KAMENEC, Ivan. Notes on Implementation of Anti-Semitic Policy Legal Norms in Slovakia

The process of Holocaust in Slovakia from 1939 to 1945 was framed by a monstrous coulisse of legislative measures. The Slovak Republic Parliament adopted two constitutional laws on that issue, and other standard laws. The Government, central and regional authorities of all levels issued thousands of various discrimination and persecution regulations, through which the local Jewish citizens were gradually, systematically and in graduating intensity deprived of their political, economic, social, and finally also basic civic and human rights. That process culminated in issuing the Governmental Regulation No. 198/41, the so-called Jewish Code and in adopting the Emigration Law No. 68/42, as those pieces of legislation were applied when two thirds (more than 57.000) of local Jews were forcefully deported from the territory of the Slovak Republic and murdered in Nazi extermination camps. At the same time, the adopted legislation was accompanied by hateful anti-Semitic propaganda, as well as by wanton brutal attacks against "Non-Aryan" citizens. From the end of 1942, when the state was getting into deeper and deeper political and moral crises and international isolation, in part of governmental circles there were weak attempts of partial correction of the then anti-Semitic policy. But those attempts were fully unsuccessful, as the regime was too compromised, and it could not find sufficient political and moral strength to correct its anti-Semitic policy in more significant way. This was also confirmed by the development after autumn 1944, when the territory of Slovakia was occupied by Nazi occupation troops.