Starvation Threatens Many Prague Jews; Leaders Still Held, Institutions Closed

Threat of starvation added today to the panic prevailing among the estimated 160,000 Jews of Bohemia-Moravia since its occupation by the German army.

The situation was acute in Prague, where the only Jewish soup kitchen and all Jewish charity institutions have been shut down by the Nazis. Many Jews dependent upon relief are facing starvation. Since all Jewish bank accounts have been stopped, wealthier Jews are prevented from aiding the needy. The coming of Passover makes the position especially tragic, since there are no facilities for provision of matzoth which is usually brought in from Slovakia.

Meanwhile, all Jewish institutions and newspapers have been closed by the Nazis. Jewish leaders seized shortly after the occupation are still under detention. Marie Schmolka, head of the Refugee Relief Organization, and her Jewish assistants who were arrested in the first days of the occupation and subsequently released were re-arrested today. That preparations had been made long before the occupation is indicated by the fact that the Nazis are working from lists in making their arrests. Today they came to arrest a Jewish editor named Lebenhart, who has been dead for the past ten years.

Large numbers of Jews are being rounded up nightly and committed to concentration camp. Jews in the vicinity of the Altreu Synagogue are afraid to remain in their homes at night because of reports that wholesale arrests of Jews in that district will soon be launched.

Many Jews released after detention by the Gestapo bear the marks of brutal maltreatment. Some have come back with their features almost unrecognizable.

The Nazi authorities yesterday prohibited the disposal of Jewish realty, by sale, lease or outright gift. All Jewish shops in Prague have been closed and all Jewish employes of non Jewish shops have been dismissed. Jewish employes of the Prague Municipality have also been deprived of their posts.