Like the segregation laws characteristic of Jim Crow, soon after Hitler came to power in the U.S. Germany (oops) he began establishing legal segregation of Jews from Aryan Germans. The writing on the bench in this photo, taken in 1934, reads: “For Jews Only”:
The source explains that benches were segregated, with others reading “For Germans Only.”
See our other posts on Nazi Germany: comparing German remembrance of the Holocaust and U.S. remembrance of slavery, Nazi symbolism, Nazi celebration of motherhood, the racialization of the Jews, and this sympathetic memorabilia website.
Lisa Wade, PhD is an Associate Professor at Tulane University. She is the author of American Hookup, a book about college sexual culture; a textbook about gender; and a forthcoming introductory text: Terrible Magnificent Sociology. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Comments 12
Scapino — January 12, 2010
"...soon after Hitler came to power in the U.S..."
Huh, I don't remember that from my U.S. history courses. :P
Digger — January 12, 2010
Hi Lisa, did you mean to say "...like Jim Crow in the U.S."? For a second there I thought I'd missed a vital piece of history about when "...Hitler came to power in the U.S."!
Lisa Wade, PhD — January 12, 2010
Thanks for catching that!
- Soc Images
Deaf Indian Muslim Anarchist — January 12, 2010
amazing what hatred and ignorance can lead to.
Comrade Bender — January 12, 2010
At Bayrischer Platz in Berlin, there are signs hanging from the lampposts with historical notices from this era. The two that stick in my mind - one right at the park stating segregated benches and one on the street near a grocery store notifying that Jews were not allowed to purchase fresh milk or eggs. I was really impressed by that - great connection to history, something that really happened on those streets there, reminding us all to never forget.
Yvonne — January 12, 2010
The distinction between Jews and Germans makes me think of current rhetoric regarding "real Americans". A whole groups of citizens can just be labeled "other" and "not real".
@Comrade Bender: And what do you think would happen to similar historic signage in the American South. I bet you $50 it would get defaced and torn down within a week.
annanarchist — January 12, 2010
Unfortunately, the idea of segregation in the world is still alive. Now Palestinians are being segregated and discriminated against with Israel's "Jewish only" roads. When will people learn to coexist?
Nazi Anti-Jewish Propaganda » Sociological Images — February 3, 2010
[...] of slavery, Nazi symbolism, Nazi celebration of motherhood, the racialization of the Jews, Jim Crow-like segregation during the Nazi regime, and this sympathetic memorabilia website. 13 Comments Tags: fascism/totalitarianism, [...]