The Great Loss
Those living in the Lodz ghetto experienced great hardships and adversities. Many were deprived of their material possessions and constantly tortured, but this did not amount to the disheartening effects the deportation caused amongst the community. Harmless children and the elderly, in which everyone adored and respected, were torn away from their loved ones and sent to destruction. Rumkowski, a member of the Jewish council, and a Jewish observer play different roles during the deportation, yet both indicate the mutual hardships and anguish they experienced during this time.
Lodz ghetto was established in September 1939 by command of the Nazi authorities in order to implement the racist Nuremberg Laws of September 1935. Immediately, these laws were strictly enforced “completely separating the Jews from the general population by limiting their freedom of movement”. The Jews of Lodz were held hostage by many restrictions and orders by German command stripping them of their basic right to freedom. Little by little, the Jews in the Lodz ghetto would be deprived of their material possessions, businesses, and economic life as a whole. According to the Holocaust Education and Archive Research Team, “...the laws introduced earlier in Germany, Austria, and Czechoslovakia were made more rigorous in Lodz”. In addition to the destruction of Jewish businesses and shops, many Jews were constantly assaulted and forced to do hard labor with no pay. As a result, many were left without any means of survival and left to wither away in the streets. Total Germanisation has taken place leaving thousands without a home and in deteriorating physical conditions. Although the Jews were annexed from society and constantly exploited, German officials soon took away what was most precious and valuable to them, their own children
and the elderly.
Chaim Mordechai Rumkowski, head of the Council of Elders, vividly describes his experience as a Jewish officer in the Lodz ghetto. Rumkowski’s speech at the time of the deportation of the children expresses how devastated he is to have to carry out this decree. German authorities ordered that “more than 20,000 Jews be sent away from the ghetto” in order to make room in Lodz. Despite the hardships many Jews were facing, banishing young children and old people heavily impacted the community and struck them the hardest. Although Rumkowski points out in his address that he does not have any children of his own, he significantly valued the presence of children and devoted his best years to them. “I never imagined that my own hands would be forced to make this sacrifice on the alter. In my old age I am forced to stretch out my hands and to beg: “Brothers and sisters, give them to me!- Fathers and mothers, give me your children...” This powerful statement Rumkowski makes conveys his deep sympathy and pain for being involved in taking what is most dear to these families. Carrying out this operation was extremely difficult but necessary for Jewish officials to do. Rumkowski “came like a robber in the night” to take what was dearest to these parents’ hearts. He explicitly explained to the public of what was to come and informed them that he is unable to provide any comfort or relief. No matter how persistent Rumkowski was in trying to cancel or compromise this sentence, Nazi officials would not yield. Furthermore, throughout the remainder of his address, Rumkowski emphasizes the importance of focusing on those who can be saved. He mentions in his address that “at a time of such decrees one must weigh up and measure who should be saved, who can be saved and who may be saved.” Rumkowski believes that those who are old and suffer from illnesses such as tuberculosis will soon pass away and should be evacuated in order to save the healthy. Although the elderly are precious among Jews, it became critical to save those who had a chance at living.
Many of those living in Lodz who did not have any children of their own and did not serve in the Jewish council, were struck hard by this event. The terrifying fact that young children and old people were being evicted brought great chaos to the ghetto. An unknown Jewish observer recorded notes during the time of the deportation of the children revealing the pain in those who were suffering from this tremendous loss. The observer states, “It cannot be that they will tear the babes from their mothers breasts, and drag old fathers and old mothers to some unknown place. The German is without mercy, he wages a terrible war...” The observer, along with many other residents of the ghetto, seem to be in complete shock and astonished by the rumors that soon became reality. It was once believed that the Germans would not go as far as banishing innocent children and much respected old people. The observer takes detailed notes on the personal appearances of mothers and fathers which reflect the tragedy taking place. The streets of Lodz were filled with people in utter confusion and distress. The notes describe mothers going out of their minds “tearing the hair from [their] heads in despair.” It was impossible for them to willingly give up their children to the Jewish police who had to carry out this order given by German officials. Amongst all the disorder, the observer closely analyzes the expression on the faces of the children. He notes that “the young look around them with wide-open eyes and do not know what to do.” The innocent children are unaware of their fate and believe that this horse ride will be an enjoyable experience. On the other hand, many were familiar with the torture and suffering and remain calm.
