On 20 August 1941 State Secretary Frank asks Reich Protector von Neurath to confirm by telephone that he approves the introduction of identifying armbands for the Jewish population¹YVA, 0.7.Cz/4. Published in Milotová and Kárný, Od Neuratha k Heydrichovi, doc. 34, p. 350. This document has been translated from German.

Telex no. 952/41 (marked ‘secret’), signed Frank, to Reich Protector Baron von Neurath, Leinfelden, via SD Main District Stuttgart, dated 20 August 1941 (copy)²The original contains handwritten comments and annotations.

Your Excellency. I request your approval to have Jews in the Protectorate to be visibly identified with armbands. The Jews are becoming more brazen by the day. Constant violations of our regulations pertaining to Jews are a daily occurrence. We are getting reports from every quarter on the anti-Reich activities of the Jews, which are getting worse by the hour. They are forming little cliques in public bars, restaurants, and cafés, despite a ban on entry; they are discussing enemy radio news bulletins with Czech groups; and they are inciting the local population against us. Jewish black marketeers and racketeers are plying their trade openly in the streets. Oberlandräte, other Reich offices, Party agencies, and other organizations, including Czech groups, are calling for the visible identification of Jews to be introduced as a matter of urgency. Luxembourg has just introduced visible identification for Jews.³The Regulation concerning the rules for Jewish Life in Luxembourg, dated 29 July 1941, introduced the requirement for Jews to wear a yellow armband before similar legislation was implemented in the Old Reich. A meeting with the undersecretaries and departmental heads concluded in unanimous approval. We expect the measure to have a positive impact. Please telephone to confirm your approval.⁴Neurath telephoned the same day to approve Frank’s proposal: Milotová and Kárný, Od Neuratha k Heydrichovi, pp. 350–351. The requirement for Jews to wear visible identification was introduced in the Protectorate at the same time as legislation making this mandatory throughout the Reich. See Doc. 212.
Heil Hitler!