| Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels delivers a speech to a crowd in the Berlin Lustgarten urging Germans to boycott Jewish-owned businesses. He defends the boycott as a legitimate response to the anti-German "atrocity propaganda" being spread abroad by "international Jewry." Below: Nazi storm troopers block the entrance to a Jewish-owned store. Their signs read: "Germans, defend yourselves against the Jewish atrocity propaganda, buy only at German shops!" and "Germans, defend yourselves, buy only at German shops!" |
On April 1, 1933, a week after Hitler became dictator of Germany, he ordered a boycott of Jewish shops, banks, offices and department stores. But the boycott was mostly ignored by German shoppers and was called off after three days. However, the unsuccessful boycott was followed by a rapid series of laws which robbed the Jews of many rights.
On April 7, "The Law of the Restoration of the Civil Service" was introduced which made 'Aryanism' a necessary requirement in order to hold a civil service position. All Jews holding such positions were dismissed or forced into retirement.
On April 22, Jews were prohibited from serving as patent lawyers and from serving as doctors in state-run insurance institutions.
On April 25, a law against the overcrowding of German schools placed severe limits on the number of young Jews allowed to enroll in public schools.
On June 2, a law prohibited Jewish dentists and dental technicians from working with state-run insurance institutions.
On May 6, the Civil Service law was amended to close loopholes in order to keep out honorary university professors, lecturers and notaries.
On September 28, all non-Aryans and their spouses were prohibited from government employment.
On September 29, Jews were banned from all cultural and entertainment activities including literature, art, film and theater.
In early October 1933, Jews were prohibited from being journalists and all newspapers were placed under Nazi control.
(Photo credits: U.S. National Archives, courtesy USHMM Photo Archives)
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