Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1945 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
99 frames
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
On the eve of World War Two, the city of Lodz in Poland had a population of 665,000 people of which 34 per cent were Jews. The Jewish population was very active in the industrial sector and the community had a very vibrant cultural life, consisting of sports clubs theatres and newspapers. The Jewish community also produced many renowned authors, artists and poets.
After the German army occupied Lodz on 8 September 1939 there began a campaign of anti-semitic persecution of increasing severity reaching a peak with the creation of the Lodz ghetto, which was officially sealed off from the outside world on 1 May 1940. Thousands were brutalised and hundreds were murdered in the process. The ghetto was only ever conceived of as a temporary measure and ultimately it was planned to rid the city of its entire Jewish population. In the meantime the population of the ghetto, nominally represented by a council of Jewish elders, was forced to live in appalling overcrowded conditions with minimal food and no sanitation. 43,500 people died during the ghetto's existence mostly through starvation and disease.
The deportations, initially to Chelmno, began in January 1942. In total 70,000 inhabitants were sent to their deaths during this first stage. There followed a period of relative quiet when the ghetto became a giant labour camp. The death camp at Chelmno was reopened in June 1944 on the orders of Himmler, who wanted to finally liquidate the ghetto and over 7000 ghetto inmates were murdered in the space of 3 weeks. Another 65,000 Jews were deported to their deaths at Auschwitz during the remainder of 1944. The remaining 1000 Jews at Lodz were liberated by the Russians on 19 January 1945.
Repository
Archival history
GB 1556 WL 518 1945 collection 99 frames Unknown
On the eve of World War Two, the city of Lodz in Poland had a population of 665,000 people of which 34 per cent were Jews. The Jewish population was very active in the industrial sector and the community had a very vibrant cultural life, consisting of sports clubs theatres and newspapers. The Jewish community also produced many renowned authors, artists and poets.
After the German army occupied Lodz on 8 September 1939 there began a campaign of anti-semitic persecution of increasing severity reaching a peak with the creation of the Lodz ghetto, which was officially sealed off from the outside world on 1 May 1940. Thousands were brutalised and hundreds were murdered in the process. The ghetto was only ever conceived of as a temporary measure and ultimately it was planned to rid the city of its entire Jewish population. In the meantime the population of the ghetto, nominally represented by a council of Jewish elders, was forced to live in appalling overcrowded conditions with minimal food and no sanitation. 43,500 people died during the ghetto's existence mostly through starvation and disease.
The deportations, initially to Chelmno, began in January 1942. In total 70,000 inhabitants were sent to their deaths during this first stage. There followed a period of relative quiet when the ghetto became a giant labour camp. The death camp at Chelmno was reopened in June 1944 on the orders of Himmler, who wanted to finally liquidate the ghetto and over 7000 ghetto inmates were murdered in the space of 3 weeks. Another 65,000 Jews were deported to their deaths at Auschwitz during the remainder of 1944. The remaining 1000 Jews at Lodz were liberated by the Russians on 19 January 1945.
Jewish Central Information Office
Partial alphabetical list (letters R-Z) of names of the survivors of Lodz ghetto, Poland, during World War Two, including date of birth and last known address (1939). Created, 13-27 June 1945.
Alphabetical
Open
Copies can be made for personal use. Permission must be sought for publication.
N/A
Microfilm
Description exists to this archive on the Wiener Library's online catalogue www.wienerlibrary.co.uk
Wiener Collection, Tel Aviv University, Israel
The following is a list of additional document collections held at the Wiener Library on the subject of the Lodz ghetto: 1416; 559; 1048; 1578; 1387; 557; 539a; 578; 1118; 1610; 1569; 611; 629.
Sources: The Holocaust Encylopedia, Walter Laqueur, editor, (Yale University Press, 2001). Entry by Howard Falksohn. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. Oct 2007 Wars (events) Antisemitism Concentration camps Eastern Europe European history Genocide Humanitarian law International conflicts Lodz Lodz ghetto, Poland National history Nazism Poland Polish history Political doctrines Racial discrimination Racial segregation Totalitarianism War War crimes World wars (events) World War Two (1939-1945)
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Jewish Central Information Office
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Partial alphabetical list (letters R-Z) of names of the survivors of Lodz ghetto, Poland, during World War Two, including date of birth and last known address (1939). Created, 13-27 June 1945.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Alphabetical
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open
Conditions governing reproduction
Copies can be made for personal use. Permission must be sought for publication.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
N/A
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
The following is a list of additional document collections held at the Wiener Library on the subject of the Lodz ghetto: 1416; 559; 1048; 1578; 1387; 557; 539a; 578; 1118; 1610; 1569; 611; 629.
Finding aids
Description exists to this archive on the Wiener Library's online catalogue www.wienerlibrary.co.uk
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Interethnic relations » Ethnic discrimination » Antisemitism
- Humanitarian law » War crimes » Concentration camps
- National history » European history
- Humanitarian law » War crimes » Genocide
- Humanitarian law
- International conflicts
- National history
- Political doctrines » Totalitarianism » Nazism
- Political doctrines
- Interethnic relations » Ethnic discrimination » Racial segregation
- Political doctrines » Totalitarianism
- International conflicts » War
- Humanitarian law » War crimes
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English