The Nuremberg Laws, enacted in Nazi Germany in 1935, were a set of anti-Semitic regulations that served to institutionalize racial discrimination against Jews. Key features of these laws included:
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Definition of Jewish Identity: The laws established a legal definition of who was considered Jewish based on ancestry rather than religious practice. Individuals with three or four Jewish grandparents were classified as Jews, regardless of their own beliefs or practices.
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Stripping of Citizenship: The Nuremberg Laws revoked German citizenship from Jews, rendering them stateless and removing their rights as citizens.
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Prohibition of Intermarriage and Sexual Relations: The laws banned marriage and sexual relations between Jews and "Aryans," defined here as non-Jewish Germans. This was intended to maintain the "purity" of the Aryan race.
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Discrimination in Various Sectors: The laws facilitated further discrimination against Jews in various aspects of life, including employment, education, and public services. They served as a foundation for future policies of persecution and exclusion.
Overall, the Nuremberg Laws marked a significant step in the Nazis' systematic campaign against Jews, paving the way for more extreme measures that would culminate in the Holocaust.