86: Israel Or Sara

86 years  ago today (August 17, 1938) Nazi Germany forced all Jewish Men, Women and Children in Germany, Austria and Occupied Czechoslovakia to add either “Israel” (for Men) or “Sara” (for Women) as their legal Middle Name so that it would be easier to identifiy who was and was  not Jewish.

(10 year old Robert “Israel” Spied Kennkarte from May 1939 with the required “Israel” on it. It doesn’t have the required “J” on it (but his International Passport did.) Robert was from Vienna and escaped the Nazis due to Gilbert and Eleanor Kraus, a Jewish American Couple, who helped 50 Jewish Refugee Children (including Robert) immigrate to the United States.)

They had to use this new “Official” Middle Name on all Legal Documents as well as on the Mandatory German Indentifcation Card (the Kennkarte.)

Refusing or forgetting to use this enforced new Name was punishable by imprisonment.

There are cases where German Jews who received an American Visa (or any Visa) to leave Nazi Germany were either refused a German Exit Visa (required to leave Nazi Germany) or refused entry into the United States (or any country) because their American Visa didn’t have the required legal name of “Israel” or “Sara” on it.

Sometimes that was because when the Visa Application was first made it was before August 1938 when the law was announced and the only way to make the name change was to reapply for a Visa and get a new Quota Number that was years-out in being called (someone who applied for an American Visa in November 1938 could expect to get a high Quota Number meaning they could expect to get their American Visa in 1943 – of course no one in 1938 knew that in 1943 World War 2 would be raging and the Jews would be murdered in German Gas Chambers.)

Sometimes it was because the Visa Application and all the other Documents had the mandatory name of “Israel” or “Sara” on it, but the signature didn’t.

Note: On October 5, 1938 the Swiss made the Germans identify who was Jewish on their International Passports (otherwise Switzerland would forbid all Germans entry into Switzerland) and so Nazi Germany added a “J” (for “Jude” or “Jew”) to Jewish Kennkarte and International Passports. Robert’s Parents were also able to escape the Nazis and reunited with Robert in April 1940.

In September  1939 the Germans then made the Jews in German-Occupied Poland wear a Blue Star of David on a White Armband on their outer shirt or coat.

The Jews had to use their Clothing Ration Coupons and their own money to buy these Armbands. It had to be a certain size, be clean and visible at all times.

Refusing or Forgetting to use this enforced Armband was punishable by imprisonment or death on sight.

On September 1, 1941 the Germans required all Jews living in Germany or in German-occupied territory wear a Yellow Star of David (with a “J” for “Jude” or “Jew” – sometimes instead of “Jude” written on the Star it used the local name “Juif” in Occupied-France or “Jood” in Occupied-the Netherlands) on their outer shirt or coat.

The Jews had to use their Clothing Ration Coupons and their own money to buy these Stars. It had to be permanently sewed on (not pinned), be a certain size and be clean and visible at all times. Refusing or forgetting to wear this enforced Star was punishable by imprisonment or death on sight.

The new law didn’t change the 1939 Identification Law in occupied-Poland. For example in German-Occupied Warsaw, Poland the Jews had to wear the Blue Star of David on a White Armband, but in German-Annexed Krakow, Poland the Jews had to wear the Yellow Star of David.

In May 1945 the Allies struck down the Racist Nazi Laws including the forced use of "Israel" or "Sara" and the "J." on all Kennkarte.

On January 1, 1951 West Germany started issuing its Mandatory Personalausweis to all of its Citizens (Jews and Non-Jews) and any reference to Race or Religion was outlawed.

On November 1, 1953 East Germany started issuing its Mandatory Personalausweis to all of its Citizens (Jews and Non-Jews) and any reference to Race or Religion was outlawed.