Sep 6 1941 – All Jews over 6 years old in Nazi-occupied territories ordered to wear the yellow Star of David.
Holocaust Badges
The Jews of Europe were legally compelled to wear badges or distinguishing garmets (e.g., pointed hats) at least as far back as the 13th century.
A yellow Star of David outlined with black with an Hebraic styled J, an abbreviation for Jew.BELGIUM |
This practice continued throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissnace, but was largely phased out during the 17th and 18th centuries.
A yellow Star of David outlined with black with the Dutch word for Jew written in Hebraic style.NETHERLAND |
With the coming of the French Revolution and the emancipation of western European Jews throughout the 19th century, the wearing of Jewish badges was abolished in Western Europe.
A yellow Star of David outlined with black with the French word forJew written in Hebraic style.FRANCE |
The Nazis resurrected this practice as part of their persecutions during the Holocaust.
Bulgaria A gold Star of David outlined with black with a black and yellow button. |
Reinhard Heydrich, chief of the Reich Main Security Office, first recommended that Jews should wear identifying badges following the Kristallnacht pogrom of November 9 and 10, 1938.
Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Greece, Lithuania and Latvia Yellow Star of David |
Shortly after the invasion of Poland in September 1939, local German authorities began introducing mandatory wearing of badges.
Germany, Alsace, Bohemia and Moravia A yellow Star of David outlined in black with the German word for Jew written in Hebraic style. |
Upon invading the Soviet Union in June 1941, the Germans again applied this requirement to newly-conquered lands. Throughout the rest of 1941 and 1942, Germany,
Greece, Serbia; cities of Belgrade and Sofia Yellow armband. |
Only in Denmark, where King Christian X is said to have threatened to wear the badge himself if it were imposed on his country’s Jewish population, were the Germans unable to impose such a regulation.
The German government’s policy of forcing Jews to wear identifying badges was but one of many psychological tactics aimed at isolating and dehumanizing
the Jews of Europe, directly marking them as being different (i.e., inferior) to everyone else.
It allowed for the easier facilitation of their separation from society and subsequent ghettoization,
Romania A yellow Star of David on a circular black background. |
Those who failed or refused to wear the badge risked severe punishment, including death. For example,
the Jewish Council (Judenrat) of the ghetto in Bialystok, Poland announced that “…
the authorities have warned that severe punishment – up to and including death by shooting –
is in store for Jews who do not wear the yellow badge on back and front.”
Nazi propaganda leaflet: "Whoever bears this sign is an enemy of our people"
The design of the badge varied from region to region. Below, find examples of badges worn in different European countries under Nazi rule.
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