Official Polish circles reported today that the Nazi authorities in Poland were officially encouraging the Polish population to rob and kill Jews.
According to the report, two German soldiers entered a jewelry shop in the Jewish quarter of Warsaw and seized most of the valuable objects. A Pole witnessing the robbery reported it to Gestapo headquarters. The Gestapo inspector dismissed him saying:
“You must understand that what you have seen was regular confiscation. You must get accustomed to the way we do things. Everything the Jews have may be taken from them because everything they have derives from legalized robbery. We attach great importance to the fact that the Polish population should know that any Pole may go to any Jewish shop, throw out the Jew and keep his property, and our laws will protect the Pole. Anyone who fancies it may be necessary to kill the Jew need not fear that our laws will harm him.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.