Several dozen buildings in the Jewish district332 burned as a result of the air-raid on Warsaw on 14 September, which lasted several hours. That evening the sun set in the north, for the glow from that side of the city lit the oncoming night [18] in dark purplish red. In the light of the giant torches of burning buildings on Stawki, Niska, and other streets you could see spectres of people wandering mindlessly or fleeing in blind panic carrying bundles with bedding or other meagre possessions, ones often salvaged at risk to their lives. Surrounded by all the shouting, moaning, crying, and calling they were looking for a way out of the noisy hellish circle of burning streets. Such a sight would be shocking to any witness, but to a hero it is a different kind of experience. At the meeting on 16 September the House Committee at Nalewki Street 23 decides to buy a motorized pump (7,000 zlotys) and to engage firemen to help save the two tenements in case of fire. Many a community or even a small town would spend a long time discussing whether such an investment was possible and necessary. Financial considerations would also be a factor. The one thousand souls [19] and several hundred residents of the other tenement are less numerous than the members of the two collectives mentioned above. Economically and financially, however, these wealthy Jewish merchants have incommensurately more power. The shelves still sag under the weight of various kinds of caviar. The storerooms are full of all kinds of merchandise, for a merchant feels confident only while in possession of merchandise. The goods that could be consumed by fire have an astronomic value. For even now, three years after the outbreak of the war, the Jews still live off what is left of those “goods.” Moreover, many of them have no other chance to survive. Textiles, underwear, stockings, leather, footwear, leather accessories—the tenement on Nalewki is full of it all. Hence, the especially elected Commission is to purchase a motor pump and negotiate with the firemen. The tenement at Nalewki Street 23 is going to have its own fire brigade.
[20] During the next meetings (19 and 20 September) it was decided that the OPL watch would resume, that garbage would be removed as per the block commandant’s order, and that the rolling stock would be camouflaged. Fearing lack of water, the Committee decides to drill its own well.
