Preparations have been completed for the early imposition of a collective “fine” against the Warsaw Jewish population, which numbered about 350,000 before the war, it was learned here today. The “fine” will be based on a general census of the Jewish community just completed by the official central Jewish organization in the former Polish capital.
The census figures have been turned over to a special Nazi statistical commission for elaboration. A “fine” commission, comprising high German tax and Gestapo officials, is already functioning and has allocated the proportions of the levy that is to be paid by each Jewish family.
In many towns in the German zone, “fines” have already been imposed and collected in the most drastic manner. The Jewish community in the town of Radom has been ordered to pay 325,000 zlotys (about $60,000 at pre-war rates) and half of the sum has been collected.
A levy of 100,000 zlotys was assessed against the few hundred Jews in the township of Chmielnik, in the Kielce district, and collected by confiscation of their entire fortune.
Meanwhile, the Nazi authorities in Warsaw have accepted an offer by the Jewish Community of that city to supply hundreds of workmen daily for compulsory work in removing war debris.
As a result, the Nazi practice of snatching Jews from the streets for the compulsory labor service has been partially discontinued, although there are still some instances of the snatching occurring in the early hours of the day.
In addition to the community arrangement, every Jewish-owned house in the city is obliged to supply three Jewish laborers for debris removal work each day. These laborers are not paid by the Nazi authorities, being compensated instead by the Jewish Community at the rate of three to five zlotys (57 to 95 cents at pre-war rates) per day.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
