Deutsches Reich Reisepass – German passport issued for the Jewish woman Sarah Scheinmann from Breslau on November 23, 1938 (just weeks after the German decree was issued), marked with the red letter “J”, the official designation for Jewish passports in Nazi Germany. (With the addition of the name “Sarah.”) The passport includes Sarah’s passport photo and personal details. Sarah departed from Breslau via Paris to Uruguay on January 21, 1939, arriving on February 10, 1939 (with stamps and visas from the Republic of Chile). On the inner lining of the back cover, there is a special “Legitimation for Good Conduct” issued by the Nazi police in Breslau.
On October 5, 1938, the Nazis issued a decree requiring all German Jews to submit their passports to authorities to be marked with the letter “J” (short for Jude – “Jew” in German). These marked passports became an official tool for identifying Jews and were also intended as a means of humiliation. At the same time, another law was enacted requiring Jews to adopt “identifiable” names: Jewish men were required to add “Israel” to their passports, and Jewish women were required to add “Sarah”. This designation effectively prevented Jews from leaving Germany and barred their entry into countries that collaborated with the Nazis, which refused to issue them entry visas. This measure helped Nazi authorities enforce racial laws and systematically persecute Jews. The marking of passports with the “J” was a critical step in the preparation for the deportation of Jews to extermination camps and the implementation of the “Final Solution.”
32 pages. Very good condition.
