Antisemites' Petition

The petition called for the restriction of the constitutional equality of Jews that had been established in 1869 for the North German Confederation and in 1871 for the German Empire. This was justified by alleging economic exploitation and the supposed social and racial decomposition of the "German national body" (Volkskörper) by Jews. Therefore, it argued that their penetration into key social positions must be prevented. The specific demands were: • Removal of Jews from the civil service and the army; curbing their influence in the judiciary (specifically excluding them from judgeships). • Prohibiting the employment of Jewish teachers in elementary schools, and allowing them in higher schools and universities only as exceptions. • Resumption of official statistics on the Jewish population. • Restriction of Jewish immigration from Austria-Hungary and Russia. == Debate in the Prussian House of Representatives ==

At the request of the left-liberal deputy Albert Hänel, the Antisemites' Petition was debated in the Prussian House of Representatives on November 22 and 24, 1880. Contrary to hopes, the government did not condemn the petition; it merely stated its intention to maintain the legal status of equality for religious denominations in civil matters. This avoided taking a stance on antisemitic administrative practices or agitation. Except for the left-liberals, no other parliamentary faction condemned the antisemitic campaign. While most defended legal emancipation, they attributed the agitation to the alleged misconduct of Jews themselves. Ludwig Windthorst, leader of the Centre Party, could only speak "for himself" when he disapproved of the proceedings against Jews. The leader of the Conservatives, Ernst von Heydebrand und der Lasa, spoke sharply against the Jews, while the Free Conservatives and National Liberals remained reserved. Eugen Richter, leader of the German Progress Party, directly confronted Stoecker, accusing him: {{quote == Collection of signatures and submission ==

The initiators intended the signature collection to take on the character of a plebiscite. Between August 1880 and April 1881, antisemites claimed to have collected 267,000 signatures (the actual number was likely at least 225,000). == Consequences ==

Agitation surrounding the petition led to violent riots in Neustettin. On February 18, 1881, the city's synagogue was burned down, and in 1883, several local Jews were put on trial, falsely accused of setting fire to their own synagogue. On April 13, 1881, the petition was submitted to the Reich Chancellery. Bismarck ignored it, and Count Otto zu Stolberg-Wernigerode stated that the government would not change the legal status of equality. However, the petition was a partial success in gaining public attention. From 1884, Prussia pursued targeted expulsions of Jewish Poles based on Jus sanguinis (blood right), leaving them as foreigners under special law. == References ==