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EST 1917

Italy Searches Jews’ Homes; Refugees’ Food Allowances Reduced

September 17, 1940
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
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A systematic search of the homes of most Italian Jews is being carried out by police in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior.

No explanation has been given for this action but the particular attention paid by the police to private correspondence and books has led to the belief that they are trying to discover whether the Jews are in touch with the enemy or conducting propaganda in his favor. No arrests have been reported thus far.

Polish Jewish refugees are finding it particularly difficult to leave the country although holding valid visas for North or South America. The difficulty lies in the fact that Spanish authorities absolutely refuse transit to Polish citizens or stateless persons.

The plight of the approximately 1,000 foreign Jewish refugees in Italian internment camps has become more desperate because of the recent reduction of living allowances allotted them.

Under the original arrangement, each refugee was allotted six and a half lire daily (30 cents) for food plus 50 lire rental allowance. This sum was found sufficient to cover bare necessities. Now this amount is only given to heads of families. Wives residing with husbands in the same camp receive 1.10 lire daily while daughters up to 20 years and sons up to 18 are allotted only 55 centesimi (two and a half cents) daily with no rental allowance.

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