Star of David Badge

Illustration

Scarlett Hart
by Imperial War Museums
published on 17 February 2025
Star of David Badge Download Full Size Image

A yellow Star of David badge with 'Jude' ('Jew' in German) printed in black. Cloth badges like this were used as a tool of identification by the Nazi regime (1933-1945) to mark Jewish people in order to stigmatise and segragate them, which facilitated their deportation.

Josef Goebbels (1897-1945), Nazi propaganda minister, first suggested the implementation of a "general distinguishing mark" to separate German Jews in May 1938. However, the first enforcement of a specific Jewish badge occured in October 1939 in Wloclawek, Nazi-occupied Poland.

The use of the yellow badge across the Reich, including Germany's annexed territories, was formalised in September 1941. All Jews above the age of six were legally forced to wear the badge. The use of the badge, with 'Jew' written in the local language, was imposed by German forces across their occupied territories, with varying degrees of adherence. (Imperial War Musuems)

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APA Style

Museums, I. W. (2025, February 17). Star of David Badge. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20047/star-of-david-badge/

Chicago Style

Museums, Imperial War. "Star of David Badge." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified February 17, 2025. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/20047/star-of-david-badge/.

MLA Style

Museums, Imperial War. "Star of David Badge." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 17 Feb 2025. Web. 21 Feb 2025.

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