The Nuremberg Laws were a set of antisemitic and [racist](https://doctorparadox.net/category/psychology/racism/) laws in Nazi Germany. They were introduced on 15 September 1935 by the Reichstag at a special meeting convened at the annual Nuremberg Rally of the Nazi Party. The two laws were the Law for the Protection of German Blood and German Honour, which forbade marriages and extramarital intercourse between Jews and Germans and the employment of German females under 45 in Jewish households, and the Reich Citizenship Law, which declared that only those of German or related blood were eligible to be Reich citizens. The remainder were classed as state subjects without any citizenship rights. Here's an overview of these laws: 1. **Reich Citizenship Law**: This law codified [[antisemitism]] and declared that only those of German or kindred blood could be citizens of the Reich. This effectively demoted Jews to second-class citizens - they were now "subjects" of the state, not "citizens". They were also deprived of most political rights. 2. **Law for the Protection of German Blood and German Honour**: This law forbade marriages and extramarital intercourse between Jews and "Aryans" and also the employment of "Aryan" women under the age of 45 in Jewish households. It also prohibited Jews from flying the German flag. 3. **Additional Decrees**: These laws were followed by additional decrees over the following years, which further eroded the rights of Jews in Germany. For instance, in 1936, Jews’ electoral rights were removed and in 1938, a decree was issued that required Jews to assume a new middle name: "Israel" for men and "Sara" for women, for easier identification. 4. **Impact**: The Nuremberg Laws had a devastating impact on the Jewish community. They were excluded from social and political life and their rights as human beings were severely restricted. Many Jews tried to emigrate as a result of these laws, but they often found it difficult to find countries willing to take them in. 5. **Holocaust**: The Nuremberg Laws were a significant part of the systemic, state-sponsored persecution of Jews by the [[Nazis]], which culminated in [[The Holocaust]] -- the [[genocide]] of six million Jews during World War II. After World War II, the Nuremberg Laws were declared illegal by the Allied powers. At the Nuremberg Trials, Nazi officials were convicted of [[war crimes]] for their role in enforcing these laws, among other offenses. See also: [[World War II Timeline]], [[Adolf Hitler]]