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...Right
from the beginning of the New Order in Poland a number of
regulations were published that damaged the Jewish economy. At
the beginning of October of last year [1939], that is, shortly
after the cessation of military operations in Poland, a
regulation was published, dated September 18, concerning
currency in circulation.
This
regulation contains the following severe restrictions in
respect to the economic activities of the Jews in this
country:
1.
A maximum of 500 zloty may be paid out in cash to a Jew, and
the rest must be deposited in a blocked account in a financial
institution.
2.
Banks may pay out to a Jew a maximum of 250 zl. a week from
his accounts, or credit his accounts with this sum.
3.
A Jewish family may not possess more than 2,000 zl. not
deposited in a bank....
The
above regulations make it impossible for Jews to conclude any
business transaction or fill any orders, as a businessman must
have at his disposal large sums of money for the purchase of
goods or the execution of large orders, particularly now as
transactions on credit have completely disappeared. How can a
Jewish trader or craftsman buy the necessary goods or raw
materials if he may possess only 2,000 zl. and may only
collect 500 zl. a month of monies owing to him, has to pay
cash and then may often wait several months until he can sell
his goods? As a result, hundreds of Jewish enterprises had to
be liquidated immediately after these regulations were made
known....
...The
Regulation of September 29, 1939, provides for officially
appointed Administrators only in cases where the individual
authorized to manage the enterprise up to then is abroad, or
where the rational management of the enterprise is not
possible for special reasons. In actual fact, official
Administrators have been appointed in many Jewish firms where
the owner is present, and there is no reason for complaint
concerning the management....
In
a number of Jewish enterprises the Administrators and trustees
first of all brought about the removal of Jewish employees and
workers....
Paragraph
6 of the Regulation of December 12, 1939, concerning the
introduction of forced labor for Jews, forbids all Jews
ordered to carry out forced labor to sell their work-tools or
machinery, or to make any disposition concerning their use,
without written permission from the German authorities. This
restriction applies to all Jewish craftsmen and greatly
increases the difficulties of their position, as it is now
often necessary to liquidate the workshops of persons who have
died or emigrated....
In
addition, Jews may not be on the roads between 9:00 o'clock in
the evening and 5:00 o'clock in the morning. Further, Jews may
not move their place of residence from one locality to another
without special permission from the Authorities, according to
a Regulation dated December 11 of last year.** Jewish
manufacturers, traders, and craftsmen therefore have no
opportunity of making contact with the merchants in other
cities....
Pension
rights and social insurance have been withdrawn from former
government officials who are Jews, and from invalids, widows
and dependents of Jews entitled to social insurance. This has
increased the number of Jews who have lost all means needed
for their living expenditures....
Eksterminacja,
pp. 154-157.
*
The memorandum was completed in July 1940.
**
See Document 75. |
