organised in such a way that the data was collected during the day, while at
night the director dictated the material to two typists. The census enumerated
over 18,000 Jews. The work on the census and the property list went on simultaneously.The recorded [categories were]: age, number of children, movable
property, enterprises, stock-in-trade, furniture, clothes, underwear, domestic
appliances, valuables, and more substantial sums of money.
A soup kitchen was established in Kalisz on the Council’s initiative.
A special financial commission headed by lawyer Perkal was in charge of
the collection of funds for that purpose. The money was collected among the
better-off Jews, but only donations over 100 zlotys were accepted. Most people
donated money willingly. Some donations were in the amount of a few
hundred zlotys and the collected sum was 20,000 zlotys. The Polish representatives in the municipality also had a very positive attitude to the soup
kitchen. They ([namely] Ulrych) promised to provide considerable aid to it.
Unfortunately, the promise was not kept. The kitchen operated until the last
moment and it issued midday meals and bread, usually free.
The Community also paid benefits to some of the poor Jews. The chairman
Hahn also collected such a benefit, which the Council knew about and
consented to, as he had no other source of income.
In late October the Council managed to recover [5] the Jewish hospital
for the Jewish Community. The recovery of the hospital was a huge success,
achieved after a prewar conflict of many years with the municipality.
The hospital building was renovated. It was entirely rebuilt and freshened up.
A sign, ‘Jüdisches Krankenhaus,’¹¹⁶⁰ was put over the entrance. The Community
bought some of the beds, bedding, and hospital equipment, but most of the
items were collected among the town inhabitants. There was also an outpatient
clinic and a pharmacy operated by the hospital.
The Labour Battalion at the Council of Elders in Kalisz became very
active. That agency was headed by Mitz and Górny. Aleksander Poznański
was a particularly active member of the Council. Arkusz was the secretary
of the Council, followed by Herman. The secretary’s duties included handling
all matters of the Council with the German authorities. Arkusz had a proper
attitude toward those matters — he was the only person the Community
fully trusted. At the same time, the behaviour of Herman, and then also of
1160 (German) Jewish hospital.
