Before the war, Luxembourg had a population of about 3,500 Jews, many of them newly arrived in the country to escape persecution in Germany.[1] The Nuremberg Laws, which had applied in Germany since 1935, were enforced in Luxembourg from September 1940 and Jews were encouraged to leave the country for Vichy France.[1] Emigration was forbidden in October 1941, but not before nearly 2,500 had fled.[1] In practice they were little better off in Vichy France, and many of those who left were later deported and killed.