The separation of Jewish wives from their husbands in the mass-deportations of Jews which are now taking place in France, Belgium, Poland and other Nazi-held countries is being carried out under a secret order from Berlin that everything possible be done to prevent Jewish births in Europe, it was revealed here today by a captured German soldier.
The Nazi prisoner, Walter Swedler, was stationed in the fortress town of Therezin, Czechoslovakia, prior to being bent to the Russian front. He witnessed the deportation of thousands of Jews from all parts of the Czech Protectorate to Therezin. All deported families, he said today, were separated so that husband and wife would not be together.
The German prisoner also disclosed that the Jewish internees in Therezin are not provided with food and have to secure food wherever they can find it. At the same time they are forced to do hard labor including drawing heavily loaded wagons, in lieu of horses. Their barracks are guarded by Czech gendarmes, but actual control rests in the hands of the Gestapo supervisors. Jewish men must take off their hats and Jewish women must bow when they meet a German soldier, the Nazi prisoner stated.
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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.
