Jewish Evictions in Roumanian Town by Order of District Prefect Who is Professor Jorga’s Son-in-law:

The Prefect of the District of Storojineti, Major Chirescu, who is a son-in-law of the Prime Minister, Professor Jorga, issued an order some time back to clear away a number of refugee barracks which are situated in the town of Wiznitz, in Bukovina. The barracks are inhabited by 144 Jews belonging to the poorest section of the population, and owing to the congested state of the town, there is no possibility of finding other accommodation for them, so that the eviction order means rendering them homeless on the verge of the winter.

The barracks date back to the end of the war, when the inhabitants of the town who had been scattered by the war operations returning from various parts of the then Austrian Empire found their homes destroyed, and the authorities erected a number of barracks for their accommodation. Gradually houses were built, but the poorest section of the population had to remain in the barracks. Most of them are unemployed, or old people, living on the charity of their neighbours. The site on which the barracks are situated is said to be wanted by the local director of schools, a certain Popescu, who wishes to erect a house there. The Municipality, to whom the site belongs, refused to evict the present occupiers, but the Prefect, M. Chirescu, overruled the Municipality, and ordered the barracks to be removed. The Mayor of Wiznitz, who is himself a Jew, Wiznitz being almost entirely inhabited by Jews, refused to obey the order and said that he would rather resign his office. The Jewish Deputies Ebner and Diamant and Senator Chief Rabbi Dr. Niemirover interviewed the authorities, but without success.

Meanwhile the Prefect sent down workmen to Wiznitz, who have already begun to demolish the barracks. The victims sent a telegram to the Union of Roumanian Jews in Bucharest, appealing for help. The President of the Union, Dr. W. Fildermann, and the Secretary, Mr. M. Selzer Saratzeanu, visited the Ministry of the Interior, and the Ministry decided to send to Wiznitz a commission consisting of M. Florescu, the Inspector General of the Ministry of the Interior, and M. Selzer Saratzeanu, as the delegate of the Union, in order to enquire into the matter on the spot, and to endeavour to bring about a settlement. The demand of the representatives of the Union of Roumanian Jews is that the eviction from the refugee barracks should at least be suspended till the spring. M. Saratzeanu has already left for Wiznitz.