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Szmalcownicy
[Polish, from szmalec, smalec = lard, slang for
"money"] - In occupation slang, szmalownicy referred to
those who made
money by blackmailing and denouncing Jews who were in
hiding. This
phenomenon existed in all larger cities where Nazis had
established
ghettos. After the ghettos were liquidated, it became a very
serious
problem for the few Jews who had managed to escape
deportation to the
death camps and were trying to hide "on the Aryan
side".
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In Warsaw, specialized bands would stand at all
the possible crossing points between the ghetto and the
"Aryan side",
such as at the court building on Leszno Street, which had
entrances on
both sides. They recognized people who were in hiding from a
variety of
small details, such as their manner of speech and gestures,
as well as
the look in their eyes. Victims thus identified were usually
blackmailed, and, if they could no longer pay, denounced.
Although the
person blackmailed would sometimes not be Jewish at all,
this was
nevertheless very dangerous for him or her. Often people who
were
helping Jews in hiding were themselves blackmailed and
denounced. Some
szmalownicy would offer Jews a hiding place, and then rob
and denounce
them, or even kill them.
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The leadership of the underground state tried
to combat this plague, passing death sentences and
announcing the names
of those condemned in the underground press. This strategy
was not
completely effective. The szmalownicy were not always
brought to justice
for their crimes after the war, and historians have not
devoted much
attention to this aspect of the occupation in Poland. The
extent of the
problem can only be estimated by indirect evidence, since
the victims of
the szmalownicy rarely survived.
(A.C./CM)
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