English Translation

75 racial selection for possible Germanization, displacement or liquidation. Both forms of categorization (official and secret) have also affected the inhabitants of the Protectorate. Hitler of March 16, 1939 on the establishment of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia changed the legal status of the population of Bohemian and Morava by dividing them into groups which had different legal status, to (a) persons with German nationality, possibly Reich citizens, (b) persons of protectorate jurisdiction, (c) Jews and Roma. 2.3.1.1 Persons with German nationality - privileged status Residents of the Protectorate who were members of the German nation (Die volksdeutschen Bewohner), according to Hitler's decree of March 16, 1939, became German nationals (deutsche Staatsangehörige) and, where appropriate, under the Act on Reichs citizens of September 15, 1935 (167) the Reich's citizens (Reichsbürger) (Article 2 (1) of the Decree). The Act of 15 September 1935 on Reich citizens distinguished the category of nationals and citizens of Reichs. The national was the one who belonged to the German Empire's protective union and was especially indebted to it (§ 1). The higher category was the Reich citizen, who could only be a national of German or related blood, who proved by his behaviour that he was willing and qualified to serve the German nation and empire faithfully. Reich citizenship was being granted a letter of imperial citizenship, and only the imperial citizen was a holder of full political rights under legal law (section 2 of the Act). Reichs citizens in the Protectorate automatically became members of the former Sudeton German Party, others who applied for German nationality had to apply for Reich citizenship. (168) The decree of the Reich Minister of Interior of 20 April 1939 was then implemented with effect from 16. March 1939 on the acquisition of German nationality by former Czech-Slovak nationals of German national jurisdiction (169) According to Section 1 of this implementing regulation, former Czechoslovak national of German