Monday, 9 December, 1949

One could confidently say that half the Jewish population now faces the utmost hardship. Bread (let alone other rationed staples) can no longer be had. Personally, I think that Jewish homes which still have a ration of potatoes and some poppy oil are fortunate. Nobody even mentions butter, sugar, or milk anymore – “tales of yore”.

A Jewish milkman was killed today in a hideous way by ruffians. He was walking by No. 7 Gesia, carrying cans in both hands. He probably didn’t notice the passing military car, or did not remove his hat quickly enough.


The car stopped, a soldier leaped out and shattered his head with a spade. The man died in great agony in the hospital on Czysta. His name is Chaim Mordechai Rosenberg, 55. A wife and four children.





Rumor has it that Praga is full of antiaircraft guns. Also that Christians are being seized on the other side of the ghetto for forced labor in Germany.

An acquaintance received a letter from relatives in an internment camp in Italy with a photograph of her cousin and child. A very pleasant letter. The baby looks marvelous. In Italy, Jews are probably treated better. How Jews have altered name for currency! So far: hard = gold dollar; soft = dollar note; pig = gold rouble; yekke = paper mark. Heard something new recently: “Where does Uncle Pinyia live? At Leszno 42”. Which means, how high is the dollar? 42 zl. This is a new invention.







Text: An entry by Hersh Wasser in his ghetto diary, dated Monday, 9 December, 1940. It was contained in the Oyneg Shabes Archive. Translation in Yad Vashem Studies, Vol. XV, Jerusalem, 1983, pp. 219-220.

Video: Montage of clips from a German propaganda newsreel of the German invasion of Warsaw.



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