Date unknown, Warsaw ghetto, author unknown, “ פֿון לאָדזש ” [From Łódź].
Beating of Jews and plundering of Jewish property. Occupation of the
mansion belonging to Osher Kon by the Governor General, Hans Frank.
[1] From Łódź
A few days after the Germans entered our city, Jews began to be beaten severely
in the streets. Young people formed groups and, together with soldiers, went
searching for weapons. There was nothing official about it: they just took the
opportunity to steal. These people were criminals released from prison and
they spoke German. It is unclear whether the soldiers participated out of
naïveté, simply believing what they had been told, or whether they themselves
wanted to take part in searches. During the searches, all valuables and money
were confiscated. Such a group visited Osher K., one of the wealthiest Jews in
Łódź, and took away a fortune in money and jewellery. On 6 October a group
of soldiers appeared and ordered him to leave his mansion and move into the
gardener’s lodge, which consisted of four rooms and a kitchen.¹⁷⁸ The mansion
was taken over by Dr Frank and his retinue. Mr K. was told that it was
being taken over because it was the finest mansion in Łódź. At the same time,
they asked him where else in Łódź there was such an imposing mansion.
K. named several mansions owned by Christians. They replied that his was the
finest. Seyss-Inquart¹⁷⁹ and Goebbels stayed there during their visit to Łódź.
Mr K. lived in the same house the whole time. In the beginning Mr K. was forbidden
to leave his quarters. Later he was allowed to come and go at any time
and receive visitors. Anyone wishing to enter had to report to the guards at
the entrance and then again to the guards in front of the mansion. On leaving,
the same procedure of reporting twice was repeated. On 22 November,
Mr K. suddenly received a letter informing him that he was to leave his home
within 24 hours and could take up to 15 kilograms of baggage with him.
Mr K. left accordingly.
178 Osher (Oskar) Kon’s palace was at Targowa Street 61. The building currently houses the Łódź Film School.
179 Arthur Seyss-Inquart (1892–1946), Nazi politician, the Third Reich representative in Austria, then the commissioner in Holland. Joseph Goebbels (1897–1945), German Nazi propaganda minister; he flew to Łódź on 31 October 1939 and the next day went to Warsaw.
