The Greater German Reich and the Jews: Nazi Persecution in the Annexed Territories 1935−1945

Published originally in German, this anthology focuses on the persecution of the Jews in the twelve regions annexed to Hitler's Greater German Reich between 1935 and 1941. Based on meticulous archival research and a mastery of the scholarly literature, including a few footnoted references to English-language publications, the essays demonstrate that antisemitic measures varied from place to place, reflecting local contexts and grassroots initiative. Arranged chronologically, the contributions examine the circumstances of the Jews before annexation, their plight immediately following, and their subsequent fate. The volume begins with the incorporation of the Saar in 1935. Although administered by the League of Nations after World War I, the region's inhabitants had retained German citizenship. There was little tension between Christians and Jews until Hitler's ascent. After incorporation, the League of Nations afforded special protection to the region's 4,600 Jews, protection Hitler countenanced until February 29, 1936. This reprieve enabled more than half of the Jewish populace to emigrate with their assets. Thereafter, remaining “non-Aryans” faced the same persecution as in the Old Reich. Prodded by Gauleiter Josef Bürckel, all but 145 Jews left the Saarland by 1940; nearly all 145 perished in the Holocaust.