Holocaust and Camp Banknotes - Poland - Łódź Ghetto - 10 Mark 1940

Holocaust and Camp Banknotes - Poland - Łódź Ghetto - 10 Mark 1940 A Ten Mark ghetto scrip note, dated May 15, 1940, issued for internal use within the Łódź Ghetto in occupied Poland, which was renamed Litzmannstadt during the German occupation. The ghetto currency was valid only within its boundaries and formed part of the administrative and economic system imposed upon its inhabitants. The note bears the printed signature of Mordechai Chaim Rumkowski, head of the Jewish Council in the ghetto. Obverse A green geometric design with a Star of David in the upper section. At the center appears "QUITTUNG ÜBER ZEHN MARK" (Receipt for Ten Mark), with "DER ÄLTESTE DER JUDEN IN LITZMANNSTADT" (The Elder of the Jews in Litzmannstadt) below. The date "LITZMANNSTADT, DEN 15. MAI 1940" appears at the bottom. The denomination 10 appears in the corners, and the red serial number is visible at the top. Reverse A seven-branched menorah appears at the lower left, with a Star of David in the upper right. The inscription "QUITTUNG ÜBER ZEHN MARK" (Receipt for Ten Mark) appears above, while the denomination 10 is shown below. A German warning along the lower edge concerns the counterfeiting, copying or circulation of forged receipts. Condition and General Description The note shows clear signs of circulation, including folds, wear, staining and toning. An important Holocaust-era artifact and a material record of the financial and administrative system operated within the Łódź Ghetto.