The Jewish Badge (also called the “Jewish Star,” “Yellow Star,” and “Yellow Badge”) was an emblem which Jews in most German-occupied countries were forced to wear. The badge was a yellow Star of David worn either on an armband or sewn on shirts and jackets around the area of the heart. This method of humiliating and identifying Jews dates back to the Middle Ages, when Jews in Europe were sometimes forced to wear distinguishing badges or clothing. During World War II, the badge was re-instituted by the Nazis to identify Jews and separate them from the wider population. It demonstrated to Christians in conquered lands that the Jews were different from both the German invaders and themselves. This psychological device created an “us against them” mentality which encouraged many Christians to turn a blind eye to German aggression and brutality against Jews.
In many of the Nazi concentration camps, non-Jewish prisoners were often forced to wear different emblems for identification, usually in the form of triangular patches of cloth in various colors. These identified them by their ethnic, racial, or political “offense.” Red badges were used to identify socialists or communists. Pink ones indicated homosexuals. Purple triangles were assigned to Jehovah’s Witnesses. Black badges designated so-called “asocials” (vagabonds, beggars, and Gypsies), and green was used for individuals imprisoned for actual criminal offenses.
