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Jul 2023
11m 15s

Napoleon's Surname Decree

The Retrospectors
About this episode
Rerun. France’s Jewish population mostly had no family surnames – until 20th July, 1808, when Napoleon issued a decree insisting they adopted one. They were not permitted to choose place names, and allusions to the Old Testament were forbidden. Rumours persist that some families were charged higher fees to adopt prettier names, but in a Europe rife with anti ... Show More
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