Jan. 22, 1812

“Laws Pertaining to Jews in Welleburg-Schwerin” Issued by Friedrich Franz I of Schwerin [Present-day Germany; Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin]: “… 2) Jews are not allowed to remain in the country unless they have attained a naturalization patent and a concession to a particular trade. 3) [Jews] are not to be hired as private servants or one for commerce, with very few exception. 4) All local Jews are to take on specific and hereditary surnames within four weeks and file it with the local authorities. Once the names are approved by the government, they are to be made public in a newspaper. Those who fail to follow these regulations could lose their ‘privilegii.’ 5) Jews are required to maintain their bookkeeping in either German or any other living language, except Hebrew if they don’t want to commit a felony. They are not to even write their names in Hebrew. 6) All heads of Jewish communities are to keep accurate ‘church books’ and keep track of each birth, death and marriage within 3 days of its occurrence or be fined 20 Thaler. In smaller cities with fewer Jews, this ‘church book’ is to be kept by the municipal authorities for a fee of 16 Schillings. 7) The authorities of the Rabbis to make decisions pertaining to laws of the land is revoked completely.  And they are entirely forbidden from doing trade with their Jews. … 9) Although Jews are allowed to follow the Sabbath and other religious holidays, Jews not permitted to use to use their religion to violate their contractual obligations. 10) Intermarriages between Jews and Christians are allowed. However, the wedding ceremony is to only take place in front of a priest and all resulting children are to be brought up in the Christian faith. 11) Jews are permitted to own any kind of property in the cities as well as on the rural area; however, they are cannot exercise their ‘patronage rights.’  Those are to be administered by the local officers. 12) We [King Friedrich Frank] reserve the right to decide later as to in which capacity Jews are allowed to hold public offices.”