Existence in the overcrowded Warsaw Jewish ghetto grows more difficult from day to day, according to reports in Gazeta Zydowaka, only Jewish paper in the territory of the Government General, which reached here today. Possessing neither capital, industry or raw materials the only source of income to feed and house the ghetto inhabitants is that derived from skilled and unskilled labor.
To secure a sum sufficient to meet the minimum food requirement it would be necessary that 63,000 Jewish workers be employed and earning 200 zlotys, approximately forty dollars, monthly. Despite frantic efforts on the part of the Jewish authorities to create employment opportunities only one tenth this number have secured work. It takes 12,600,000 slotys, approximately $2,520,000, monthly to provide food alone.
In an attempt to remedy the almost unbelievable housing conditions in the ghetto Jewish authorities are redistributing the inhabitants, who now average three and a half persons to a one-window room. Also each house is required to contribute beds, bedding and linen to supply the Jewish hospital.
Further restrictive regulations continue to be issued by the Nazi authorities. Since the hot weather added to the extreme discomfort in the ghetto Jews have taken to lingering near the open street door after nine o’clock. As a result the penalties for this “offense” have been greatly increased. Another order prohibits Jewish use of gold for dental purposes. Gold is completely unavailable to Jewish dentists, while Aryan dentists are forbidden to treat Jews.
From the provincial cities come reports of the transfer of Jews to certain designated centers. For example in Rademsko hundreds of newly arrived homeless refugees were housed in the synagogues and fed one meal daily by the Jewish community. In Kezimierz-Wielki adults were lodged in camps while their children were distributed among the Jewish homes. At Tarnow 1,552 completely destitute Jews receive meagre relief. In Miechow the Jewish leaders face the problem of feeding and housing 3,000 destitute arrivals. In Jedlicz and Koziewice free meal kitchens have been closed for lack of funds. Previously 1,600 portions of milk had been distributed monthly to undernourished children in Koziewice.
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.
