Pre-WWII

INTENIONALIST  The final extermination of the Jews was the plan from the beginning, as outlined and formed in Mein Kampf FUNCTIONALIST  Final extermination was an evolved strategy, rather than a blue-print

ACCORDING TO NUREMBERG LAWS 1935 Jew had 3 or 4 Jewish grandparents Mischling was a half-Jew who had two Jewish grandparents, practiced Judaism, and/or was a child of a ¾ Jew Mischling 1 st degree had two Jewish grandparents, but did not practice Judaism and was not married to a Jew Mischling 2 nd degree had one Jewish grandparent

 Stripped Jews of citizenship  Prohibited marriage and sexual relations with non-Jews  Jews would be put to death  No Aryan woman under 45 could be employed in a Jewish house

 Not allowed to go to parks, zoos, etc.  Not allowed to sit on benches, ride public transport  Banned from public school  No radios, furs  Smaller rations (when given) to Jewish families

 A movement in reaction to growing anti-Semitism  Believed only a Jewish homeland would solve the “Jewish question”  Some Jews thought Zionism was counter- productive  WHY? Basic Premise 1. Anti-Semitism will not go away 2. Jews are like any other nation, but without a homeland 3. Palestine should be their homeland

 Since 1933, Jews leaving Germany  Rich and famous—no problem, any country was open  Middle class to poor, very difficult  If you couldn’t support yourself w/o a job, didn’t want you  US Consulate told to issue visas sparingly

 25% tax on assets to leave  Foreign Jews expelled  1938 increased persecution  Males and females had to add Israel and Sara to their names  Had to carry identification cards (Kennkarte) at all times

 By 1938, only 1/3 of German Jews had left  Nowhere to go  Forced sale of Jewish businesses and property to Aryans  Money not given to sellers, but distributed by a bank  In case of emigration, all money was confiscated  Jewish households had to itemize their possessions

 Oct. 1938, Polish Jews living in Germany were rounded up, left in no- man’s land between Poland and Germany  7,000 people  Herschel Grynzpan, living in France, heard about his families plight, shot a German diplomat