The anti-Jewish reign of terror gained momentum in many sections of Poland today, marked chiefly by bombings in Grodno and Sosnowiecz and street attacks in Lodz and Poznan.
A bomb early today demolished the clinical and medical offices of the Jewish Red Cross located in the building occupied by the Jewish medical association, TOZ, in Grodno.
The same bomb, believed to have been hurled by anti-Semitic Nationalists (Endeks), also wrecked the local branch of the Ford Motor Company across the street.
The bomb exploded at nine o’clock in the morning, shortly before the arrival of doctors and patients, otherwise hundreds might have been killed.
In Sosnowiecz, a synagogue was bombed shortly after the conclusion of the services. No casualties were recorded, although the building was partially wrecked.
STREET ATTACKS BY ORGANIZED BANDS
Endeks in Lodz launched attacks upon Jews in the main streets of the city, injuring many. Prospective customers of Jewish shops were particularly singled out and assaulted.
In several cities of Poznan, similar street attacks were made by organized bands of hooligans. Many Jews received injuries. Several rioters were arrested by the police.
Today delegations from many towns were arriving in Warsaw bearing appeals to the authorities to protect Jewish life and property.
A group representing the Jews of Wagurow, Pizedry and Dialodrzeg said that the terror in those towns was similar to that in Przytyk, where two Jews were killed and 22 seriously wounded in a pogrom last week. Pogroms are expected momentarily there, the delegation stated, adding that life for Jews is absolutely unsafe and that the police are both indifferent to their fate and unreliable.
Police reinforcements were rushed from Warsaw to Karczew to prevent a pogrom that was threatened by the Endeks for today.
A delegation from Zagorie, near Lodz, where a pogrom occurred on February 5, described the terror under which 200 families have been living for the fifth successive week. Jews of that town, they declared, are living under a complete economic blockade, no food being sold to Jews by peasants and Polish shops while the Jewish stores are continuously being pillaged. The delegation appealed to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee for food supplies to be rushed.
POGROMS THREATENED IN WARSAW SUBURB
Over the week-end Endeks carried out a series of attacks on 150 Jewish families in the Warsaw suburb of Karczev, threatening them with a pogrom today. The Jewish Community of that town appealed to Warsaw for protection. Children were transported to Warsaw for shelter.
Endeks attacked Jewish homes in Bochnia and stoned the synagogue. Leaders of the attacks were arrested but released after being detained a few hours.
While the reign of terror was spreading throughout the country, anti-Jewish propaganda continued to be featured in the Endek press. The official Endek organ, Gazota Warszawska, today published a demand that Jews emigrating to Palestine be forced to leave their capital behind. The paper alleges that 8,700 Polish Jews went to Palestine as capitalists (Palestine admission requirements for this category require possession of a minimum of $5,000) in the last two and one half years, taking with them 313 million zlotys.
POLISH LABOR GROUPS BACK PROTEST STRIKE
Meanwhile, the general strike called for tomorrow by Jewish labor groups in protest against the excesses today received added support from Polish labor bodies.
At a conference in Lodz, 500 factory delegates representing 100,000 organized Polish textile workers, announced their solidarity with the Jewish strike. A special mass meeting of Polish workers was called by the conference, but the authorities of Lodz prohibited the adoption of resolutions.
Polish workers throughout the country, as individuals and organizations, are expressing their sympathy with tomorrow’s strike.
Jewish newspapers of this city and others will not appear tomorrow morning as an expression of sympathy with the strikers. Moving picture theatres operated by Jews will be closed for the day. Offices of the Jewish Community and other central Jewish organizations also will shut down.
SEJM TO ACT ON SHECHITA BILL TODAY
While the strike is being carried out, the Sejm (Polish Parliament) will be considering the bill to prohibit shechita, Jewish ritual method of slaughtering animals, a measure which has been attended by a tremendous amount of anti-Jewish propaganda. At the same time the Sejm will be asked to consider another measure which would prohibit Jews from selling dairy products and vegetables.
Warsaw Jews have established a Central Jewish Committee for the relief of the Przytyk victims under the presidency of Senator Rabbi Moses Schorr. The Yiddish press of this city has opened a campaign for relief funds. A glazier has contributed glass to replace the windows shattered in the Przytyk excesses. Others are making donations of food.
Jews of Przytyk were yesterday thrown into a panic when police conducted a rigorous search of their homes for arms in an effort to establish that last week’s pogrom was the result of Jewish provocation.
A delegation of Jewish leaders from Warsaw, seeking to investigate conditions in Przytyk, were stopped five miles from the town and searched for arms.
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.
