Wave of Deportation from Lodz(Gypsy Camp), Ghetto, Poland to Chelmno, Extermination Camp, Poland on 13/01/1942

Research by Yad Vashem shows that transports of Roma left the Łódź ghetto for Chełmno death camp between December 4 and 31, 1941,^[1] followed by transports in January 1942.^[2]  This article discusses the transports from January 13 until the liquidation of the “Gypsy camp” in the Łódź ghetto; the research found that transports took place at least until January 24, 1942. Evidence derives from a documented truck rental, a credible testimony, correspondence between two government offices and lists of typhus-infected Roma.

Individuals in Łódź (renamed Litzmannstadt by the Germans) with infectious diseases, among them Roma who were diagnosed with typhus, were reported to the Gesundheitsamt Litzmannstadt (Health Department) on a daily basis. Reports exist also for January 13, 23 and 24, 1942.^[3] The origin of the information is unclear. The document for each of these days states “received messages,” ^[4] likely from physicians who had to report to the local health authority which tried to monitor and control epidemic diseases. The documents are categorized according to the various diseases which were rampant in the city, among them dysentery, typhus and diphtheria. They cite the given and family name, age and ethnicity, and address of the infected person. Each Roma name is tagged with a “Z” for “Zigeuner” (Gypsy), with the “address” listed as the “Zigeunerlager.”

 The report for January 13 consists of 20 infected people, including two Roma; the report for January 23 consists of 87 infected people, including 64 Roma; and the January 24 report names 63 infected individuals, 59 of them Roma. This information, which the Gesundheitsamt forwarded^[5] for statistical purposes,^[6] does not necessarily mean that the date of registration of the infection corresponded with the date of its diagnosis (in the Roma camp), but it shows that Roma were still in the camp when the information was passed on to the Gesundheitsamt on each of these three days (January 13, 23 and 24). In other words, if they were deported, it was either on these days or thereafter....