It was the million Jews of Galicia who were made to feel the full
burden of the war. Although their economic condition before the war was
greatly inferior to that of the general population, their political
condition was one of equality. But the Russian invasion of Galicia,
in September, 1914, changed their status overnight. The Russian
Governor-General, Count Bobrinski, a notorious anti-Semite, found the
political status of the Jews in Galicia most abhorrent to him. He at
once proceeded to degrade them to the status of the Russian Jews, and,
if possible, still lower. He proposed to his home Government that
all Jewish landed property in Galicia be confiscated and the Jews
be forbidden to own, lease or rent land; and this, he added, was an
immediately imperative step, to be carried out even before the formal
annexation of Galicia was announced!
On February 13, 1915, the Grand Duke Nicholas issued an order declaring
that “in view of the increase of spying on the part of the Jews, it is
decreed that:
=1. No person of Jewish nationality may enter Galicia.=
=2. No persons of Jewish nationality may pass from one district of
Galicia into another.=
=3. Infractions of this decree will be punished by a fine of three
thousand roubles ($1,500) or by three months’ imprisonment.”=[52]
The spirit of these documents, communicated to the troops, produced
a series of outrages against the Jewish population more horrible
even than any perpetrated in Russia. As each town was invaded by the
Russians the troops first sought the Jewish quarters, and here they let
themselves loose in an orgy of pillage, sack and rapine.
In the town of Bohorodczany there appeared, in January, 1915, a
detachment of Austro-Polish troops. They demanded food and quarters and
were, of course, supplied. After a brief stay they departed. But the
act of the Jews was reported to the Russian commander in Stanislau.
He immediately sent a “punitive” expedition of four hundred Cossacks
to the town. They set the town on fire, routed out the Jewish women
and girls from their places of concealment, assembled them in the
square and there held an orgy under the open sky. After their lusts
were satisfied they drove the victims under the crack of the whip,
half naked and starving, along the roads to Stanislau. One woman, who
had risen from childbirth only a few days before, died on the way. One
of the physicians of Stanislau, Dr. B., testifies that he alone treated
ten cases of women and girls who had been violated.[53]
In Szczerzec, Galicia, the Russian soldiers caught one Jacob Mischel, a
town councillor, poured oil over him and burned him alive.[54]
In Dembica, Cossacks raided a synagogue to which the Jews had fled for
refuge and prayer, robbed and imprisoned the men, and outraged the
women. Those who escaped through the windows were caught by the guards
below and men and women were knouted to death. Then the troops set fire
to the synagogue.[55]
These are typical cases of outrages perpetrated against the Jewish
population of Galicia. Scarcely a town in the line of invasion escaped.
The Jewish population fled before the invaders in vast numbers.
There are about 175,000 Jewish refugees in Vienna; 70,000 of these
are destitute. There are about 70,000 living in barracks in Bohemia;
8,000 of these are in Prague. There were about 52,000 in Budapest. All
fugitives who have settled in Hungary, however, have been removed to
Austria proper. Dr. J. Bloch of Vienna, estimates that the total number
of Jewish refugees from Galicia is about half a million. The situation
of these refugees is somewhat better than that of the Jewish refugees
in Russia, inasmuch as the Government has placed them in concentration
camps, attends to their minimum wants and gives each one an allowance
of 70 heller (14 cents) daily. With the rise in the prices of food, the
daily allowance has risen to about 90 heller (18 cents) per capita.
They are treated well by the population, and in many cases are provided
with some work.