brother-in-law by the hand and made for the Kalisz road. In the distance we
saw the soldier looking for us, but we were gone. On the way I got my brother-
in-law onto a cart for 10 zlotys, while I, together with two other young men
from Kalisz, went on foot. We had to walk 42 km in the rain, through fields
and mud, and it took us 3 days. When, tired and dirty, I arrived in Kalisz, my
brother-in-law had already been home for 2 days, and even his wife, who had
left Brudzew 2 days later, was already there.
Very early the next morning I went out and walked to my own home,
where I found everything in good order. All I had was 1 zloty, so I went to
an uncle of mine who had a large textile store. The shop was open. After
4 September 1939, he had given away all his white goods (linen, blankets) and
received a permit to run the shop. His staff was gone, so he asked me to stay.
(I know that line of business well.) I worked for him for a few days until the
Judenrat was established and I started working in the administration of the
“Labour Battalion.” The staff consisted of 6 men. Our wages were 4–6 zlotys
a day. On that money you could live very well.
[5] 3. The Labour Battalion
In Kalisz there were almost no street roundups. The LB supplied 150–
200 men daily to various placówki. After the first few days, the workers had
already established where it was good to work and where it wasn’t. The first
4 weeks were the worst, when we had to send 15 men twice a week to bury
Christians shot in the Jewish cemetery.
Nobody wanted to go there because (1) they beat the workers badly and
(2) threatened that anyone who breathed a word about it would be shot. But
we had to comply with the plan and sent the first 15 men to ‘work’ there. It
stopped after 4 weeks and the community of workers was treated well almost
everywhere. In many places the workers also received food.
In order to employ the majority of unemployed Jews, the LB introduced
a fee for those who wanted to buy out. For 6 days off work, the fee was 18–36
zlotys, and a monthly payoff for wealthier Jews was as much as 200 zlotys.
That money covered all the LB’s expenses. We paid out 150–180 zlotys a day,
including the office staff, and the rest went into the Judenrat till. The rate of
pay for a day’s work was 2–3 zlotys. The work went well, to the satisfaction of
the authorities and the Judenrat.
