The Warsaw

Ghetto

What was the Warsaw

Ghetto?A designated area of a city in which Jews were permitted to live. Ghettos were sometimes surrounded by a wall and had gates that would be closed for the night, and were sometimes called "Jewish cities" or "Jewish quarters". The term "ghetto" was probably first used in the sixteenth century, though its origins are unclear.

Separate Jewish districts began to be created in the late eleventh and early twelfth centuries during the Crusades. This was in part brought about by the need to defend themselves against the Crusaders, but also because of

the Jews' own desire to maintain their religious identity.

What was the Warsaw

Ghetto like?

All Jews over the age of twelve years were

forced to identify themselves by wearing a Star of David on their sleeve. These first measures were just the start of a long process however, and with more edicts issued every month it wasn't long before the Jews were reduced to the status of slaves and chattel.

Life in the ghetto started off tough and quickly got worse. At first some semblance of normal life presided: cafes were still open, newspapers

published (newspapers from 'the outside' were forbidden), school lessons took place and people strived to continue a normal existence as best as they could.

When did the Warsaw

ghetto begin?The Warsaw Ghetto was the largest ghetto in Nazi-occupied Europe. The Warsaw Ghetto was

established on the orders of Hans Frank who was the most senior Nazi in Poland after the success of the invasion that started on September 1st 1939.

As with all Nazi-created ghettos, a

Jewish Council was created within the Warsaw Ghetto and was

headed by Adam Czerniaków. The Jewish Council believed that a policy of co-operation with the

Nazis was better than a policy of dissent as the latter would only

lead to overt repression within the ghetto.

Who started the Warsaw ghetto?

- The establishment of Jewish quarters and limitations of the right of Jews to

take up residence or establish an economic existence are not new in the

history of the East [i.e., Eastern Europe]. Their beginnings go back to the 13th

century and have been observed again and again in the course of history,

down to the establishment of the Polish Republic.

- It had originally been planned by the Governor to place the Jewish quarter in

a suburb of Warsaw which is bordered on the east by the [River] Vistula.

The head of the Department of Resettlement was instructed to carry this out.

It was clear that this idea must at first appear to be incapable of execution,

owing to the specific and extremely complicated conditions in the city of

Warsaw.