Dublin Core
Title
"Yellow Benches for Jews: Berlin's Latest Act," in The Argus.
Subject
Nazis, Nazi, Nazism, World War II, WWII, World War Two, war, warfare, medieval yellow, Anti-Semitism, The Argus, Berlin, Canon law, discrimination, Pope Innocent III, Fourth Lateran Council, Germany, Jew, Melbourne, Muslim, VIC, Victoria
Description
An article on page 11 of the Melbourne newspaper The Argus in September 1937. The article reports on two benches in Berlin in Nazi Germany being painted yellow for use by Jews. The article says that the decision recalled an edict in the medieval period that forced Jews to wear 'a distinguishing yellow garb'. The edict mentioned probably refers to Canon 68 issued at the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 called by Pope Innocent III. The Canon stated that Jews and Muslims of both sexes living in Christian lands had to be distinguished from Christians by wearing different dress, and that they should not appear in public in the last three days of Holy Week and Passion Sunday. The aim was to stop members of the different religions having sexual relations without realising the gravity of the situation. Implementation and policing of the Canon varied throughout Europe, but in some countries the wearing of a yellow star was introduced. A yellow star was not introduced in Nazi Europe until the Second World War.
For the text of the Canons of the Fourth Lateran Council see http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/lateran4.asp
Creator
Unknown
Source
The Argus
Date
17 September 1937
Rights
National Library of Australia
Format
Newspaper Article