... Right from the beginning of the New Order in Poland a number of regulations were published that damaged the Jewish economy. At the beginning of October of last year [1939], that is, shortly after the cessation of military operations in Poland, a regulation was published, dated September 18, concerning currency in circulation.
This regulation contains the following severe restrictions in respect to the economic activities of the Jews in this country:
1. A maximum of 500 zloty may be paid out in cash to a Jew, and the rest must be deposited in a blocked account in a financial institution.
2. Banks may pay out to a Jew a maximum of 250 zl. a week from his accounts, or credit his accounts with this sum.
3. A Jewish family may not possess more than 2,000 zl. not deposited in a bank....
The above regulations make it impossible for Jews to conclude any business transaction or fill any orders, as a businessman must have at his disposal large sums of money for the purchase of goods or the execution of large orders, particularly now as transactions on credit have completely disappeared. How can a Jewish trader or craftsman buy the necessary goods or raw materials if he may possess only 2,000 zl. and may only collect 500 zl. a month of monies owing to him, has to pay cash and then may often wait several months until he can sell his goods? As a result, hundreds of Jewish enterprises had to be liquidated immediately after these regulations were made known....
... The Regulation of September 29, 1939, provides for officially appointed Administrators only in cases where the individual authorized to manage the enterprise up to then is abroad, or where the rational management of the enterprise is not possible for special reasons. In actual fact, official Administrators have been appointed in many Jewish firms where the owner is present, and there is no reason for complaint concerning the management....
In a number of Jewish enterprises the Administrators and trustees first of all brought about the removal of Jewish employees and workers....
Paragraph 6 of the Regulation of December 12, 1939, concerning the introduction of forced labor for Jews, forbids all Jews ordered to carry out forced labor to sell their work-tools or machinery, or to make any disposition concerning their use, without written permission from the German authorities. This restriction applies to all Jewish craftsmen and greatly increases the difficulties of their position, as it is now often necessary to liquidate the workshops of persons who have died or emigrated....
In addition, Jews may not be on the roads between 9:00 o'clock in the evening and 5:00 o'clock in the morning. Further, Jews may not move their place of residence from one locality to another without special permission from the Authorities, according to a Regulation dated December 11 of last year. Jewish manufacturers, traders, and craftsmen therefore have no opportunity of making contact with the merchants in other cities....
Pension rights and social insurance have been withdrawn from former government officials who are Jews, and from invalids, widows and dependents of Jews entitled to social insurance. This has increased the number of Jews who have lost all means needed for their living expenditures....
Eksterminacja, pp. 154-157.
* The memorandum was completed in July 1940.
