Rosenberg's Order on Forced Labor For Jews in the Occupied Territories

Regulation on the Introduction of Forced Labor for the Jewish Population, August 16, 1941

Pursuant to Article 8 of the Fuehrer's Edict on the Administration of the newly occupied Eastern Territories of July 17, 1941, I order the following:

Article 1

Male and female Jews aged from their completed 14th to completed 60th year, residing in the newly occupied Eastern Territories, are liable for Forced Labor. The Jews will be collected in Forced Labor groups for this purpose.

Article 2

1) Any person evading Forced Labor will be sent to prison with hard labor.

2) In the event of several persons conspiring to avoid Forced Labor, or in other especially grave cases, the death penalty may be imposed.

3) Cases will be judged by the Special Courts.

Article 3

The orders required for the implementation of this regulation will be published by the Reichskommissare.

Berlin, August 16, 1941

The Reich Minister for the Occupied Eastern Territories

signed Rosenberg

Yad Vashem Archives, 0-4/53-1