As a Jewish officer, Rumkowski was heavily involved in the deportation of children and experienced this tragedy first hand. He felt great sorrow and was extremely remorseful for those who were forced to sacrifice their loved ones. Seeing the horrors of the deportation through the lens of Rumkowski provided a different outlook on the event. Despite the suffering and heartbreak amongst the community, he made a huge effort in trying to save those who could be saved instead of dwelling on this bitter sentence. Rumkowski succeeded in saving children over the age of ten and heavily focused on how many can be saved from this point rather then how many will be lost. Although his optimism did not bring any relief and was not able to cancel this sentence, he provided an alternate way of looking at the situation. On the other hand, a Jewish observer during this time takes note of the various tragedies and hardships the community is facing. Much like Rumkowski, the observer sympathizes with the mothers and fathers who are loosing their loved ones. The observer provides detailed descriptions and whiteness much of the cruelty taking place. Seeing this event from the perspective of a normal resident of the Lodz ghetto who does not have children, gives great insight on how much this event effected the entire community.
Seeing this occurrence through the eyes of a Jewish councilmen and a Jewish observer provided first hand experience of the deportation. Those living in Lodz were appalled by the cruelty of the German authorities and were heavily impacted by such a loss.
Lodz ghetto was established in September 1939 by command of the Nazi authorities in order to implement the racist Nuremberg Laws of September 1935. Immediately, these laws were strictly enforced “completely separating the Jews from the general population by limiting their freedom of movement”. The Jews of Lodz were held hostage by many restrictions and orders by German command stripping them of their basic right to freedom. Little by little, the Jews in the Lodz ghetto would be deprived of their material possessions, businesses, and economic life as a whole. According to the Holocaust Education and Archive Research Team, “...the laws introduced earlier in Germany, Austria, and Czechoslovakia were made more rigorous in Lodz”. In addition to the destruction of Jewish businesses and shops, many Jews were constantly assaulted and forced to do hard labor with no pay. As a result, many were left without any means of survival and left to wither away in the streets. Total Germanisation has taken place leaving thousands without a home and in deteriorating physical conditions. Although the Jews were annexed from society and constantly exploited, German officials soon took away what was most precious and valuable to them, their own children
and the elderly.
Chaim Mordechai Rumkowski, head of the Council of Elders, vividly describes his experience as a Jewish officer in the Lodz ghetto. Rumkowski’s speech at the time of the deportation of the children expresses how devastated he is to have to carry out this decree. German authorities ordered that “more than 20,000 Jews be sent away from the ghetto” in order to make room in Lodz. Despite the hardships many Jews were facing, banishing young children and old people heavily impacted the community and struck them the hardest. Although Rumkowski points out in his address that he does not have any children of his own, he significantly valued the presence of children and devoted his best years to them. “I never imagined that my own hands would be forced to make this sacrifice on the alter. In my old age I am forced to stretch out my hands and to beg: “Brothers and sisters, give them to me!- Fathers and mothers, give me your children...” This powerful statement Rumkowski makes conveys his deep sympathy and pain for being involved in taking what is most dear to these families. Carrying out this operation was extremely difficult but necessary for Jewish officials to do. Rumkowski “came like a robber in the night” to take what was dearest to these parents’ hearts. He explicitly explained to the public of what was to come and informed them that he is unable to provide any comfort or relief. No matter how persistent Rumkowski was in trying to cancel or compromise this sentence, Nazi officials would not yield. Furthermore, throughout the remainder of his address, Rumkowski emphasizes the importance of focusing on those who can be saved. He mentions in his address that “at a time of such decrees one must weigh up and measure who should be saved, who can be saved and who may be saved.” Rumkowski believes that those who are old and suffer from illnesses such as tuberculosis will soon pass away and should be evacuated in order to save the healthy. Although the elderly are precious among Jews, it became critical to save those who had a chance at living.
