200 Jews Reported Dying Monthly in Warsaw Ghetto from Epidemics

Two thousand Jews are dying every month in the Warsaw ghetto as epidemics of cholera and typhus rage in the overcrowded unsanitary quarters in which as many as one thousand Jews live in one building it is reported in the Gazeta Zydowska, reaching here today from Poland. Contagious disease hospitals for the Jews, where precautions are taken against the spread of the diseases, have been opened in many provincial towns of Nazi occupied Poland so great is the spread of the epidemic.

In the Cracow ghetto sanitary stations at which two hundred Jews are bathed and disinfected daily have been established to try to check the epidemic. Jews are refused permission to leave the ghetto unless they are certified as disinfected and clean, in an attempt to prevent the epidemic from spreading beyond the ghetto. The Nazi authorities are permitting the setting up of special training courses on how to fight epidemics.

Jews are forbidden to leave the ghetto. on penalty of being shot on sight, while Poles are prohibited from sheltering, feeding or otherwise helping Jews fleeing the ghetto. Non-Jews must immediately report all such refugees to the Nazi authorities or suffer a fine up to 10,000 zlotys.

It is impossible for any Jews to escape the ghetto by emigrating, as the ghetto office in Warsaw of the North German Lloyd line, the only place where visas were obtainable is closed at the present. Also all foreign telegrams are not accepted at the Jewish post office, the only one open to Jews. Meanwhile it is revealed that this year already more than 100,000 Jews between the ages of 15 and 60 have been taken from the Warsaw ghetto for forced labor. In addition all male Jews between the ages of 16 and 45 must work one day each week at street cleaning. Appeals by the Warsaw Jewish Council has resulted in the reopening of three synagogues and the assignment of 25 specially marked horse-cars for use in the ghetto. A request that the Nazi authorities allow the reopening of bookstores and libraries in the ghetto is still pending. A new order, however, requires that Jews, who up until now were required to remove their hats when passing Germans in the street, are now forbidden to salute them. Also all Jewish-owned pianos must be reported to the Nazi authorities.

In Cracow Jews are forbidden to possess gold or foreign money or conduct any financial transactions with foreigners. They are permitted to draw only 500 zlotys a month from their bank and can only retain a maximum of 2,000 zlotys in cash. Jewish business organizations are under similar restrictions.

In the smaller towns Jews living on the main streets are required to move to back streets. In larger cities where there are several Jewish ghettos, communication between them is forbidden.