Discussion on the Definition of Mischlinge [Mixed Race]
Memorandum by the Ministry of Interior Experts.
Source: Henry Friedlander & Sybil Milton, Archives of the Holocaust , Vol. 20 (New-York 1993) pp. 73-82.
The Ministry of the Interior of the Reich and Prussia 2 November 1935 Re: the regulations to the law of Reich citizenship and the Law for Protection of German Blood
1.
Comparison of the views of Dr. Wagner and of the Ministry of Interior. The purpose of the regulation is the elimination of the mixed race by creating the harshest possible demands for the protection of the purity of the German blood as the political interests of the Reich and the people can bear. Both versions are in agreement that quarter-Jews are to be considered to belong to the German side. They differ, however, on the treatment of half-Jews. In Dr. Wagner's view, the half-Jews should belong to the Jewish side, whereas the version of the Ministry of Interior suggests a definition according to life style. Thus, for example, those who belong to the Jewish religion or are married to Jews would be included among the Jews, while the larger part of half-Jews would be treated as what they really are: They should in some regards be counted as Germans, and in many other aspects of life - as unequal. Dr. Wagner's version is based primarily on racial-biological considerations. It therefore has the advantage of counting as Jews a larger proportion of half-Jews than the Ministry of Interior's version. However, as Dr. Wagner's outlook does not consider many other aspects, it leads to certain disadvantages and dangers for the German people, that are obviated by the approach of the Ministry of Interior. These disadvantages should have more weight than the race-biological consideration of Dr. Wagner's version.
1. Racial-political dangers. A half-Jew is to be regarded as a greater danger than the full Jew, because in addition to Jewish traits, he also has many Germanic ones. This is not the case with the full-Jew. Jewry in the Reich (around 600,000) would be gain a reinforcement of 130,000 people (200,000 are married to Germans), i.e. over a fifth of its present numbers. This would not only add to them in numbers, but also in Germanic genetic mass...
2. Maintaining a mixed race Legislation that counts half-Jews as Jews effects only their legal status and does not change the sociological situation or that which is defined by blood. These latter goals are in fact the actual aims of the legislation. Jewry will reject the half-Jews in numerous cases, or the half-Jew will reject his inclusion in Jewry. This definition can not be forced upon them. This creates an especially dangerous situation, as the half-Jews are not really included in the Jewish people, but are stuck between the two races. The half-Jews who have no homeland become desperados with all the dangers this identity implies. Their intelligence and their especially developed capabilities, resulting mostly from careful upbringing, turn them inherently into leading enemies of the state. In Dr. Wagner's version, Germans by birth who are married to Jews and one-quarter-Jews would be added to this group.
3. Maintaining the Source of Unrest. The half-Jews defined as Jews are faced with practically no options. Contrary to the Jews, they can hardly emigrate, as the foreign countries regard them as Germans and not as Jews. They can hardly acquire a profession in Germany, as only Jewish professions are open to them, and in vocational training they will by passed over by full Jews.
4. Defence-political considerations Of the 200,000 half-Jews, around 100,000 are male. 40-45,000 of them are presently of draft age. Out of those who remain, approximately 30,000 youngsters will eventually reach that age. Although Dr. Wagner's version includes half-Jews who are married to Germans in the group to be drafted, they will soon be exempted from the army because of their advanced age. Their age does not permit their being drafted for active service in any case. Those who are unmarried, that is a large number of the younger ones, will not be taken by the army according to Dr. Wagner's version, as well as all the youngsters who will eventually reach draft age. The same goes for full Germans married to Jewesses and for the one-quarter-Jews...
5. Economic Considerations a) The broader the definition of Jewish identity, the more the limitation of Jews in the economy by special treatment becomes difficult.... b) Whereas half-Jews have so far only been pushed out of positions in the framework of the Civil Service Law etc., Wagner's version would expel them from positions in building the economy as well. So far they have maintained their positions because of the lack of appropriate replacements. This would add a further burden on the economy. c) Wagner's version would imply that half-Jews, Germans counted as Jews and one-quarter-Jews, would be unable to employ German maids. This would add another several tens of thousands maids to the unemployed.
6. Tearing apart families By means of legislation, the Wagner version tears apart siblings according to their status as single or as married to Germans. The Ministry of the Interior Version avoids this undesirable situation, because the criteria for defining half-Jews as Jews are uniform and apply for the whole family. This will be true without exception for the criterion regarding the Jewish religion. But even the more uncommon question of marriage of half-Jews to Jews will only be applied when the whole family tends towards Judaism. The Problem of Half-Jewish Veterans. It will be impossible, even with Wagner's version, to circumvent the decision of the Fuehrer and Chancellor of the Reich to exclude half-Jewish army veterans who fought at the front. Otherwise we would find ourselves in a situation where half-Jews who fought for Germany at the front are treated more poorly than foreign full-Jews who fought against Germany, but who today are living in Germany and are protected by international treaties. This would undoubtedly give anti-German propaganda an important weapon. Further increase in suicides. The majority of mixed marriages are between German men and Jewish women. The (half-) Jewish children of these marriages, however, feel that they belong completely to the German nation by their education, family tradition and Christian faith, and reject Judaism. The mental burden of being declared Jewish would be especially difficult and significant. One would have to expect a sharp increase in suicides for this reason. The impact of such developments on countries abroad should not be taken lightly. .... The Ministry of Interior version in no way includes the half-Jews within the German people. It puts them in the group of the mixed race ( Mischlinge ), not in the group of Germans. It treats those half-Jews who are not to be defined as Jews, as Germans only with regard to marriage, so as to accomplish the central goal, which is the disappearance of the mixed race as soon as possible. It is only the version of the Ministry of Interior that is in accordance with the race-biological facts: Jews are treated as Jews, mixed blood is treated as mixed blood and those of German blood are treated as people of German blood. This version provides a definition of the Jew that has no loopholes. It includes only the half-Jews who without doubt tend towards Judaism among the Jews. The creation of a clear definition of the Jews that would not need to be adjusted in the future is a necessity, because this definition will effect many areas of life and legal status, and many different government agencies will have to work with it.
