Staria K Walker October 14, 2011 Eng 099 Professor Connolly The Effect of the Nuremberg Laws In 1933, less than 1% of the German population was Jewish. Jews contributed significantly to German culture. Many served in World War I and thought of themselves as Germans first and Jews second. They considered Germany a home; their passionate ties and the blind loyalty to Germany caused them to be blind to the harsh reality of anti-Semitic measures. The Nuremberg Laws were the first attempt by the Nazi government to define the Jews and as such.

The first law, The Law for the Protection of German Blood and German Honor, prohibited marriages and extra-marital intercourse between “Jews” (the name was now officially used in place of “non-Aryans”) and “Germans” and also the employment of “German” females under forty-five in Jewish households. The second law, The Reich Citizenship Law, stripped Jews of their German citizenship and introduced a new distinction between “Reich citizens” and “nationals. The Reich citizen was a person who was of German or related blood and was the “sole bearer of full political rights in accordance with the Law”. The Nuremberg Laws by their nature had formalized the unofficial and particular measures taken against Jews up to 1935. The Jews were also defined by having a J stamped in red on their identification cards. The Nazi leaders made a point of stressing with the Party program which demanded that Jews should be deprived of their rights as citizens.

Hitler now, had even more control over the government and political attitude to Jews in Nazi Germany. In the period 1937 to 1938, more serious new laws were implemented, and the segregation of Jews from the German “Aryan” population began. These laws influenced Daniel’s and Armin’s friendship because they basically are told that they cannot be friends. In the story, these two young boys become friends and have the same dreams of Hitler becoming chancellor and joining the HJ (Hitler Jugend).

During this time, in school they are learning that they are not to like any Jews. They are taught that you can tell any Jew by the shape of their head. Armin is unaware of the fact that his best friend is a Jew. As time passes on his cousin Miriam comes into town and has to stay with them for awhile. Armin and Miriam start to see each other and he tells her that he knows a place (his uncle’s apartment) where they did not have to worry about being caught.

Armin thinks that because they aren’t seen going into his uncle’s apartment that they are not heard. Meanwhile, someone hears them and District Leader Blohm receives a letter with this information and advises Armin that the Jews are in for a surprise. Armin goes to warn his friend that he must leave but also advises that he cannot say why. He felt as though he was looking out for his Daniel. Daniel felt betrayed behind the acts that had been performed in his home while he and Miriam were trying to escape.

They way everyone reacted when they found out that Daniel was half-Jewish was they basically ignored him and from that day he decided that he was no longer German but in fact a Jew. There were laws set in to place to say what a person can and cannot do, or who a person can see from who they couldn’t see. Or even, only a person that was German or of German blood was considered a citizen. After reading the book Daniel Half Human, this information was very disturbing to know that this was the way people were treated during those times.