Aliens Act 1937
Encyclopedia
Aliens Act 1 of 1937 was a South Africa
n law aimed at curtailing Jewish immigration to South Africa just as it was increasing due to increased anti-Semitic repression in Nazi Germany
. The Act instituted an Immigrants Selection Board which would screen every potential immigrant coming to South Africa from outside of the British Empire
or Ireland
with the power to either grant or withhold a permit to enter the country. One of the qualifications the Board considered when assessing immigrants was "assimilability
", a term not defined by the legislation and thus left to the board to interpret subjectively. "Unassimilability" was a criticism made of the Jews and thus its use as a criterion was seen as a pretext for excluding Jewish migrants.
With the increase of Jewish immigration to South Africa in 1936, with the deterioration of the situation for Jews in Germany, so too increased political pressure within South Africa to curtail the migration. The United Party
government led by Prime Minister
Hertzog
introduced the Bill in order to restrict and regulate immigration
and exercise control over resident alien
s.
The National Party
's Daniel Malan, leader of the opposition
, unsuccessfully attempted to amend the bill to prohibit Jewish immigration explicitly, to end the further naturalization of Jewish permanent residents of South Africa and to close certain professions from Jews and "other non-assimilable races". Malan argued that Jews were getting the best jobs and that "the Afrikaner
is suffering in consequence". Arguing for his amendment, Malan said of Jews, "Now the question arises with us, as a people, not only how we are going to keep them out in future, but how we are going to protect ourselves against those who are here."
The Jewish community within South Africa was divided on the bill. Jewish United Party MPs voted for it as it did not specifically mention Jews. Some members of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies supported the Bill as they feared Jewish immigration from Germany would intensify anti-Semitism within South Africa.
The Aliens Act became law in February 1937 and put into place an Immigrants Selection Board which was given the power to issue or refuse to grant permits to any prospective immigrant who was not a citizen by birth or descent of the British Empire
or Irish Free State
.
Jewish immigration from Germany fell as a result of the Act to a few thousand with approval for entry normally being given only to wives and young children of Jews already resident in South Africa or to their elderly parents or grandparents. In many cases, entry permits which had already been granted to relatives of South African Jews prior to the passage of the Act were cancelled and many German Jews who might otherwise had been able to find refuge in South Africa instead perished in the Holocaust.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n law aimed at curtailing Jewish immigration to South Africa just as it was increasing due to increased anti-Semitic repression in Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
. The Act instituted an Immigrants Selection Board which would screen every potential immigrant coming to South Africa from outside of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
or Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
with the power to either grant or withhold a permit to enter the country. One of the qualifications the Board considered when assessing immigrants was "assimilability
Cultural assimilation
Cultural assimilation is a socio-political response to demographic multi-ethnicity that supports or promotes the assimilation of ethnic minorities into the dominant culture. The term assimilation is often used with regard to immigrants and various ethnic groups who have settled in a new land. New...
", a term not defined by the legislation and thus left to the board to interpret subjectively. "Unassimilability" was a criticism made of the Jews and thus its use as a criterion was seen as a pretext for excluding Jewish migrants.
With the increase of Jewish immigration to South Africa in 1936, with the deterioration of the situation for Jews in Germany, so too increased political pressure within South Africa to curtail the migration. The United Party
United Party (South Africa)
The United Party was South Africa's ruling political party between 1934 and 1948. It was formed by a merger of most of Prime Minister Barry Hertzog's National Party with the rival South African Party of Jan Smuts, plus the remnants of the Unionist Party...
government led by Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Hertzog
James Barry Munnik Hertzog
James Barry Munnik Hertzog, better known as J. B. M. Hertzog was a Boer general during the second Anglo-Boer War who later went on to become Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa from 1924 to 1939...
introduced the Bill in order to restrict and regulate immigration
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
and exercise control over resident alien
Resident Alien
Resident Alien is the debut album from the British glam rock band Spacehog. Released by Elektra Records on 24 October 1995, the album was certified as gold on 29 July 1996 and included the hit single "In the Meantime", which reached the top of the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in the United States,...
s.
The National Party
National Party (South Africa)
The National Party is a former political party in South Africa. Founded in 1914, it was the governing party of the country from 4 June 1948 until 9 May 1994. Members of the National Party were sometimes known as Nationalists or Nats. Its policies included apartheid, the establishment of a...
's Daniel Malan, leader of the opposition
Leader of the Opposition
The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest party not in government in a Westminster System of parliamentary government...
, unsuccessfully attempted to amend the bill to prohibit Jewish immigration explicitly, to end the further naturalization of Jewish permanent residents of South Africa and to close certain professions from Jews and "other non-assimilable races". Malan argued that Jews were getting the best jobs and that "the Afrikaner
Afrikaner
Afrikaners are an ethnic group in Southern Africa descended from almost equal numbers of Dutch, French and German settlers whose native tongue is Afrikaans: a Germanic language which derives primarily from 17th century Dutch, and a variety of other languages.-Related ethno-linguistic groups:The...
is suffering in consequence". Arguing for his amendment, Malan said of Jews, "Now the question arises with us, as a people, not only how we are going to keep them out in future, but how we are going to protect ourselves against those who are here."
The Jewish community within South Africa was divided on the bill. Jewish United Party MPs voted for it as it did not specifically mention Jews. Some members of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies supported the Bill as they feared Jewish immigration from Germany would intensify anti-Semitism within South Africa.
The Aliens Act became law in February 1937 and put into place an Immigrants Selection Board which was given the power to issue or refuse to grant permits to any prospective immigrant who was not a citizen by birth or descent of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
or Irish Free State
Irish Free State
The Irish Free State was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by the British government and Irish representatives exactly twelve months beforehand...
.
Jewish immigration from Germany fell as a result of the Act to a few thousand with approval for entry normally being given only to wives and young children of Jews already resident in South Africa or to their elderly parents or grandparents. In many cases, entry permits which had already been granted to relatives of South African Jews prior to the passage of the Act were cancelled and many German Jews who might otherwise had been able to find refuge in South Africa instead perished in the Holocaust.