Napoleonic decree on French Jewish legislation issued in March 1808. Its discriminatory content brought it the title of “infamous decree” – Décret infâme. The decree covered restrictions in relation to credit, trade, freedom of movement, and military service. This was intended to push through the Jews’ assimilation more rapidly, but de facto revoked the equality they had gained in the French Revolution.

In the years before the enactment of the decree, the Jews were already under pressure from Napoleon to dispel doubts over their affiliation to the French…