250,000 zlotys, was ordered after about a week. The first levy caused panic
to break out in the town. The number of the hostages was rather large and
almost every family had a relative among the arrested. On the other hand, the
Jews were so exhausted financially that on the occasion of the second levy few
people (and on the occasion of the third practically nobody) gave any money.
Instead, the people submitted valuables, rings, earrings, candlesticks, and
even wedding rings and underwear.
At that time three ordinances were issued. The name Włocławek was
changed into Leslau,¹⁰¹⁵ which sounded more pleasant to a German ear.
Moreover, the first markings to distinguish the Jewish population were introduced:
yellow triangles with 15-centimetre-long sides. The Jews had to wear
them on their back regardless of their age, including infants in cradle. In the
end it was ordained that the Jews could walk only on the roadway. That last
thing was the worst as the German cars, intentionally [7] or accidentally, ran
into the Jews who were blocking the way (most streets in Włocławek are very
narrow) and there were many casualties.
November brought a period of requisitions of private flats in Włocławek.
The Pole Grabowski, who was the Germans’ guide, distinguished himself in
that respect. The requisition methods were soon improved. The Germans
now rushed into a Jewish flat and ordered the residents to vacate it within
a short period of time (from ten minutes to half an hour). The Jews could not
take anything with them though. They all had to walk out empty-handed.
The campaign proceeded decrescendo¹⁰¹⁶ from the richest to the poorest.
The first resettlement took place in early December. A few hundred beggars
and paupers were apprehended, transported to the train station, and
sent away. That procedure was repeated several times and, unlike previously,
the Germans began to take the better off. In the end everybody began to live
in constant fear and they spent nights, or even entire weeks, in their coats
and with their backpacks, fearing that the Germans would rush in [8] at any
moment and escort them out without letting them take anything.
I regard the account below — because of its general character and lack of
details — as a rough outline, which I supplement with more detailed accounts:
1015 The information about the change of the name of the town was announced on 11 October 1939 in Leslauer Bote. ABC dla Włocławka i Kujaw.
1016 (Italian) gradually decreasing.
