Overview
- Brief Narrative
- Red, metal, measuring scale with a marble weight, of the type used in the Łódź Ghetto in German-occupied Poland from May 1940 to August 1944. Łódź was occupied by Germany a week after the September 1, 1939, invasion of Poland. The city was renamed Litzmannstadt, and in February 1940, approximately 160,000 people from the Jewish population were confined to a small, closed ghetto. All residents had to work, and many became forced laborers in ghetto factories. Eventually, nearly 100 factories were in operation. The major ones produced textiles, including uniforms for the Germany Army. Due to the severe overcrowding and scarcity of food, disease and starvation were common. The Judenrat (Jewish Council) were forced to administer the ghetto for the Germans. Judenrat chairman, Mordechai Rumkowski, thought hard work and high outputs would preserve the ghetto, but in January 1942, mass deportations to Chelmno killing center began. By the end of the year, half of the residents were murdered. In summer 1944, Łódź, the last ghetto in Poland, was destroyed, and the remaining Jews were sent to Chelmno and Auschwitz-Birkenau killing centers.
- Date
-
approximately 1900-approximately 1945
- Geography
-
use:
Poland.
- Credit Line
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection
- Markings
- horizontal bars, front and back center, embossed : illegible logo
Physical Details
- Classification
-
Tools and Equipment
- Category
-
Measuring instruments
- Object Type
-
Trip scales (aat)
- Genre/Form
- Scales.
- Physical Description
- a. Heavy, brass-colored metal, red-painted balance scale with two trays. The tray on the left consists of two, flat perpendicular bars that overlap in the center and have upturned ends meant to hold a now broken square, marble weight (b-d) in place while the scale is in use. The tray on the right is flat and square-shaped, with a low lip around the edge meant to support the meat being weighed. The trays are bolted to flat bars below them that curve downwards and connect to a horizontal, pivoting framework. Extending out from the flat bars, in-between the two trays, are two decorative, gold-colored birds, with flat beaks, facing each other. When both sides of the scale are balanced, the birds beaks are meant to align with one another. The frame has two wide, horizontal bars, one at the front and back, with vertical grating, that extend upwards in the center where they are screwed together with the pivoting framework. The illegible brand logo is embossed in the middle of both bars. The horizontal bars extend into four flat feet, which are bolted to two, thin, metal bars that are perpendicular to the feet. There is paint loss in several areas, and black discoloration over much of the visible metal.
b. Large, broken piece of a previously square marble scale weight for use on a balance scale (a). The marble is pale gray with flecks of white, dark gray, and brown. There are rust stains on the two unbroken sides from where it rubbed against the scale, and heavy staining across the bottom from rust and remnants of red paint.
c. Broken piece of a previously square marble scale weight for use on a balance scale (a). The marble is pale gray with flecks of white, dark gray, and brown. The original corner is chipped off. There are rust stains on the two unbroken sides from where it rubbed against the scale, and heavy staining across the bottom from rust and remnants of red paint.
d. Small, broken, triangular piece of a previously square marble scale weight for use on a balance scale (a). The marble is pale gray with flecks of white, dark gray, and brown. Part of the original corner is chipped off on the back. There are rust stains on the two unbroken sides from where it rubbed against the scale, and heavy staining across the bottom from rust and remnants of red paint. - Dimensions
- a: Height: 7.125 inches (18.098 cm) | Width: 18.625 inches (47.308 cm) | Depth: 7.750 inches (19.685 cm)
b: Height: 5.750 inches (14.605 cm) | Width: 7.500 inches (19.05 cm) | Depth: 0.625 inches (1.588 cm)
c: Height: 6.500 inches (16.51 cm) | Width: 5.125 inches (13.018 cm) | Depth: 0.625 inches (1.588 cm)
d: Height: 3.625 inches (9.208 cm) | Width: 4.000 inches (10.16 cm) | Depth: 0.625 inches (1.588 cm) - Materials
- a : metal, paint
b : marble
c : marble
d : marble
Rights & Restrictions
- Conditions on Access
- No restrictions on access
- Conditions on Use
- No restrictions on use
Keywords & Subjects
- Topical Term
- Forced labor--Poland--Łódź. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Poland. Jewish ghettos--Poland--Łódź. Jews--Persecutions--Poland. Slave labor--Poland--Łódź. World War, 1939-1945--Conscript labor--Poland--Łódź.
- Geographic Name
- Łódź (Poland) United States.
