Statute on Jews
Encyclopedia
The Statute on Jews was discriminatory legislation against French Jews passed on October 3, 1940 by the Vichy Regime, grouping them as a lower class and depriving them of citizenship
before rounding them up at Drancy internment camp
then taking them to be exterminated in concentration camps. The Vichy Regime voluntarily adopted, without coercion from the German forces, laws that excluded Jews and their children from certain roles in society. According to Marshal Philippe Pétain
's chief of staff, "Germany was not at the origin of the anti-Jewish legislation of Vichy. That legislation was spontaneous and autonomous."
created a committee to review 500,000 naturalisations given since 1927. This resulted in 15,000 people having their French nationality revoked, of whom 40% were Jews. Alibert was the signatory of the Statute on Jews.
These laws were copied from Nazi laws or ordinances, so that they were equally harsh for their victims. They were, therefore, more rigorous than the laws set in place by the Italian fascists. These laws of limitation were put into place from the start of the new regime by Pétain: the first law was put into place barely one month after the Vichy government was established.
The collaborationist regime also put into practice the Nazi policy on hunting Jews, that was enforced by the French police, sending the captive Jews to railway
stations where they would be sent to French concentration camps as part of the Final Solution
.
Similar legislation was subsequently applied by Algeria
(October 7, 1940), Morocco
(October 31), and Tunisia
(November 30), which at the time where French colonies.
in 1941, however, the hunt for communists was not a high priority on the Nazi agenda.
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
before rounding them up at Drancy internment camp
Drancy internment camp
The Drancy internment camp of Paris, France, was used to hold Jews who were later deported to the extermination camps. 65,000 Jews were deported from Drancy, of whom 63,000 were murdered including 6,000 children...
then taking them to be exterminated in concentration camps. The Vichy Regime voluntarily adopted, without coercion from the German forces, laws that excluded Jews and their children from certain roles in society. According to Marshal Philippe Pétain
Philippe Pétain
Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain , generally known as Philippe Pétain or Marshal Pétain , was a French general who reached the distinction of Marshal of France, and was later Chief of State of Vichy France , from 1940 to 1944...
's chief of staff, "Germany was not at the origin of the anti-Jewish legislation of Vichy. That legislation was spontaneous and autonomous."
History
On July 22, 1940, the Deputy Secretary of State Raphaël AlibertRaphaël Alibert
Raphaël Alibert was a French politician.-Politics:Raphael Alibert was an ardent Roman Catholic convert and someone with strong royalist ideas. One of the most intense followers of Charles Maurras, Alibert was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for the Action Française party...
created a committee to review 500,000 naturalisations given since 1927. This resulted in 15,000 people having their French nationality revoked, of whom 40% were Jews. Alibert was the signatory of the Statute on Jews.
These laws were copied from Nazi laws or ordinances, so that they were equally harsh for their victims. They were, therefore, more rigorous than the laws set in place by the Italian fascists. These laws of limitation were put into place from the start of the new regime by Pétain: the first law was put into place barely one month after the Vichy government was established.
The collaborationist regime also put into practice the Nazi policy on hunting Jews, that was enforced by the French police, sending the captive Jews to railway
SNCF
The SNCF , is France's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV, France's high-speed rail network...
stations where they would be sent to French concentration camps as part of the Final Solution
Final Solution
The Final Solution was Nazi Germany's plan and execution of the systematic genocide of European Jews during World War II, resulting in the most deadly phase of the Holocaust...
.
Similar legislation was subsequently applied by Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
(October 7, 1940), Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
(October 31), and Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
(November 30), which at the time where French colonies.
Other groups
Other groups within society, such as Freemasons and communists, were also oppressed by this new regime. Before the invasion of the Soviet UnionOperation Barbarossa
Operation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
in 1941, however, the hunt for communists was not a high priority on the Nazi agenda.
Laws and statutes
Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany on 30 January 1933. Pétain came to power in France on 17 June 1940. The following table summarizes anti-Semitic legislative measures in Vichy France vs. Nazi Germany and time it took to adopt the corresponding measures. Time between the installation of government and passing the statute is denoted in parentheses.| Measure taken | Vichy France | Nazi Germany | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Time it took | Date | Time it took | |
| De-naturalization of Jews | 16/07/1940 | ( 1 month) | 26/07/1933 | ( 6 months) |
| Exclusion of Jews from the army | 03/10/1940 | ( 3 months) | 26/06/1936 | (41 months) |
| Exclusion of Jews from the press | 03/10/1940 | ( 3 months) | 04/10/1933 | ( 8 months) |
| Exclusion of Jews from commercial and industrial jobs | 03/10/1940 | ( 3 months) | 06/06/1938 | (64 months) |
| Exclusion of Jewish officials | 03/10/1940 | ( 3 months) | 07/04/1933 | ( 2 months) |
| Authorisation needed to sell or rent a company | 09/03/1941 | ( 8 months) | 26/04/1938 | (63 months) |
| Exclusion of Jewish students | 21/06/1941 | (12 months) | 22/04/1933 | ( 3 months) |
| Exclusion of Jewish lawyers | 16/07/1941 | (13 months) | 04/04/1933 | ( 2 months) |
| Registration of "Jewish" businesses | 22/07/1941 | (13 months) | 14/06/1938 | (64 months) |
| Complete exclusion of Jews from commerce and industry | 22/07/1941 | (13 months) | 12/11/1938 | (70 months) |
| Nomination of administrators for Jewish heritage | 22/07/1941 | (14 months) | 03/12/1938 | (33 months) |
| Exclusion of Jewish doctors | 11/08/1941 | (14 months) | 13/12/1935 | (34 months) |