Nazi Germany was initially cautious in imposing limits on the rights of Jewish people and other “non-Aryans” in Germany. Hitler and his government cared about their international image, as they sought to negotiate their way out of the limitations imposed on Germany by the Treaty of Versailles.
By 1935 though, with rearmament under way and the Allied powers unwilling to challenge Germany’s resurgence, landmark legislation was passed defining the terms under which a person was or wasn’t a “true” German. Those who were deemed non-Aryan were defined as subjects of the state, but not citizens of it.
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Fanfare
Opening Theme
Overture from Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Composed in 1868 by Richard Wagner. Public domain.
Performed by The Skidmore College Orchestra. Public domain recording. Source.
Closing Theme
Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some music and sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.