- Corporate Name
- Litzmannstadt-Getto (Łódź, Poland)
Administrative Notes
- Legal Status
- Permanent Collection
- Provenance
- The scale was acquired by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1990.
- Record last modified:
- 2023-05-31 12:45:04
- This page:
- https://collections.ushmm.org/search/catalog/irn4107
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Also in Kielce, Poland collection
The collection consists of an alarm clock, a butcher scale, a primus alcohol stove, and a Sphygmomanometer relating to Kielce, Poland, before and during the Holocaust.
Date: approximately 1900-approximately 1945
G. Boulitte brand manual aneroid sphygmomanometer and case
Object
G. Boulitte brand sphygmomanometer, or blood pressure monitor, and leather case of the type used in the Łódź Ghetto in German-occupied Poland from May 1940 to August 1944. Łódź was occupied by Germany a week after the September 1, 1939, invasion of Poland. The city was renamed Litzmannstadt, and in February 1940, approximately 160,000 people from the Jewish population were confined to a small, closed ghetto. All residents had to work, and many became forced laborers in ghetto factories. Eventually, nearly 100 factories were in operation. The major ones produced textiles, including uniforms for the Germany Army. Due to the severe overcrowding and scarce food, disease and starvation were common. Originally, the ghetto had seven hospitals, seven pharmacies, four clinics, and two emergency rooms where Jewish doctors and nurses attempted to help other residents with the limited resources available to them. The Judenrat (Jewish Council) were forced to administer the ghetto for the Germans. Judenrat chairman, Mordechai Rumkowski, thought hard work and high outputs would preserve the ghetto, but in January 1942, mass deportations to Chelmno killing center began. In September the entire hospital system was shut down, and all of the patients were deported. By the end of the year, half of the residents were murdered. In summer 1944, Łódź, the last ghetto in Poland, was destroyed, and the remaining Jews were sent to Chelmno and Auschwitz-Birkenau killing centers.
Primus brand, No. 1 model, alcohol stove
Object
Primus brand alcohol stove of the type used in the Łódź Ghetto in German-occupied Poland from May 1940 to August 1944. Łódź was occupied by Germany a week after the September 1, 1939, invasion of Poland. The city was renamed Litzmannstadt, and in February 1940, approximately 160,000 people from the Jewish population were confined to a small, closed ghetto. All residents had to work, and many became forced laborers in ghetto factories. Eventually, nearly 100 factories were in operation. The major ones produced textiles, including uniforms for the Germany Army. In the ghetto, people attempted to maintain their normal lives, despite the increasing hardships. Women, when they were not laboring in the factories, worked to prepare food and do laundry for their families. These activities were made difficult by the meager food rations they received, and the lack of running water throughout most of the ghetto. Due to the severe overcrowding and scarce food, disease and starvation were common. The Judenrat (Jewish Council) were forced to administer the ghetto for the Germans. Judenrat chairman, Mordechai Rumkowski, thought hard work and high outputs would preserve the ghetto, but in January 1942, mass deportations to Chelmno killing center began. By the end of the year, half of the residents were murdered. In summer 1944, Łódź, the last ghetto in Poland, was destroyed, and the remaining Jews were sent to Chelmno and Auschwitz-Birkenau killing centers.
Junghans single-bell alarm clock
Object
Junghans brand alarm clock of the type used in the Łódź Ghetto in German-occupied Poland from May 1940 to August 1944. This alarm clock was manufactured in Silberberg, Germany, which became Srebrna Góra, Poland after World War II. Łódź was occupied by Germany a week after the September 1, 1939, invasion of Poland. The city was renamed Litzmannstadt, and in February 1940, approximately 160,000 people from the Jewish population were confined to a small, closed ghetto. All residents had to work, and many became forced laborers in ghetto factories. Eventually, nearly 100 factories were in operation. The major ones produced textiles, including uniforms for the Germany Army. Due to the severe overcrowding and scarce food, disease and starvation were common. The Judenrat (Jewish Council) were forced to administer the ghetto for the Germans. Judenrat chairman, Mordechai Rumkowski, thought hard work and high outputs would preserve the ghetto, but in January 1942, mass deportations to Chelmno killing center began. By the end of the year, half of the residents were murdered. In summer 1944, Łódź, the last ghetto in Poland, was destroyed, and the remaining Jews were sent to Chelmno and Auschwitz-Birkenau killing centers.
