How much were Jews allowed to take with them from Nazi Germany?

Question

This Smithsonian Magazine article indicates that Jews could keep 8% of their assets (at least in some cases, and I am sure in practice there were obstacles to retaining even that), which is different from the 10 marks I have seen in numerous places.

Is this indeed a discrepancy, or am I misunderstanding the article?

I am not confusing Marks with percent. For example, when you read about Hitler's former family doctor who was treated better than other Jews, it is stated that he was allowed to take 16 instead of the usual 10 marks with him. Wikipedia:Eduard_Bloch

EDIT: I note that the article about Bloch says not only was he allowed to take slightly more money with him (still a very nominal sum is 16 RM) but he was also able to sell his house at market value. But what could he do with the proceeds of the house sale -- did they remain in a German bank account from which he could draw even in the USA (while the two countries still had relations)?

Answer 1

Is this indeed a discrepancy, or am I misunderstanding the article?

You are misunderstanding the situation, since the article is mixing multiple laws that changed over time.

• Currency restrictions (Devisenbewirtschaftung)
  • 1931-08-01: RM 3.000
  • 1934-09-11: RM 50
  • 1934-09-29: RM 10
• Reich Flight Tax (Reichsfluchtsteuer)
  • 1931-12-08: for sums over RM 20.000 [§2], 25% [§3(1)]
  • 1934-05-18: for sums over RM 5.000, 25% (§3(1) was not changed)
• Fees for money transfer (Dego levy)
  • 1934-01: 20%
  • 1934-08: 65%
  • 1936-10: 81%
  • 1938-06: 90%
  • 1939-09: 96%
• Ordinance on the registration of property of Jews
  • 1938-04-22
  • Jewish Capital Levy (Judenvermögensabgabe)
    • 1938-11-21: for sums over RM 5.000 [§3(4)], 20% [§4(1)]

The currency restrictions was the amount allowed to be converted to foreign currency and applied to all persons traveling abroad (i.e. also for short visits ; tourist etc.) and are often seen in German passports after 1934.

The Reich Flight Tax applied to all persons leaving the country permanently. A simular law existed between 1918 and 1925.

Fees for money transfer (Dego levy)

Dego-Abgabe (German only)
Wer auf legalem Wege emigrieren wollte, musste seine Wertpapiere und die Verkaufserlöse von Geschäft und Immobilien auf einem Sperrmark-Konto belassen. Der Umtausch vom Auswanderersperrguthaben in Devisen musste von der Deutschen Golddiskontbank genehmigt werden und wurde nur mit einem Disagio vorgenommen, der sogenannten Dego-Abgabe.

Those who wanted to emigrate legally had to leave their securities and the proceeds from the sale of businesses and real estate in a blocked mark account. The exchange of the emigrant's blocked credit into foreign currency had to be approved by the Deutsche Golddiskontbank and was only carried out with a discount, the so-called Dego levy.

Note:
The transfer fee was set by the Deutsche Golddiskontbank and not by law. The Paul Reiss sample quotes 92.5% for November 1938.

Jewish Capital Levy, for German or stateless Jews, based on their worldwide financial assets as of 1938-11-12. For sums over RM 5.000, rounded down to the nearest RM 1.000 [§3(5)]: 20% to be paid in 4 rates of 5% [§4(1,2)]:

• 1938-12-15
• 1939-02-15
• 1939-05-15
• 1939-08-15

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Sample: Paul Reiss	Date	Assets (RM)	Rate	Tax/Fee	Total
Reichsfluchtsteuer	1938-08	634.000	25%	158.500	158.500
Dego-Abgabe (Transfer)	1938-11	100.000	92.5%	92.500	251.000
Judenvermögensabgabe #1/4	1938-12-15	537.500	5%	26.875	277.875
Judenvermögensabgabe #2/4	1939-02-15	537.500	5%	26.875	304.750
Judenvermögensabgabe #3/4	1939-05-15	537.500	5%	26.875	331.625
Judenvermögensabgabe #4/4	1939-08-15	537.500	5%	26.875	358.500
Dego-Abgabe (Transfer)	1939-09	239.219	96%	229.650	588.150
Assets	1940-01	60.722

Note:
The buying value of the Reichsmark, in 1938, was € 4.30 (as of 2020).

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Sources:

• Currency restrictions:
  • Verordnung des Reichspräsidenten über die Devisenbewirtschaftung
    • 1. August 1931 / RGBl. I, S. 421-426
      • §11 Freimenge RM 3000
  • Verordnung zur Änderung der Verordnung über die Devisenbewirtschaftung
    • 11. September 1934 / RGBl. I, S. 829
      • §21(1): Freimenge RM 50
  • Verordnung zur Änderung der Verordnung über die Devisenbewirtschaftung
    • 29. September 1934 / RGBl. I, S. 894
      • §21(1): Freimenge RM 10
• Reichsfluchtsteuer
  • Siebter Teil, Kapitel III: Reichsfluchtsteuer und sonstige Maßnahmen gegeb Kapitel- und Steuerflucht
    • 8. Dezember 1931 Reichsgesetzblatt 1931 I, pp. 731-737
    • 1931-12-08: Reich Flight Tax - Wikipedia
  • Gesetz über Änderung der Vorschriften über die Reichsfluchtsteuer
    • 18. Mai 1934 RGBl.1934 I, S. 392–393
• Ordinance on the registration of property of Jews
  (and "Jewish Capital Levy")
  • Verordnung über die Anmeldung des Vermögens von Juden
    • 22. April 1938 / RGBl. Band 1938 Teil I, Nr. 63, Seite 414–415
  • Durchführungsverordnung über die Sühneleistung der Juden (Judenvermögensabgabe)
    • 21. November 1938 / RGBl. Band 1938 Teil I, Nr. 196, Seite 1638–1640
• Finanzielle Ausplünderung deutscher Juden: Das Beispiel Paul Reiss — Landesbildungsserver Baden-Württemberg (in German)
• Kaufkraftäquivalente historischer Beträge in deutschen Währungen - Deutsche Bundesbank - Stand: 2021-01 (PDF)