Reveal Disruption Caused by Ouster of Jews from Hungary’s Economy

The economic difficulties which have arisen as a result of the barring of Jews from Hungary’s economic life and their segregation in ghettos is revealed by Lazlo Gyapay, deputy mayor of the large city of Nagyvarad (Oradea-Mara), in a memorandum to the Sztojay Government, a copy of which was obtained here today.

The memorandum, which points out that Nagyvarad was the first city to set up a ghetto, says that since its establishment on May 3, grave dislocation has occurred. The authorities have found it impossible to cope with the vast problem resulting from the registration and evaluation of Jewish property, including nearly 5,000 apartments, 600 shops and 500 industrial plants, and the consequent unemployment among thousands of non-Jews who formerly were employed by Jews.

Many workers, the memorandum continues, were unemployed for a protracted period between the confiscation of Jewish enterprises and the appointment of a government trustee to operate them. In addition, Jewish employers had been paying allowances to the families of men called to the army, and these have not been paid since May 3, causing wide-spread distress. Also, in industries which have resumed operation under government trustees, workers are complaining that they are receiving lower wages than were paid by the Jewish employers.

Further difficulties have resulted from the fact that the flow of raw materials to factories and manufactures from them has virtually ceased. The turnover of Christian merchants has not increased since the stock from confiscated Jewish shops are still being sold. Small artisans who had received orders from Jews are unable to dispose of the finished products.

The memorandum concludes by pointing out that the economic life of Nagyvarad was interwoven with Jewish interests and urges the appointment of a special commission to deal with “the insurmountable difficulties.”