Monday 26 September 2011

The Reichsbürgergesetz and the Blutschutzgesetz


These two important laws were really the foundation of the Holocaust. The first, the Reichsbürgrgesetz, coming into effect in 1935, defined a difference between people who belonged to the Reich and people who had German citizenship. This immediately declared that all Jews were not Reichs people. Those who had three or more Jewish grandparents were definitely Jewish. Those who had two or more Jewish grandparents were known as “Mischlinge” and could also not become Reichs citizens. This made Clara Lehrs and her three children definitely Jewish. Renate Edler thereby becomes a Mischling. In some way, being a Mischling is even tougher than being a Jew. A Mischling cannot enjoy solidarity with other Jews.
Clara Lehrs’ Catholicism and anthroposophism did not help at all because of the Blutschutzgesetz.  This was the law for the protection of racial purity. It forbade certain marriages. The marriage between Hans Edler and Kathe Edler, Renate’s parents, became illegal.
These two laws, taken to extreme, led to the Holocaust and the Final Solution. The Blutschutzgesetz also has implications for the Nazi ideal of the Master Race.                 

No comments:

Post a Comment