After Hitler’s takeover in 1933, Germany began getting bad press around the world due to their horrible treatment of the Jews. The Germans, in their way of thinking, said: "It’s all because of the Jewish lobby, overseas."

The Germans decided: "To quiet them down, we’re going to hit the Jews where it hurts – in their pocketbooks." They declared a boycott against all Jewish businesses.

Boycott of Jewish Stores, April 1933The Germans placed bully storm troopers in front of Jewish businesses all over Germany for a one-day boycott. If anyone tried to enter a Jewish business or store, he was subject to a beating (or “re-education” camp).

During the 1917 revolution in Russia, the Communists were successful in part by mobilizing street forces. In Germany, Hitler took 400,000 scum off the streets – addicts and criminals – and provided them with sticks and “brown shirt” uniforms. The dregs of society became the dreaded S.A.

A Nazi song, "Horst Wessel," included these lyrics: "When Jewish blood spurts from the knife, things will go well again."

Legalized Hatred

Lovers of order and protocol, the Germans made their stance against the Jews legally binding. In 1935, anti-Semitism officially became enshrined in the Nuremberg Laws, which included:

  • The Pure-blood Law, stating that no German could marry anyone of non-German blood.
  • Revoking of citizenship from any non-Germans. This law allowed that if a German went into a Jewish business and walked out with some goods, or into a Jewish house and took away possessions, the Jew had no recourse in courts.

Case in point: A Jew had been working for a German businessman for years, doing a good job as a manager. The businessman decided to fire this “hated Jew” – but the Jew had a contract and was doing a good job. So the case went to court.

The result: The court invoked a clause which terminated an employee’s contract should he become incapacitated due to illness. The court ruled that as a Jew, his racial characteristics were equivalent to illness and thus his contract was void.

Excitement on the Steets of Berlin during the Olympics, 1936Even people with Jewish grandparents who had converted to Christianity were defined as Jews.

During the 1936 Olympic Games held in Berlin, the Nazis moderated their anti-Jewish attacks and even removed some of the anti-Semitic signs from public places. Hitler did not want international criticism to spoil his intent to have the Olympics showcase the "prestigious new Germany."

Even the U.S. Olympic team pulled its two Jewish runners, Marty Glickman and Sam Stoller, from the 4x100-meter relay at the last minute. Avery Brundage – the American coach who would later became Chairman of the International Olympic Committee and would show insensitivity to the 11 murdered athletes at Munich 1972 – was said to be motivated by anti-Semitism and the desire to spare Hitler the embarrassment of Jews on the winning podium.

After the Olympics (in which the Nazis did not allow German Jewish athletes to participate), the Nazis resumed their persecution of the Jews.