The Voice of Our Brothers’ Blood Cries Out to Us From Across the Sea – A call to save the Jews of Poland and the community of Tarnogród in particular, being persecuted amid the waves of antisemitism and pogroms by the Poles shortly before the outbreak of World War II. Tarnogrod Relief Committee , New York, 1938, Yiddish.
“The voice of our brothers’ blood cries out to us from across the sea! This is the cry of our dear brothers and sisters from our hometown of Tarnogród calling us for help! All of you, brothers and sisters know what is happening now in Poland and our Tarnogród is also among the wretched being persecuted day and night by the antisemitic Poles. You all know that the Pole has always been against this idea… but sadly now this is exactly what he and his government are doing… They don’t stop committing all kinds of murderous acts… Our brothers and sisters are wandering around hungry for a piece of bread… When a child gets a slice of bread it’s a holiday for him…”. The proclamation announces a mass rally to be held on January 9, 1938 at 82 Clinton Street in New York, demanding the public come, and that full details on the community’s situation will be given. At the end it says: “The list of the dead has arrived, it will be read at the meeting”.
Tarnogrod is a town in Biłgoraj County, Lublin Province, Poland that before the Holocaust had a large Jewish community. In the interwar period there were 2,515 Jews, about half the residents, with activities of the Zionist and Agudat Yisrael movements. In September 15, 1939 it was occupied by the Germans, who abused the Jews, imposed ransom and movement restrictions. In May 1942 the Jews were concentrated in a ghetto, joined by Jews from nearby villages, reaching about 3,000 people. Due to harsh conditions in the ghetto, many died. In August 1942 about 800 were sent to Belzec extermination camp. In November 1942 about 2,500 remaining Jews were marched to Bilgoraj, and the next day to Belzec. About 50 elderly and sick Jews were murdered during the Aktion.
[1] leaf. 28×22 cm. Very good condition.
