manufacturing business. A group of Germans with the accompanying mob
entered his home, opened the doors of the business, threw out the goods, and
scattered them before the mob, who took whatever they pleased [. . .] and took
it out [. . .].
[6] After the cessation of the war negotiations in the area, the residents
[. . .] returned to their former occupation. Trade with Warsaw assumed larger
proportions, especially the supply of food products, and the people found
a livelihood again. The question of earnings was further clarified when the
brickworks were set in motion again. Almost all the brick factories belonged
to Jewish owners; also the brokers buying and selling the bricks and various
necessary materials and means were Jews. Despite that, the relations
established themselves favourably due to the following incident. A year
before the war, a professional manager [of] a larger brick factory had been
brought down from the Poznań area, a certain Zientara, who turned out to
be a Volksdeutscher. This Volksdeutscher was granted temporary management
of all the Jewish factories in the area and also became the manager of the
“Ceramic Plants of the District of Warsaw”,¹²⁷³ newly organised by the district
head. This Mr Z. restored work in the factories and employed all the former
Jewish workers and even took on [new ones], because now, on account of
small wages, many Polish workers did not [. . .] the work [. . .].
[7] [The re]lations with the local Polish population, the local authorities,
the village head, and police stations also reverted to being amicable so that
life could be regarded as bearable. From time to time, gendarmes appeared
from either Warsaw or Radzymin, but for the most part one came to an understanding with them. Those who were intent on persecuting left after dealing
out several blows to Jews they came across by chance, or other similar
attacks. The others, and they were the deciding majority, were after a “practical
result” – a little money, a lovely gift. One already sensed this and gave
[it to] them. In the beginning, he who was assaulted by chance, was attacked
during the offence, suffered; later, this was accomplished centrally, through
the Judenrat.
Under the protection of money, which can help “atone for the sins”, the
Jews held negotiations with the village, traded in flour, bread, food, meat,
even ran illegal kosher slaughtering. Livestock, big or small, was brought
1273 That plant had the status of a forced labour camp. See J. Marszałek, Obozy pracy, p. 91.
