Intermarriage Banned; Many Groups Exempted from Expulsion Edict

The Fascist Grand Council announced today adoption of a set of sweeping regulations further limiting the public and private lives of italian jews.

Marriage between “Aryan” Italians and members of the Hamitic (North African), Semitic, or any other “non-Aryan” races was forbidden. Marriage with foreigners, even if they are “aryans,” was forbidden to civil and military employes of the State and subjected to State permission where private citizens were concerned. “World Hebraism” was denounced as the chief enemy of fascism.

Italian Jews were forbidden henceforth to join the Fascist party, to own or manage enterprises employing more than 100 persons, to own more than 50 hectares (128.5 acres) of land, or to enter italian military services in war or in peace.

The Council hinted at the possibility that Ethiopia might be opened to controlled immigration of european jews but indicated the actual operation of any such plan “and other conditions that are to be applied to jews” would depend on the future attitude of “world Hebraism” toward Fascist Italy.

The Council also decided that the measures previously taken for the expulsion of all foreign jews who settled in italy after 1919 would not be applied to those over 65 or to those who contracted italian marriages before October of this year. Also freed of discriminatory measures, except those relating to education, were the families of jews killed under the italian flag in the libyan, world war, ethiopian, and spanish campaigns; the families of jews who volunteered for these wars; of those who were decorated; of those killed for the fascist cause, or who were in the fascist party between 1919 and 1924, or who belonged to the fiume legionnaires, or who performed some service of exceptional merit to the State.

Jews were defined as those born of two Jewish parents, of a Jewish father and an “Aryan” mother, or those of non-Hebraic race who have professed the Jewish religion. Those born of mixed marriages who profess some other religion than the jewish religion, as of Oct. 1 this year, will not be regarded as jews.

The Council decided that Jews excluded from public services will be allowed to receive any pensions due them. All forms of pressure on jews to adjure their race and religion were banned. Freedom to worship and engage in Jewish community activities under existing laws also was guaranteed. Special secondary schools will be established for Jews.