Ordinance, issued by the [Prussian] state government of Posen [Present-day Germany]: “In spite of the ordinances against the useless roaming of Jewish merchants, public safety remains endangered by a number of Jewish merchants without means, who move about the land under false pretenses. In view of this, the following ordinances regarding Jewish merchants are hereby made known to police and public alike: 1. The passport-issuing agencies do not need to make any distinction between Jewish merchants and other residents when issuing passports. 2. Jewish merchants with special permission to trade while traveling, are also to be treated according to the passport directive of July 12, 1817. However, those Jews without such permission may only be issued a passport with a maximum validity of three months. 3. Those Jewish merchants trading at markets, who come from other [Prussian] states but do not bear the necessary passports, shall be turned back immediately by way of a visa.” [Researcher’s note: Section 1 appears merely cosmetic, in view of the fact that “other residents” (who were not Jewish) did not need any passport for domestic travel.]
Kletke, M.G. (ed.). Organisation des Judenwesens im Großherzogthum Posen (Organization of Jewish Affairs in the Grand Duchy of Posen). Heymann: Berlin, 1843. Page 308. Researched by Dominik Jacobs 4/15/2020