Legal Framework and Civil Service Laws (1933-1935)

The establishment of the Nazi dictatorship enabled systematic legal discrimination against Jews in Nazi Germany. The Law for the Restoration of the Civil Service in April 1933 marked a crucial step in institutionalizing discrimination.

Vocabulary: "Non-Aryan" was defined as having Jewish parents or grandparents.

Highlight: President Hindenburg initially secured exemptions for Jewish WWI veterans and those whose fathers died in the war.

Example: By 1933, 37,000 Jews had left Germany, though many remained unaware of how severe the persecution would become.

Early Anti-Jewish Measures (1933-1934)

The Nazi regime initiated its anti-Jewish campaign through carefully orchestrated legal and social measures. The first major action was the April 1, 1933 boycott of Jewish businesses, organized by Joseph Goebbels and carried out by the SA.

Highlight: The boycott was deliberately presented as a legal action, though it faced some civilian resistance.

Example: SA members stood menacingly outside Jewish businesses to intimidate potential customers.

Definition: The "legal revolution" referred to Hitler's strategy of implementing anti-Jewish measures through seemingly legitimate legislative channels.

Quote: The boycott represented a "double-edged sword" as it had to balance radical anti-Jewish sentiment with maintaining social stability.