In 1933, the newly established Nazi government passed the Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service aimed at redefining eligibility for civil service positions. The law mandated the removal of all Jews from public office, and it also targeted other groups considered political dissidents, including Communists and Socialists. By implementing this exclusionary measure, the Nazi Party sought to instill their ideology within the state's institutional framework and align civil service appointments with their vision of a racially pure German society. This law effectively barred thousands of qualified professionals, including judges, teachers, and civil servants, from their positions solely based on their Jewish heritage or political affiliations, leading to widespread unemployment and further marginalization of these communities. The legislation illustrated a shift from the political rhetoric of the Nazis into systematic legal discrimination, laying the groundwork for more severe measures that followed.

The enactment occurred in a climate of national enthusiasm for the Nazi regime, fueled by promises to restore Germany’s pride and economic stability post-World War I. Public support for these exclusions was often rooted in ingrained anti-Semitic sentiments and a fear of Marxist ideologies. The Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service marked an essential turning point; it was one of the earliest legal actions that instituted a racial hierarchy within the German state, challenging the principles of equality and justice that had previously underpinned German civil society. This pivotal moment set a precedent for subsequent legislation that would further entrench the systemic persecution of Jews in Germany, ultimately culminating in the horrors of the Holocaust in the years to come.