Protocol of General Meeting
of the Judenrat in Lublin

(March 31, 1942)

In accordance with orders received from the Authorities carrying out the evacuation Aktion, the members of the Judenrat were assembled at 14:00: Dr. Alten, Bekker, Bursztyn, Cymerman, Dawidson, Goldsobel, Halbersztadt, Hochgemein, Hufnagel, Kantor, Kerszman, Kerszenblum, Kelner, Lewi, Lewinson, Lerner, Siegfried, Tenenbaum, Wajselfisz.

Members of the Judenrat who were absent: Kestenberg and Edelstein (who were arrested yesterday at the prison) and Rechtman.

In addition the following persons were invited today who do not belong to the Judenrat: Aizik Brodt, Daniel Kupferminc, Josef Rotrubin, Szulim Tajkef, Boleslaw Tenenbaum and Wolf Wiener.

After the arrival of representatives of the Authorities, Messrs. SS Obersturmfuehrer Worthoff, SS Untersturmfuehrer Walter, SS Untersturmfuehrer Dr. Sturm, SS Unterscharfuehrer Knitzky, Mr. Worthoff and Dr. Sturm made the following announcement: The evacuation of the Jewish population will continue in future with the difference that the valid document permitting a person to remain in Lublin will no longer be the Arbeitsausweis (work card) with the stamp of the Sipo (Security Police), but the J.[uden] Ausweis. Those in possession of the J.-Ausweis are entitled to remain in Lublin, all others will be evacuated.

The Jewish population is to be informed that those in possession of a J.-Ausweis are required to make certain that in their apartments in the ghetto, which have been inspected or will still be inspected, no persons without a J.-Ausweis are in hiding, as otherwise those who are in possession of a J.-Ausweis will also be evacuated.

As only a small percentage of the former Jewish population will remain in Lublin, the Judenrat will be reduced from 24 to 12 members.

The Authorities appointed the following members to the Judenrat:

From the previous membership: (1) Dr. Mark Alten, (2) Yitzhak Kerszman, (3) David Hochgemein, (4) Leon Hufnagel, (5) Jacob Kelner, (6) Nachman Lerner, (7) the clerk of the Judenrat Wolf Wiener; in addition to these, the following who were not formerly members of the Judenrat were appointed temporary members: (8) Aizik Brodt, (9) Daniel Kupferminc, (10) Josef Rotrubin, (11) Szulim Tajkef, (12) Boleslaw Tenenbaum.

Those members of the former Judenrat who were not included in the Judenrat appointed today will be evacuated together with their families and will leave Lublin today together with the first transport.

Those members of the former Judenrat who live outside the ghetto will go to their apartments accompanied by officials of the Sipo, and after they have taken belongings needed for their move, the apartments will be closed and sealed.

The former members of the Judenrat Engineer Bekker and Dr. Siegfried will be given administrative positions in the Judenrat and the JSS* in their new place of residence as persons with experience in these fields.

After the former members of the Judenrat had left the hall, Dr. Sturm made the following announcement:

Dr. Alten is appointed Chairman of the Judenrat.

Kerszman is appointed Deputy Chairman.

The Presidium of the Judenrat will include: Alten, Kerszman and Kupferminc.

The distribution of duties among the members of the Judenrat will be as follows, although it is possible that changes will be recommended:

Judenrat Member Kupferminc will deal with nutrition in the ghetto.

Judenrat Member Tenenbaum will deal with matters concerning the police, disinfection, elimination of lice and cleanliness in houses.

He will have M. Stockfisch as assistant. From today the office for the elimination of lice and for disinfection will be linked to the Judenrat and become part of it. Mendel Goldfarb is appointed Commander of the Ordnungsdienst (Jewish Police) as an operational instrument.

Judenrat Member Brodt will deal with labor affairs;

Judenrat Member Wiener will deal with housing;

Judenrat Member Hochgemein will deal with finance;

Judenrat Member Hufnagel will deal with Public Assistance:

Judenrat Member Rotrubin will deal with Public Health;

Judenrat Member Kelner will deal with registration and information;

Judenrat Member Tajkef will be responsible for the collection of taxes, together with Judenrat Member Hochgemein.

Dr. Alten is authorized to represent the Judenrat in appearances before the Authorities, but he is entitled to delegate his authority to the managers of other departments.

Judenrat members are obliged to carry out the instructions of the Chairman of the Judenrat, Dr. Alten.

No further recommendations of any kind for the issuing of a J.-Ausweis will be considered.

The Order Police is required to call for voluntary evacuation.

Today 1,600 persons will be evacuated voluntarily.

(−) Deputy for Alten

(−) D. Hochgemein