Jews in Leipzig - The University of Texas at Austin

Schulamt for clarification on dealing with one-quarter Jews. 69 The classmates of any
Jewish children who stayed in school probably would not have been supportive, at least
not if they were paying attention to what they were being told in class. According to a
SOPADE (the underground and exile iteration of the Social Democratic Party) report
from 1936, schoolchildren in Leipzig were being instructed “to hold their nose if they
meet a Jew in the street, because the Jews stink fearfully.” 70
This exclusion continued, and only got worse over time. The Jewish High School
had to endure more than one refusal before being allowed to use two public playgrounds,
two afternoons a week. Finally, the Schulamt gave grudging permission “if the space is
free.” 71 The city water works informed the Schulamt that Jewish children were banned
from the city’s pools, with the exception of special periods, when no one else could come
in and Jewish classes could have the pool—recreational swimming by individuals was
banned. 72
The ban on Jews in the public pools and baths was not just limited to
schoolchildren, of course. The city baths were very popular, and Jews were duly banned
from them, as well, on June 8, 1935. Leipzig was more concerned with its international
image than most German cities because of the Messe [trade fair]. The city therefore had
to deal with fears that this discrimination against Jews would be used against it. In fact,
the economic adviser of the party’s regional leadership expressed unease about
international public perception during the upcoming fairs, going so far as to call Leipzig
Bürgermeister Haake to make his concerns known. Haake responded coolly, saying that
69
Ibid., 24 October, 1936.
70
Juden in Sachsen: Ihr Leben und Leiden, Gesellschaft für christlich-jüdische Zusammenarbeit Dresden,
e.V., Leipzig, 1994. 68.
71
SAL Schulamt 1/105/9/6, 28 April, 1936.
72
Ibid., 9 August, 1935.
41