Many of those living in Lodz who did not have any children of their own and did not serve in the Jewish council, were struck hard by this event. The terrifying fact that young children and old people were being evicted brought great chaos to the ghetto. An unknown Jewish observer recorded notes during the time of the deportation of the children revealing the pain in those who were suffering from this tremendous loss. The observer states, “It cannot be that they will tear the babes from their mothers breasts, and drag old fathers and old mothers to some unknown place. The German is without mercy, he wages a terrible war...” The observer, along with many other residents of the ghetto, seem to be in complete shock and astonished by the rumors that soon became reality. It was once believed that the Germans would not go as far as banishing innocent children and much respected old people. The observer takes detailed notes on the personal appearances of mothers and fathers which reflect the tragedy taking place. The streets of Lodz were filled with people in utter confusion and distress. The notes describe mothers going out of their minds “tearing the hair from [their] heads in despair.” It was impossible for them to willingly give up their children to the Jewish police who had to carry out this order given by German officials. Amongst all the disorder, the observer closely analyzes the expression on the faces of the children. He notes that “the young look around them with wide-open eyes and do not know what to do.” The innocent children are unaware of their fate and believe that this horse ride will be an enjoyable experience. On the other hand, many were familiar with the torture and suffering and remain calm.
As a Jewish officer, Rumkowski was heavily involved in the deportation of children and experienced this tragedy first hand. He felt great sorrow and was extremely remorseful for those who were forced to sacrifice their loved ones. Seeing the horrors of the deportation through the lens of Rumkowski provided a different outlook on the event. Despite the suffering and heartbreak amongst the community, he made a huge effort in trying to save those who could be saved instead of dwelling on this bitter sentence. Rumkowski succeeded in saving children over the age of ten and heavily focused on how many can be saved from this point rather then how many will be lost. Although his optimism did not bring any relief and was not able to cancel this sentence, he provided an alternate way of looking at the situation. On the other hand, a Jewish observer during this time takes note of the various tragedies and hardships the community is facing. Much like Rumkowski, the observer sympathizes with the mothers and fathers who are loosing their loved ones. The observer provides detailed descriptions and whiteness much of the cruelty taking place. Seeing this event from the perspective of a normal resident of the Lodz ghetto who does not have children, gives great insight on how much this event effected the entire community.
Seeing this occurrence through the eyes of a Jewish councilmen and a Jewish observer provided first hand experience of the deportation. Those living in Lodz were appalled by the cruelty of the German authorities and were heavily impacted by such a loss.
Bibliography
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. “The Holocaust.” Holocaust Encyclopedia. Accessed on April 15,2014.<http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005143>.
Rosenberg, Jennifer. “The Lodz Ghetto: History & Overview (1939-145).” Jewish Virtual Library. American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. 2014. Accessed on April 15,2014. <http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/lodz.html>.
"Notes by a Jewish Observer in the Lodz Ghetto Following the Deportation of the Children." Documents on the Holocaust Selected Sources on the Destruction of the Jews of Germany and Austria, Poland and the Soviet Union. Yad Vashem , 16 Sept. 1942. Web. 28 Apr. 2014. <http://www.yadvashem.org/odot_pdf/Microsoft%20Word%20-%204025.pdf>.
Rumkowski , Chaim . "Rumkowski’s Address at the Time of the Deportation of the Children From the Lodz Ghetto ." Documents on the Holocaust Selected Sources on the Destruction of the Jews of Germany and Austria, Poland and the Soviet Union. Yad Vashem., 4 Sept. 1942. Web. 28 Apr. 2014. <http://www.yadvashem.org/odot_pdf/Microsoft%20Word%20-%204024.pdf>
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. “The Holocaust.” Holocaust Encyclopedia. Accessed on April 15,2014.<http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005143>.
