Edited by RPIC Prešov | Presov Region
Deportation of the Jews of Prešov and Aryanization of their property
Country: Slovakia
Region: Presov Region
Type of inspiration: History
Inspiracja
The Jews of Prešov lived in the most lucrative parts of the city. These were primarily Jarkova Street, today's Hlavná, Levočská, Sabinovská and today's Peace Square, but also other parts of the city. Jews owned many shops and businesses. In addition to merchants, many were doctors, lawyers or civil servants. The majority inhabitants of Prešov had a negative attitude towards Jews, which resulted in several demonstrations.
In 1941, there were significant restrictions on Jews. In businesses, Jewish employees were replaced by Christian ones. Jews had limited access to cafes, hotels, cinemas, the market, were restricted in Hlavná Street, etc. During that year, Jews living on Hlavná Street were to empty their houses, flats and flats in the courtyard. Jewish businesses and shops on this street were to be confiscated through aryanisation. In March 1941, on the basis of a decision of the Zupan of the Šariš-Zempliň Zupa, all Jews, including children under the age of six, had to wear a 3 cm strap over the shoulder of their outer garments. Anti-Jewish measures in the country were gaining strength until labour centres were established. Jewish labour camps were set up in Prešov already from the beginning of 1940 to carry out various jobs (cleaning gaci, streams, banks of the Tory River, forests, etc.).
Aryanisation was presented to the public as a way of improving the disadvantaged property situation of the majority of the population, it was supposed to be a kind of restorative impulse for the economy. All movable, but also immovable property was subject to aryanisation.
In Prešov, between 1941 and 1942, 479 Jewish enterprises were liquidated and 118 aryanised. A certain paradox at the time was the resistance of the poorer stratum to the liquidation of grocery shops, as in times of poverty Jewish traders gave goods on credit, to which the Aryans did not agree. By the end of March 1942, all Jewish businesses in Prešov were Aryanised or liquidated.
Jews had their passports, driving licences, hunting or gamekeeping licences, weapons, cameras and radios taken away, 23 motor vehicles and doctors' medical equipment were requisitioned. The aryanisation and redemption of Jewish property by members of the HS¼S, HG and FS continued until the adoption of the Jewish Code.
In connection with the deportation, a census of the Jewish population in Prešov was carried out in February 1942; the total number of Jews was 3,855. Their deportation to Germany was to be preceded by transport to concentration camps. In Poprad, a camp was set up for the Jews of the Šariš-Zemplyensk Župa. On 21 March 1942, 302 women and girls were arrested and transported to Poprad. On 25 March, the first transport of Jews took place from there, about a thousand women from the Szarisz-Zemplińsko Zupa. This was followed by transports of men and entire families. In October 1942 they even deported Jews with an exception given. The deportations in 1942 caused the disappearance of almost the entire Jewish community in Prešov. It is estimated that between March 1942 and May 1945 some 6,400 Jews from Prešov and its surroundings perished because of this.
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