Unused Star of David badge imprinted with Jood, Dutch for Jew

Square yellow cloth printed with a Star of David with badge cutting guidelines and the word Jood, an example of the type of badge distributed in German occupied Netherlands. The stars were issued on rolls of cloth and the user had to cut one out along the guidelines to make a badge to attach to their clothing. Following the German invasion of the Netherlands on May 10, 1940, a civil administration under the authority of the SS was installed. Anti-Jewish legislation was enacted within two months. On April 28, 1942, a decree was issued ordering that all Jews in the Netherlands over the age of six must wear a yellow Star of David badge. The decree was published in newspapers on the 29th and enforced on May 1, 1942. The German appointed Jewish Council was responsible for distributing the patches, which were to be worn on the outer clothing at all times. The badges were used to make it easy to identify Jews and to ostracize them from Dutch society. The Netherlands was liberated on May 5, 1945.