Rosenberg, Jennifer. “The Lodz Ghetto: History & Overview (1939-145).” Jewish Virtual Library. American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. 2014. Accessed on April 15,2014. <http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/lodz.html>.
"Notes by a Jewish Observer in the Lodz Ghetto Following the Deportation of the Children." Documents on the Holocaust Selected Sources on the Destruction of the Jews of Germany and Austria, Poland and the Soviet Union. Yad Vashem , 16 Sept. 1942. Web. 28 Apr. 2014. <http://www.yadvashem.org/odot_pdf/Microsoft%20Word%20-%204025.pdf>.
Rumkowski , Chaim . "Rumkowski’s Address at the Time of the Deportation of the Children From the Lodz Ghetto ." Documents on the Holocaust Selected Sources on the Destruction of the Jews of Germany and Austria, Poland and the Soviet Union. Yad Vashem., 4 Sept. 1942. Web. 28 Apr. 2014. <http://www.yadvashem.org/odot_pdf/Microsoft%20Word%20-%204024.pdf>
Primary Source Document: Rumkowski’s Address at the Time of the Deportation of the Children From the Lodz Ghetto
Rumkowski's Address at the Time of the Deportation of the Children From the Lodz Ghetto, September 4, 1942
...The ghetto has been struck a hard blow. They demand what is most dear to it − children and old people. I was not privileged to have a child of my own and therefore devoted my best years to children. I lived and breathed together with children. I never imagined that my own hands would be forced to make this sacrifice on the altar. In my old age I am forced to stretch out my hands and to beg: "Brothers and sisters, give them to me! − Fathers and mothers, give me your children..." (Bitter weeping shakes the assembled public)... Yesterday, in the course of the day, I was given the order to send away more than 20,000 Jews from the ghetto, and if I did not "we will do it ourselves." The question arose: "Should we have accepted this and carried it out ourselves, or left it to others?" But as we were guided not by the thought: "how many will be lost?" but "how many can be saved?" we arrived at the conclusion - those closest to me at work, that is, and myself - that however difficult it was going to be, we must take upon ourselves the carrying out of this decree. I must carry out this difficult and bloody operation, I must cut off limbs in order to save the body! I must take away children, and if I do not, others too will be taken, God forbid... (terrible wailing).
I cannot give you comfort today. Nor did I come to calm you today, but to reveal all your pain and all your sorrow. I have come like a robber, to take from you what is dearest to your heart. I tried everything I knew to get the bitter sentence cancelled. When it could not be cancelled, I tried to lessen the sentence. Only yesterday I ordered the registration of nine-year-old children. I wanted to save at least one year - children from nine to ten. But they would not yield. I succeeded in one thing - to save the children over ten. Let that be our consolation in our great sorrow.
There are many people in this ghetto who suffer from tuberculosis, whose days or perhaps weeks are numbered. I do not know, perhaps this is a satanic plan, and perhaps not, but I cannot stop myself from proposing it: "Give me these sick people, and perhaps it will be possible to save the healthy in their place." I know how precious each one of the sick is in his home, and particularly among Jews. But at a time of such decrees one must weigh up and measure who should be saved, who can be saved and who may be saved.
Common sense requires us to know that those must be saved who can be saved and who have a chance of being saved and not those whom there is no chance to save in any case....
Source: Yitzhak Arad, Yisrael Gutman, Abraham Margaliot (Eds.),
Documents on the Holocaust, Selected Sources on the Destruction of the Jews of Germany and Austria, Poland and the Soviet Union, Yad Vashem, Jerusalem 1981, Document no. 129, pp. 283-284
Primary Source Document: Notes by a Jewish Observer in the Lodz Ghetto Following the Deportation of the Children
Notes by a Jewish Observer in the Lodz Ghetto Following the Deportation of the Children*
Lodz Ghetto
September 16, 1942
On September 5 the situation became clearer, and the frightening whispers of the past days became terrifying fact. The evacuation of children and old people took on the shape of reality. A small piece of paper on the wall in a busy part of the city announced an address by the President in an urgent matter. A huge crowd in Fire Brigade Square. The "Jewish Elder" will reveal the truth in the rumors. For it concerns the young, for whom he has great love, and the aged, for whom he has much respect. "It cannot be that they will tear the babes from their mothers breasts, and drag old fathers and old mothers to some unknown place. The German is without mercy, he wages a terrible war, but he will not go as far as that in cruelty." Everybody has faith in the President** and hopes for words of comfort from him.
