Refugees from Bohemia-Moravia said today that all Jewish commercial enterprises in the Nazi “protectorate” will have been liquidated or transferred to “Aryans” by the end of January. The refugees also revealed that the remaining Jews in the “protectorate” have been notified to prepare themselves for deportation to the Lublin “reservation” in Nazi Poland. Shipment of Jews to that region, which has been temporarily interrupted, will be resumed in February, they said.
Reports that the Jews of Bohemia-Moravia are forbidden to leave their homes after four p.m. were confirmed by the refugees, who added that even during the hours when they are permitted to appear on the streets they are hounded and molested. The refugees reported that 500 Jews of Bulgarian citizenship have been forced to return to Bulgaria.
The Czech population, they said, is sympathizing with the Jews but can do little to help them since they themselves are exposed to Nazi brutalities and persecution. All inhabitants between the ages of 15 and 70, the refugees reported, are forced to engage in hard labor while all enterprises, Jewish and Czech, are permitted to remain open only a half hour per day.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
