, was advised to make provision for this in the event <strong>of</strong> the<br />

illness <strong>of</strong> its students. 79 This removal <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Jews</strong> in a physical and psychological<br />

sense from German society continued in intensity, leading sequentially to their<br />

final level <strong>of</strong> their ostracism. This occurred when <strong>Jews</strong> were physically labelled,<br />

thus making them obvious targets <strong>of</strong> German scorn and abuse.<br />

<strong>The</strong> destruction <strong>of</strong> any anonymity occurred on 1 September 1941, when all<br />

<strong>Jews</strong> above the age <strong>of</strong> six years were ordered to wear a six-pointed, yellow Star <strong>of</strong><br />

David from 15 September 1941. One interviewee recalled that up until this point,<br />

77<br />

Betr.: Polizeiverordnung über das Verbot des Besuchs kultureller Veranstaltungen<br />

durch Juden, 9. September 1941, Bestand Rep. C 20 I. I b, Signatur Nr. 119, LHASA<br />

MD, op. cit., p. 351.<br />

78<br />

Memorandum from the Reich Minister for Justice, 26 June 1941, Bestand Jur.-012,<br />

ASGM, op. cit., p. 95.<br />

79<br />

Krankenversicherung jüdischer Lernschwestern (Krankenpflegeschüler), 24.<br />

September 1941, Bestand Rep. 10, Signatur Nr. 2497 Tc 6, STAM, p. 166.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!