Litzmannstadt currency

[CARL]

Here is a nice example of the smallest denomination circulated at the Litzmannstadt ghetto. This 50Rpf piece bears the tiny security dot, found within the Star of David inside the "0" of the "50Rpf" marking. Genuine examples have either red or orange serial numbers.

Regards,

Carl

[CARL]

A well circulated Zwei mark Quittung from the Litzmannstadt ghetto. Again, note the small security dot, this time present between the "M" and "a". The Zwei mark examples were counterfeited in the ghetto, resulting in the Nazi decision to withdraw the denomination. Today, the pieces are less common than several of the other denominations.

Regards,

Carl

[CARL]

More examples of the 2M denomination

[sandgroper]

Interesting stuff Carl!

[StefanM]

A well circulated Zwei mark Quittung from the Litzmannstadt ghetto. Again, note the small security dot, this time present between the "M" and "a". The Zwei mark examples were counterfeited in the ghetto, resulting in the Nazi decision to withdraw the denomination. Today, the pieces are less common than several of the other denominations.

Regards,

Carl

Carl, hi,

What was the purchasing value of the currency in the ghetto? Was there an exchange rate equivalence ie did the ghetto residents have to exchange all of their zlotys, marks etc for ghetto currency? I presume that only those directly employed in the ghetto workshops and businesses were able to obtain ghetto currency?

Why were the Germans concerned about counterfeit currency, because surely this was a closed economy only affecting those in the ghetto and if the Jews were undermining their own economy with counterfeit notes only they were affected adversely by the inflation that an unregulated increase in monetary supply would have, so all well and good.

[CARL]

Thanks Dave

Regarding the Litzmannstadt ghetto currency:

Jews were forbidden to have real money, so they were issued Quittungen (receipts) instead. This created an absolute dissolution between the Aryans and the Jews, who would not even touch the same currency. The monetary system that was in place within the Litzmannstadt ghetto was very complex, with several different forms of currency. The receipts shown above, or Quittungen to call them correctly, were the closest to banknotes in appearance. Ration chits, produced in hundreds of different formats and three series of coins, with a total of eight variations were also produced.

The Nazis took whatever they wanted from the Jews, exchanging, at a very favourable rate, the almost worthless Quittungen for items of value or money. The Jews were then informed that they would have to pay for the running of the ghetto. In August 1940, the Bank for the Purchase of Valuable Objects and Clothing was opened on Ciesielska Street. Vast amounts of money went through the bank, as did many thousands of valuable objects.

Workers inside the ghetto were only to be paid in food, and the quantity and standard was not set. Chaim Rumkowski, the Chairman of the Judenrat within the Litzmannstadt ghetto, issued various instruction "announcements", such as his November 1940 announcement that "healthy, strong young men aged 18-40 could get work outside of the ghetto, for which they will be paid. The cost for board will be deducted from their salary, afterwhich the balance can be sent to their families in the ghetto".

The ghetto was indeed a closed economy, yet this did not prevent the Germans from wanting to exert their control. The counterfeited pieces, produced by a man named Rauchberger, lacked the tiny security dot detail present on genuine examples. Another glaring error made by Rauchberger was that he released his counterfeit pieces before the actual Zwei Mark Quittungen were released. Later, the Zwei Marks were demonetized and the occupants of the ghetto were instructed to exchange any remaining Zwei Mark pieces.

Regards,

Carl

p.s. An interesting note: the Quittungen were referred to as "Rumkis" by the ghetto inhabitants.

[CARL]

Another example, this time an Eine Mark piece. Again, note the small security dot - located between the "M" and the "a".

[CARL]

Earlier in the thread, an unused 50PFG piece was shown. Here, another 50PFG Quittung is displayed, this time in somewhat more worn condition yet still with the tiny security mark present in the middle of the "0".

[CARL]

Another denomination, this time the Fünf Mark Quittung.

[CARL]

More circulated 50Pfg examples