Several thousand Jews fleeing from German-occupied Poland have been barred from Soviet territory and marooned in a narrow stretch of “no-man’s-land,” it was reported here today. The Soviet authorities, which hitherto admitted refugees from the Nazi-held territory, apparently closed the frontier because the Nazi anti-Semitic measures had increased the numbers of fleeing Jews to a point where the Russians felt they could no longer cope with the problem.
Soviet border patrols were reported to be advising refugees of their sympathy with oppressed Jews but declaring that they were under strict orders not to permit anyone to cross the frontier who could not comply with requirements. Barred from the Soviet area, the refugees turn back to Nazi Poland, only to find that the German frontier guards refuse to re-admit them. As a result, they, remain in the “no-man’s-land,” cut off from the world and lacking food and shelter.
Contributing to the exodus from Nazi Poland was the Germans’ devaluation of Polish currency a few days ago throughout the occupied area. With the German mark proclaimed as the recognized currency and the Polish zloty becoming valueless, those persons fortunate enough to retain Polish money during the invasion found themselves unable to use it.
The devaluation also hit at refugees from Poland now in Lithuanian-controlled Wilno, since the Lithuanian Government followed the Germans’ lead in devaluing the zloty, thus creating a tremendous problem for those refugees who had their entire capital in Polish currency. They became dependent on the relief organized by the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.
In view of the new situation, the British Minister in Lithuania has recommended to London the allocation from the British Government’s refugee fund of £;5,000 monthly for the refugees in Wilno.
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.
