Faced with a situation where the non-Jewish population in Holland continues to demonstrate its sympathy for the Jews on every possible occasion, the Nazi occupation authorities in Amsterdam are now forcing former Jewish government officials to sign orders oppressing the Netherland people, thus trying to provoke anti-Jewish feelings among non-Jews, it was reported here today by the Netherland Government-in-Exile.
These Jewish officials of the former administration, whom the Nazis are unable to replace, are forced to continue in their posts despite a general order that the Jews of Holland be “liquidated” as quickly as possible, the report said. Acting upon this order, the occupation authorities are now taking large numbers of Jews from the concentration camp at Vught and deporting them to unknown destinations.
Approximately 30,000 Amsterdam Jews – a half of the entire Jewish population in the city – had been deported by the Nazis up to last week, while in the provincial towns few Jews, mainly specialists, remain. A staff of German doctors has been assigned to examine every Jew in Holland in order to establish which of the Jews in the country can be used for forced labor. Only a few Jews have been exempted from hard labor, the report says.
The Jews in Holland, wherever they are, are living in constant fear of deportation, the report continues. In the street they expect arrest at any moment. At home they are frightened by every knock at the door. Because of the intensified Gestapo supervision, it has become more and more difficult for a non-Jew to help his Jewish friends.
DUTCH POLICEMAN WEEPS WHEN ORDERED TO ARREST JEWISH FAMILY
A large number of Christians with whom Jews deposited valuables prior to their deportation from Holland have been arrested by the Gestapo, the report relates. When a Dutch policeman was ordered recently to arrest a Jewish family, he came to the family and declared with tears in his eyes: “I have been ordered to arrest you. If I do not obey the order, I and my children will suffer. Nevertheless, I will not insist if you refuse to follow me.”
A report issued by the German chamber of commerce in occupied Holland reveals that all Jewish clothing enterprises have been taken over by Germans. The report reveals that the same German industrialists who have taken over the Jewish clothing firms sit on the committee which decides which of the Jewish businesses in Holland are to be liquidated and which persons are qualified to become trustees of “Aryanized” Jewish stores.
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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.