The representative of the ghetto is speaking. His voice fails him, the words stick in his throat. His personal appearance also mirrors the tragedy. One thing was understood by everybody: 20,000 persons must leave the ghetto, children under 10 and old people over 65....
Everybody is convinced that the Jews who are deported are taken to destruction... People ran here and there, crazed by the desire to hide the beloved victims. But nobody knew who would direct the Aktion: the Jewish Police, the Gestapo in the ghetto, or a mobile unit of the SS. The President, in coordination with the German authorities (Biebow) decided in his area of responsibility to carry out the deportation (with his own forces). It was the Jewish Police that had to tear the children from the mothers, to take the parents from their children... It was to be expected that parents and relatives would try in this situation to make changes and corrections in registered ages. Errors and inaccuracies that had not been corrected up to now did exist. Something that gives you the right to live today may well decide your fate tomorrow. There was a tendency to raise the age of the children, because a child from the age of 10 up could go to work and so be entitled to a portion of soup. Other parents lowered the age, because a younger child had a prospect of getting milk. Yesterday the milk and the soup were the most important things, today there is literally a question of staying alive. The age of the old people also moved up and down for various reasons.
An unprecedented migration began to the Registration Office. The officials tried to manage the situation. They worked without stopping, day and night. The pressure of the people at the office windows increased all the time. The applicants yelled, wept and went wild. Every second could bring the death sentence, and hours passed in the struggle to restrain their passion... On Saturday the Gestapo already began on the operation [deportation], without paying any attention to the feverish work of registration that had been going on at No. 4 Church Square. Everyone had supposed that the Order Police [Jewish Police] would not stand the test. It could not itself carry out the work of the hangmen....
The little ones who were loaded on the cart behaved quietly, in submission, or yelling, according to their ages. The children in the ghetto, boys and girls less than 10 years old, are already mature and familiar with poverty and suffering. The young look around them with wide-open eyes and do not know what to do. They are on a cart for the first time in their lives, a cart that will be pulled by a real horse, a proper horse. They are looking forward to a gay ride. More than one of the little ones jumps for joy on the floor of the wagon as long as there is enough space. And at the same time his mother has almost gone out of her mind, twisting about on the ground and tearing the hair from her head in despair. It is difficult to persuade them to give their children up willingly to death, as a sacrifice. It is difficult to take out the old people who hide in the smallest and most hidden corners.
All this was to be expected. The President imposed a general curfew which came into force at 5 o'clock on Sunday afternoon. Anyone who broke it was threatened with deportation.
* From the description written by O.S. (Oscar Singer), a refugee from Czechoslovakia, a journalist who managed the Jewish archives in Lodz at the time of the Occupation.
** The reference is to Rumkowski
Source: Documents on the Holocaust, Selected Sources on the Destruction of the Jews of Germany and Austria, Poland and the Soviet Union, Yad Vashem, Jerusalem, 1981, Document no.130.pp.284-286.
