BONAPARTE, NAPOLEON. French statesman, general. The Jews provided troops for my campaign in Poland, but they ought to reimburse me: I soon found that they are no good for anything but selling old clothes . . . Legislating must be put in effect everywhere that the general well-being is in danger. The government cannot look with indifference on the way a despicable nation takes possession of all the provinces of France. The Jews are the master robbers of the modern age; they are the carrion birds of humanity . . . They must be treated with political justice, not with civil justice. They are surely not real citizens. The Jews have practiced usury since the time of Moses, and oppressed the other peoples. Meanwhile, the Christians were only rarely usurers, falling into disgrace when they did so. We ought to ban the Jews from commerce because they abuse it . . . The evils of the Jews do not stem from individuals but from the fundamental nature of this people. (From Napoleons Reflections, and from speeches before the Council of State on April 30 and May 7, 1806.) Nothing more contemptible could be done than the reception of the Jews by you. I decided to improve the Jews. But I do not want more of them in my kingdom. Indeed, I have done all to prove my scorn of the most vile nation in the world. (Letter to his brother Jerome, King of Westphalia, March 6, 1808) 1). Every big and small Jew in the peddling trade must renew his license every year. 2). Checks and other obligations are only redeemable if the Jew can prove that he has obtained the money without cheating. (Ordinance of March
Posted on: Mon, 10 Nov 2014 17:47:18 +0000
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