Official Definition of the Term “Jew” in The Government-General

Regulation for the Definition of the Term “Jew”

July 24, 1940

§ 1

Where the word "Jew" is used in Legal and Administrative Provisions in the Government-General, it is to be interpreted as follows:

1) Anyone who is a Jew, or is considered a Jew, in accordance with the Legal Provisions in the Reich;

2) Anyone who is a Jew, or is considered a Jew, and is a former Polish citizen or stateless person, under § 2 of this Regulation.

§ 2

1) A Jew is a person descended from at least three fully Jewish grandparents by race.

2) A person is considered a Jew if he is descended from two grandparents who are full Jews by race and

a) if he was a member of the Jewish Religious Community on September 1, 1939, or joined such a community subsequently;

b) if he was married to a Jew on the date on which this Regulation came into force, or married a Jew subsequently;

c) if he is the product of extramarital intercourse with a Jew in accordance with para. 1 and was born after May 31, 1941.

3) A grandparent is automatically considered a full Jew if he was a member of a Jewish community.

§ 3

1) Where the concept [person of] Jewish Mischling is used in Legal and Administrative Provisions of the Government-General, it is to be interpreted as follows:

a) a person who is a Jewish Mischling in accordance with the Reich Legal Provisions;

b) any person who is a former Polish citizen or stateless, and is descended from one or two grandparents who are full Jews by race, unless he is considered a Jew under § 2, para. 2.

2) The provisions under § 2, para. 3 apply similarly.

§ 4

1) A business enterprise is considered Jewish if the owner is a Jew in accordance with § 1.

2) A business enterprise which is owned by a Limited Company is considered Jewish if one or more members who are personally responsible are Jews....

3) A place of business is also considered Jewish if it is in practice under the dominant influence of Jews.

4) The provisions under para. 1-4 also apply to Associations, Endowments, Institutions and other organizations which are not business enterprises.

§ 5

Legal and Administrative Provisions issued for Jews apply to Jewish Mischling only where this is expressly stated.

§ 6

This Regulation comes into effect on August 1, 1940.

krakow, July 24, 1940

VB1GG, 1940, pp. 231-232.