Rumkowski's Address at the Time of the Deportation of the Children From the Lodz Ghetto, September 4, 1942
...The ghetto has been struck a hard blow. They demand what is most dear to it − children and old people. I was not privileged to have a child of my own and therefore devoted my best years to children. I lived and breathed together with children. I never imagined that my own hands would be forced to make this sacrifice on the altar. In my old age I am forced to stretch out my hands and to beg: "Brothers and sisters, give them to me! − Fathers and mothers, give me your children..." (Bitter weeping shakes the assembled public)... Yesterday, in the course of the day, I was given the order to send away more than 20,000 Jews from the ghetto, and if I did not "we will do it ourselves." The question arose: "Should we have accepted this and carried it out ourselves, or left it to others?" But as we were guided not by the thought: "how many will be lost?" but "how many can be saved?" we arrived at the conclusion - those closest to me at work, that is, and myself - that however difficult it was going to be, we must take upon ourselves the carrying out of this decree. I must carry out this difficult and bloody operation, I must cut off limbs in order to save the body! I must take away children, and if I do not, others too will be taken, God forbid... (terrible wailing).
I cannot give you comfort today. Nor did I come to calm you today, but to reveal all your pain and all your sorrow. I have come like a robber, to take from you what is dearest to your heart. I tried everything I knew to get the bitter sentence cancelled. When it could not be cancelled, I tried to lessen the sentence. Only yesterday I ordered the registration of nine-year-old children. I wanted to save at least one year - children from nine to ten. But they would not yield. I succeeded in one thing - to save the children over ten. Let that be our consolation in our great sorrow.
There are many people in this ghetto who suffer from tuberculosis, whose days or perhaps weeks are numbered. I do not know, perhaps this is a satanic plan, and perhaps not, but I cannot stop myself from proposing it: "Give me these sick people, and perhaps it will be possible to save the healthy in their place." I know how precious each one of the sick is in his home, and particularly among Jews. But at a time of such decrees one must weigh up and measure who should be saved, who can be saved and who may be saved.
Common sense requires us to know that those must be saved who can be saved and who have a chance of being saved and not those whom there is no chance to save in any case....
Source: Yitzhak Arad, Yisrael Gutman, Abraham Margaliot (Eds.),
Documents on the Holocaust, Selected Sources on the Destruction of the Jews of Germany and Austria, Poland and the Soviet Union, Yad Vashem, Jerusalem 1981, Document no. 129, pp. 283-284
- This primary source is a journal written by Chaim Rumkowski in September of 1942. This source was written to describe the perspective of a Jewish officer who informed the public that all children under the age of 10, along with the elders, were going to be deported. Nazi authorities appointed Rumkowski as the head of the “Counsel of Elders” and helped organize the Lodz ghetto. Against his will, Rumkowski was forced to fulfill the demands of the German authorities and carry out their “dirty” work. Although he did not have any children of his own, it pained him to see young children being ripped away from their mother’s arms. He vividly describes in this journal entry the sorrow he feels for the families and explains his effort in trying to cancel this “bitter sentence”. This source gives great insight into the immense loss mothers and fathers experienced in the Lodz ghetto. We can see, despite the terrible circumstances and conditions, that Rumkowski succeeded in at least saving children 10 years and over.
Primary Source Document: Notes by a Jewish Observer in the Lodz Ghetto Following the Deportation of the Children
Notes by a Jewish Observer in the Lodz Ghetto Following the Deportation of the Children*
Lodz Ghetto
September 16, 1942
On September 5 the situation became clearer, and the frightening whispers of the past days became terrifying fact. The evacuation of children and old people took on the shape of reality. A small piece of paper on the wall in a busy part of the city announced an address by the President in an urgent matter. A huge crowd in Fire Brigade Square. The "Jewish Elder" will reveal the truth in the rumors. For it concerns the young, for whom he has great love, and the aged, for whom he has much respect. "It cannot be that they will tear the babes from their mothers breasts, and drag old fathers and old mothers to some unknown place. The German is without mercy, he wages a terrible war, but he will not go as far as that in cruelty." Everybody has faith in the President** and hopes for words of comfort from him.
The representative of the ghetto is speaking. His voice fails him, the words stick in his throat. His personal appearance also mirrors the tragedy. One thing was understood by everybody: 20,000 persons must leave the ghetto, children under 10 and old people over 65....
