Regulation For The Ban On Jewish Emigration From The Generalgouvernement, November 1940*

In a Decree of October 25, 1940, the Reich Security Main Office ( Reichssicherheitshauptamt ) has informed me of the following:

“Owing to the fact that the emigration of Jews from the Generalgouvernement still further considerably reduced the already shrinking opportunities for emigration for Jews from the Altreich,** the Ostmark [Austria] and the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, contrary to the wish of the Reich Marshal, I request that no such emigration be considered.

“The continued emigration of Jews from Eastern Europe [to the West] spells a continued spiritual regeneration of world Jewry, as it is mainly the Eastern Jews who supply a large proportion of the rabbis, Talmud teachers, etc., owing to their Orthodox-religious beliefs, and they are urgently needed by Jewish organizations active in the United States, according to their own statements. Further, every Orthodox Jew from Eastern Europe spells a valuable addition for these Jewish organizations in the United States in their constant efforts for the spiritual renewal of United States Jewry and its unification. It is United States Jewry in particular, which is endeavoring, with the help of newly immigrated Jews, especially from Eastern Europe, to create a new basis from which it intends to force ahead its struggle, particularly against Germany.

“For these reasons it can be assumed that after a certain number of emigration permits have been issued, creating a precedent for Jews from the Generalgouvernement, so to speak, a large part of the entry visas, [which are] mainly for the United States, will in future only be made available for Jews from Eastern Europe.”

I fully accept the point of view of the Reich Security Main Office and request that you will not pass on to the office here for decision any more applications by Jews to emigrate. Such applications would of course have to be rejected here.

______1/2 Shoah Resource Center, The International School for Holocaust Studies

I empower you to reject without further investigation any applications by Jews from the Generalgouvernement for permission to emigrate. It is requested that applications to emigrate shall be forwarded here only if they involve Jews holding foreign citizenship. As there is no further question of emigration by Jews from the Generalgouvernement as a matter of principle, there is also no need for a Jew to receive a permit to visit the Reich for the purpose of obtaining a visa from a foreign consulate in the German Reich. It is requested that even applications by Jews for the issuing of a permit for the purpose of obtaining a visa from a foreign consulate in the Reich should also be rejected.

(for) Eckhardt

Eksterminacja, pp. 55-56.

*From a memorandum dated November 23, 1940, addressed to District Governors in the Generalgouvernement.

** Germany before 1938 .

Source: Documents on the Holocaust, Selected Sources on the Destruction of the Jews of Germany and Austria, Poland, and the Soviet Union, Y. Arad, Y. Gutman, A. Margaliot (editors), Yad Vashem, 1981, pp. 219-220.

______2/2 Shoah Resource Center, The International School for Holocaust Studies