Facts About Lodz

2006-07-15T03:21:00.001-07:00

* City in Poland, about 75 miles (121 km) southwest of Warsaw
* City of Lodz chartered in 1423
* Jewish presence since ca. 1780
* Old cemetery, dating from 1811 to 1892, destroyed in W.W. II
* New cemetery, dating from 1892, largest Jewish cemetery in Europe
* Jewish population in 1939: 223,000, 34% of total
* Second largest city in Poland
* Textile capital of Eastern Europe
* Polish Pronunciation: "wootch"

The Jewish Community Before the War:
In 1827 the population of Lodz was 2,800 of whom 400 were Jews. The city grew rapidly as a result of the development of industry, especially textiles. The Jewish population too grew considerably. Before long, Lodz became Poland's second largest city, next only to Warsaw, and the city's Jews came to constitute the second largest Jewish community in Poland, after Warsaw. On the eve of World War II it was a population of 665,000, of which 34 percent (223,000) were Jews. Lodz also had a sizable German population, amounting to 10 percent of the total. The Jews contributed much to the growth of the city. Many of the industrial enterprises were founded by Jews, and more than 50 percent of the Jewish population derived their livelihood from industry. A Jewish proletariat came into being, a fact accounting for much of the Lodz Jewish community's unique character.

Early Stage of Occupation:
On September 8, 1939, the Germans occupied Lodz, making it part of the Warthegau, which in turn was annexed to the Reich. On April 11, 1940, the occupiers renamed the city Litzmannstadt (after the German general Karl Litzmann, who had conquered it in World War I); most of the German documents concerning the Lodz Ghetto refer to it as the "Litzmannstadt ghetto." Brutal persecution of the Jews began as soon as the city was occupied. On September 18, 1939, a number of decrees were promulgated that struck at the heart of the economic life of the Jews. All Jewish - owned bank accounts were blocked, and Jewish cash holdings were restricted to 2,000 zlotys (the equivalent of $377 at the time). Jews could no longer engage in the textile business, and Jewish enterprises were put in hands of commissars, meaning in effect, that they were confiscated and taken over by Germans. Jews could no longer use public transportation, could not leave the city without special permission, and were not allowed to have cars, radios, and various other items in their possession. Synagogue services were outlawed, and Jews had to keep their shops open on Jewish holidays, including the New Year and the Day of Atonement.

Intensification of Terror and Anti - Jewish Measures:
On November 9, Lodz was officially annexed to the Reich, a step followed by an intensification of the German terrorization of the Jews and Poles. From the very beginning of the occupation Jews were subject to expulsions, which came in waves. By March 1940, seventy thousand Jews had left the city. On October 13 and 14, 1939, the Germans appointed a Judenrat (Jewish Council), which in Lodz was called an Altestenrat (Council of Elders) with Mordechai Chaim Rumkowski as its chairman.

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Facts About Lodz