Betty was forced to turn in her precious jewelry pieces at a Pfandhaus (pawn shop) for a fraction of their value
About the Abgabe Aktion when Betty was forced to sell her jewelry
In the previous post, Google Translate rendered the term "Abgabe Aktion" as "sale campaign," but it was really a forced seizure of precious metals and jewels owned by Jews in March 1939. Here are some citations about the forced jewelry sales in March 1939.
Der Spiegel, 5/25/1998
After the "Reichspogromnacht" on November 9, 1938, Göring imposed an "atonement" of one billion Reichsmarks, which the Jews in Germany had to raise. For this they should fall back on their private gold holdings and jewelry.
On December 3, 1938, the ostracized Jews were forbidden to buy or sell precious metals or jewelry without the permission of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The valuables had to be deposited in deposits at the foreign exchange banks.
Three months later, the order was issued that all precious metal should be delivered within two weeks. The Jews were allowed to keep wedding rings, used silverware and dentures ("insofar as they are in personal use").
The official order
February 21, 1939 Order of the representative for the four-year plan for the delivery of jewelry
All Jews - with the exception of those with foreign citizenship - must deliver the gold, platinum or silver items in their possession, as well as precious stones and pearls, to the public buying points set up by the Reich within two weeks.
Delivery of jewelry
The municipal pawn shops were appointed central buying and collecting points of the Reich. According to a tariff set by the German Reich, they reimbursed only 60% of the usual "mortgage lending value of pawn shops", which was far below the true value. [10] Only the pure material value was taken into account. Recent studies suggest that silver was only reimbursed a tenth of the market price. [11]Except for the wedding ring, a silver wrist or pocket watch and two four-part silver cutlery for each person, all valuables made of precious metal had to be delivered. The report by the head of a lending agency is often quoted, describing his work and praising it as a “solution to the Jewish question”. [12]
