Concentration Camp and Ghetto Currency

[CARL]

In post 18, detailed images of the background petal pattern are shown. Compare this example, a modern reproduction piece, with varying areas of depth and saturation.

[StefanM]

Was there a special currency/scrip issued in the Warsaw Ghetto?

There has been a rash of Polish zloty notes with fake Jewish over stamps recently but I have not read any memoirs or references that mention special notes issued in Warsaw.

[CARL]

Was there a special currency/scrip issued in the Warsaw Ghetto?

There has been a rash of Polish zloty notes with fake Jewish over stamps recently but I have not read any memoirs or references that mention special notes issued in Warsaw.

Re: Warsaw ghetto scrip.

A controversial area of the camp/ghetto currency story. Survivors of the ghetto have both denied and agreed that the crude pieces shown below are of the period. One thing is certain, if they were produced during the existence of the Warsaw ghetto, then they were originally produced underground. No official Warsaw scrip was printed by the Germans.

Dr.Henry Fenigstein, a numismatist/philatelist survivor of the ghetto, refuted the idea of a ghetto scrip in Warsaw, as did fellow survivor, Ferdinand Wallner.

The notes themselves have a very interesting characteristic. The largest denomination, i.e. the 50groszy, has a crudely drawn image of SS runes within a flame. This image is to the right of a fence, with 18 Stars of David on the other side. Eighteen is a significant number in Judaism, as it is the numerical value of the word chai, meaning life. The word is often found in jewelry, and is considered a symbol for hope.

Re: Over stamped notes.

Many examples are found today of genuine banknotes of the period. Unfortunately, sellers from all over Europe take authentic banknotes and mark them, with one or two variants of the well known reproduction ink stamps, and claim that they are camp/ghetto related. There is absolutely no truth whatsoever in this story. They are original notes of little value, ruined by modern over stamps in an attempt to dress them up as something rare or valuable. A few examples are shown below.

Regards,

Carl

[StefanM]

Interesting I had not seen this before Thanks Carl.

I found this auction entry for 2003:

GENERALGOUVERNMENT 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Scrip, postal accounting stamps, selection of six diff. 5of-50pf denominations, with "SPDZ" (Skladnica Pocztowa Dzielnicy Zydowskiej) and "RZwW" (Rada Zydow w Warszawie) and Star of David incorporated intodesign, one with symbolic "SS" initials, fine and rare group, with copies of articles by Dr.Kronenberg and Dr.Wallner
Price Realized
$500.00

The language doesn't look quite right I think it should read:

Rady Żydowskiej w Warszawie (Jewish Council in Warsaw)

Not as written: Rady Zydow w Warszawie (Council of Jews in Warsaw)

Update:

The above was apparently a postage stamp that was never issued for use, see below from USHMM:

Warsaw ghetto stamps issued by the Warsaw Ghetto Resistance Organization (Żydowski Zwia̜zek Wojskowy). The Warsaw Ghetto in Poland existed from October 12, 1940, to May 16, 1943, when the Ghetto was liquidated by German forces. The stamps were manufactured in an effort to establish a ghetto mail office by the underground, but were not issued for use.

[porta]

Here is another example of a fake Buchenwald token:

[porta]

And here are another two over stamped notes:

[CARL]

Thank you. The difference between the genuine and reproduction Buchenwald tokens is clear when highlighted in this manner. The over stamped fantasy notes are worth seeing too, if only to warn potential collectors.

Regards,

Carl

[CARL]

Before addressing the currency of the next locale, here are two more images of genuine Konzentrationslager Buchenwald tokens. Both pieces are slanted leg variant 2RM tokens. Note the low serial numbers, uniform background pattern and poor quality of paper that was used.

[dan d]

Carl,

Having assisted me on the WAF on my single piece of KL currency brought back by my father during the liberation of Buchenwald, I expressed my admiration of your knowledge on this subject then and after reading this post I am totally blown away after reading this thread on your in-depth knowledge regarding KL currency. Simply amazing.

Here is the Buchenwald 3RM note brought back by my father. Per Carl: Notice that this is the "vertical" leg variant as opposed to the "slant" leg type. The condition is VF as it has been in an album the last 50 years or longer. The top center dark spot is from the tape my father used to secure the currency - oh well!

[douglas2496]

A very fine piece and rare to see in this condition.