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Lodz Jews Forced to Supply 400 Women Daily As Servants for Nazi Troops

December 21, 1939
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The Jews of Lodz, Nazi Poland, are being forced to supply 400 women daily for various cleaning and kitchen services for the German military forces, it was learned here today.

The Nazis have confiscated the headquarters of the Lodz Jewish Community for use of the military board. The Community offices have been moved into a few rooms of the Jewish Hospital. All funds of the Community have been confiscated and expenses incurred by it are defrayed by the Nazis from property confiscated from Jews.

Two Poles and one Jew were hanged by the Nazis in the market place in the Balut quarter, which is inhabited by the poorest Jews in Lodz. The corpses, identity of which could not be learned, hung in the square all day long. No reason for the execution was forthcoming.

The Great Synagogue was put to the torch and destroyed by the Nazis, it was also ascertained. According to the Lodzer Zeitung, Nazi organ, firemen sought only to prevent damage to adjacent buildings.

Lodz Jews are permitted to ride only in special “Jim Crow” cars.

In areas annexed to the Reich, including Lodz, the population was given until Dec. 9 to exchange Polish for German currency. Germans, Poles and Jews formed separate lines at the banks where the exchanges were to be effected. The Jewish lines were constantly dispersed by storm troopers, so that a majority of the Jews were unable to obtain marks for zlotys.

In Warsaw, pawnshops have been ordered henceforth not to pay Jews more than 250 zlotys regardless of the value of articles pawned.

It is learned that Vice-Mayor Mastbaum of Brest-Litovsk, brother of the writer Joel Mastbaum, has been arrested by the Soviet authorities in that city.

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