Everybody is convinced that the Jews who are deported are taken to destruction... People ran here and there, crazed by the desire to hide the beloved victims. But nobody knew who would direct the Aktion: the Jewish Police, the Gestapo in the ghetto, or a mobile unit of the SS. The President, in coordination with the German authorities (Biebow) decided in his area of responsibility to carry out the deportation (with his own forces). It was the Jewish Police that had to tear the children from the mothers, to take the parents from their children... It was to be expected that parents and relatives would try in this situation to make changes and corrections in registered ages. Errors and inaccuracies that had not been corrected up to now did exist. Something that gives you the right to live today may well decide your fate tomorrow. There was a tendency to raise the age of the children, because a child from the age of 10 up could go to work and so be entitled to a portion of soup. Other parents lowered the age, because a younger child had a prospect of getting milk. Yesterday the milk and the soup were the most important things, today there is literally a question of staying alive. The age of the old people also moved up and down for various reasons.
An unprecedented migration began to the Registration Office. The officials tried to manage the situation. They worked without stopping, day and night. The pressure of the people at the office windows increased all the time. The applicants yelled, wept and went wild. Every second could bring the death sentence, and hours passed in the struggle to restrain their passion... On Saturday the Gestapo already began on the operation [deportation], without paying any attention to the feverish work of registration that had been going on at No. 4 Church Square. Everyone had supposed that the Order Police [Jewish Police] would not stand the test. It could not itself carry out the work of the hangmen....
The little ones who were loaded on the cart behaved quietly, in submission, or yelling, according to their ages. The children in the ghetto, boys and girls less than 10 years old, are already mature and familiar with poverty and suffering. The young look around them with wide-open eyes and do not know what to do. They are on a cart for the first time in their lives, a cart that will be pulled by a real horse, a proper horse. They are looking forward to a gay ride. More than one of the little ones jumps for joy on the floor of the wagon as long as there is enough space. And at the same time his mother has almost gone out of her mind, twisting about on the ground and tearing the hair from her head in despair. It is difficult to persuade them to give their children up willingly to death, as a sacrifice. It is difficult to take out the old people who hide in the smallest and most hidden corners.
All this was to be expected. The President imposed a general curfew which came into force at 5 o'clock on Sunday afternoon. Anyone who broke it was threatened with deportation.
* From the description written by O.S. (Oscar Singer), a refugee from Czechoslovakia, a journalist who managed the Jewish archives in Lodz at the time of the Occupation.
** The reference is to Rumkowski
Source: Documents on the Holocaust, Selected Sources on the Destruction of the Jews of Germany and Austria, Poland and the Soviet Union, Yad Vashem, Jerusalem, 1981, Document no.130.pp.284-286.
- This primary source is a letter written in September 1942 by a Jewish observer living in the Lodz ghetto during the time of the deportation. This source provides great insight on the perspective of someone living in the ghetto who has no children and is not involved in Jewish counsel. Although this observer did not play a role in this event, we can see that this loss touched the hearts of everyone living in the ghetto. This letter most likely served as some kind of update on the new horrific law German authorities imposed on the residents of Lodz. Nazi officials enforced this final sentence and demanded that “20,000 persons must leave the ghetto” in order to make room in this overpopulated community. Despite the parents’ effort in trying to save their children or lessen this sentence, German authorities refused to compromise nor succumb. This observer carefully takes note of every detail he sees and sympathizes with those who have lost such a precious part of their lives.
Multimedia Gallery
This video discusses the collaborative research done by "citizen historians" on the experiences of individual Lodz children. The study done by participants aimed to unearth these children's legacy and contribute their new discoveries to the memorial museum.
- This image portrays children being deported from the Lodz ghetto. Many too young to recognize their fate, stand in line waiting to be sent to destruction.
- This powerful image shows a mother saying her last good-byes to her child. Nazi officials demanded that 20,000 people be removed from the ghetto and that included children under the age of 10 and the elderly.
- Children who were 10 years and older were given the opportunity to work to stat in Lodz and work. These are images of identity and employment cards of Jewish child laborers issued in the Lodz ghetto.