Pictured: Betar members gathering in the Third Reich during 1934. (Original photograph available at the Jabotinsky Institute.)

Quoting Edwin Black’s The Transfer Agreement: The Dramatic Story of the Secret Pact Between the Third Reich and Jewish Palestine, page 175:

Juedische Rundschau was free to preach Zionism as a wholly separate political philosophy—indeed, the only separate political philosophy sanctioned by the Third Reich.⁴³

In 1933, Hebrew became an encouraged course in all Jewish schools. By 1935, uniforms for Zionist youth corps were permitted—the only non[fascist] uniform allowed in Germany. When the Nuremburg Laws in late 1935 stripped German Jewry of their citizenship, it became illegal for Jews to raise the German flag; the same law, however, stipulated that German Jewry could raise the Star of David‐emblazoned Zionist flag.⁴⁴

The ZVfD’s quick success in lobbying the Zionist option to the Reich advanced the priority of their second imperative: convincing German Jewry to relinquish ten centuries of German national existence. But the bulk of German Jewry wanted another solution to their predicament.

They wanted to stay, even as second‐class citizens—even reviled and persecuted. The hot springs and baths, the outdoor Konzerten of Bach and Mozart, the readings of Goethe, Oriental carpets on the floor, exotic fruits from Africa, a noble tradition they had fought for, died for, profited by. These people were integrated. They were Germans. They wanted to stay, even as helots.

Zionism said no. While mainstream Jewish organizations were frantically assembling theories and position papers suggesting a tapered‐down but still German national existence, the Zionists were doing the opposite. On June 21, 1933, a long ZVfD memorandum was sent directly to Hitler outlining those Zionist tenets that were consistent with [German Fascism].

For example: “Zionism believes that a rebirth […] such as that in German tradition resulting from a combination of Christian and national values, must also come about within the Jewish community. Racial background, religion, a common fate and tribal consciousness must be of decisive importance in developing a lifestyle for Jews too. […] Zionism’s objective is to organize Jewish emigration to Palestine in such a way that it improves the Jewish situation in Germany. […] Jewish settlement is based on agriculture. All productive work, be it of an agricultural, craftsmanship, or industrial nature, is performed by Jewish workers who are inspired by a new, idealistic work ethic.”⁴⁵

The German Zionist memo to Hitler contained the obligatory appeals to [Fascist] prejudices about Jewish laziness and calculated comparisons between the two movements. This was the only way to converse with the [Third Reich].

(The author goes on to excuse these Zionists by suggesting that they wrote to the Chancellor out of sheer opportunism, but I’ve seen black ultranationalists collaborating with white nationalists even though the situation was less worrisome, so I find his apologetics uncompelling.)

Quoting Emmanuel Ratier’s Les guerriers d’Israël : Enquête sur les milices sionistes, page 81:

Malgré la décision prise le 19 décembre 1934 d’interdire aux membres des mouvements de jeunesse juifs de porter leurs uniformes traditionnels, le 13 avril 1935, la police de Bavière, véritable fief de Himmler et de Heydrich, admettait exceptionnellement le port de l’uniforme par les adhérents de l’un de ces mouvements : « Il n’y aucune raison d’entraver par des mesures administratives l’activité sioniste en Allemagne, car le sionisme n’est pas en contradiction avec le programme du national‐socialisme » avaient écrit les dirigeants sionistes au ministère de l’Intérieur.

Le Brith Haschomrim et le Herzlia‐Bétar furent donc les deux seules organisations juives autorisées officiellement à porter leurs uniformes (chemise brune, pantalons, épaulettes et pattes de col, casquette, ceinturon, etc.) afin d’augmenter les motivations parmi les jeunes juifs qui les rejoindraient « car les sionistes d’État ont prouvé qu’elles avaient tenté, même illégalement, de faire émigrer ses membres en direction de la Palestine, qu’eUes avaient mené une sincère politique d’émigration, et que leurs objectifs recoupaient ainsi les buts du gouvernement du Reich de faire partir les Juifs d’Allemagne (9). »

If my French is correct, this translates to

In spite of the decision taken on December 19, 1934 prohibiting members of Jewish youth movements from wearing their traditional uniforms, on April 13, 1935 the Bavarian police, Himmler and Heydrich’s true domain, permitted an exception for one these movements’ adherents to continue wearing theirs: ‘There’s no reason to inhibit by decree Zionist activity in Germany, since Zionism doesn’t contradict the [Fascist] programme,’ wrote leading Zionists to the Minister of the Interior.

Brith Haschomrim and Herzlia‐Betar were thus the only two Jewish organizations officially allowed to wear their uniforms (brown shirt, pants, epaulettes and collar tabs, cap, leather belt, and so forth) in order to improve morale among the Jewish youths who joined them ‘because the state’s Zionists have proven that they’ll try, even illegally, to transfer their members to Palestine, that they’ve lead a sincere emigration policy, and that their objectives likewise mesh with the Third Reich’s government of emptying Germany of Jews.’

(Emphasis added in all cases.)

Cheers to PalestineRemembered.com for leading me to this.