The ghetto created its own idioms — words, expressions, humor, games, songs and entertainment.
Some of the most commonly used expressions were bialen (literally, in the German language to iron or press) or organizirn (in Yiddish — to organize). Both terms were a reference to taking without permission, or “stealing” for the purpose of survival. However, even though it was illegal, and engaging in such conduct would often cost the very lives of the individuals and their families, the ghetto inhabitants were quick to distinguish between stealing and biglen or organizirn.
Rumkowski, the Prezes, was usually sarcastically and resentfully referred to as Khaiml or the king of the ghetto, because he basically viewed himself as a king and behaved like one.
Breyte Pleytses (literally translated: broad shoulders or back) referred to one’s important connections — a necessary ingredient to survive.
Klepsidres (literally translated: obituaries or death announcements) referred to persons who were extremely skinny, sickly looking, physically and mentally depleted. Another expression for Klepsidres was Muzlman (Moslem), probably because the majority of third world Moslems were known to us as extremely malnourished people.
A katshke (literally: a duck) — referred to an unsubstantiated rumor that had spread in the ghetto. The most notorious katshke in the ghetto was in or around the summer of 1941, when the word spread that the German army fled from Litzmannstadt and the Russians were coming. “Proof” of that was the “fact” that “the sentries had left their posts and the ghetto was no longer surrounded and guarded by the Nazis. According to this katshke, “The Russian army was approaching our city from the east and would be in Lodz within the next one to two hours”. Despite the news reaching us during curfew hours, the ghetto-dwellers — adults and children — ran out from their buildings into the streets to rejoice about the Nazi defeat by dancing, singing, laughing and thanks giving. The police, who forcefully chased us back inside the gates of our homes, reminded us about the actual circumstances. The following morning new posters were hung all over the ghetto about our “horrible behavior and the deserved punitive action” against the ghetto inhabitants.
Khasene-Kartl (literally wedding invitation or wedding postcard) was the notice from the authorities to report (to the roundup place) with the allowed weight of belongings for “resettlement to workplaces outside the ghetto” (at times 12 1/2 kilograms and at other times 15 kilograms).
Rumkes was the ghetto money with the head and signature of Khaim Rumkowski with the Star of David on one side, and the swastika on the other side. It was of no value outside the ghetto.
One of the most popular ghetto jokes was: “What is the difference between Vigantol and Castor Oil?” Vigantol was a prescription drug used for rickets, physical depletion, weakness of the bones, and inability to walk. That lifesaving drug was very difficult to come by in the ghetto. The response was: “Vigantol makes one walk, whereas Castor Oil makes one run.”
Occasionally, our rations also included liquid soap. One day, a supply of small bars of soap came into the ghetto and was distributed among the ghetto inhabitants. The bars were small in size — probably the same size and shape of soap bars in workplaces, hotels or airlines in the USA. They were grayish green in color and had initials RIF in the center. A rumor spread (a “katshke?”) that the soap was made of the fat from the deported Jews who were killed first, and that RIF stood for “Rein Juden Fets” (Pure Jewish Fat). Very few inhabitants were ready to believe such a fantastic story. Most of us thought that it was a funny joke.
Because we had to spend so many hours in our congested homes after the 5:00 P.M. curfew, it would have been unbearable, if it weren’t for the fact that we became absorbed in games, reading, writing, and various cultural and creative activities. Many of the older residents of the ghetto spent a lot of time playing chess, checkers, cards and other popular or special interest games. My friends and I spent a lot of time playing word games, among which the Kvartet (quartet), our own creation, was frequently played. In order to win in quartet, it was necessary to gather more completed sets than the others. A completed set consisted of four cards of a given category. If, for example, we were playing an author quartet, a completed set would consist of four cards, each having one of the four works by that author underlined. We made up cards and played different quartets: geographical, historical, animals, household items and others. It was necessary to pay attention to what the others players called for and what the response would be, so that we could better estimate what they had in their hands.
Another popular game among my friends was “flirtation.” It became popular in our circle after I “borrowed” that game from my brother Shimon’s drawer. I found it there by chance among his hidden personal assets. Many of the children took part in this game. The game consisted of large cards with different numbered expressions, jokes or serious love declarations that we sent to or received from another — merely by telling the number of the message we wanted to communicate. Since we were just beginning to learn the facts of life, this was fascinating entertainment to us.
The younger children played group games in the backyard —”hide and seek,” “ascending” and a new wargame, during which the Germans were always defeated. The problem was that none of the children wanted to be one of the Germans.
A new entertainment became very popular — at least for a short while. At this time, new, low tables became available. Inhabitants of the ghetto said that they were magical tables that could predict the future. A group of people would gather around these magical tables and hold seances. The participants would close their eyes and hold their hands on top of the table; then the leader would ask the table to respond to his or her questions. For example:
“If the war is going to end soon, jump once; if it is going to take a long time then jump twice.” If the table jumped once, he would continue to ask: “How many months before the war will end?” The table would jump several times. Some people who participated in these seances took the responses by the magic tables very seriously; whereas others who did not believe in magic were laughing heartily about the jumping tables, considering it to be merely an entertainment provided by ingenious cabinet craftsmen.
Many new songs were written in the Lodz ghetto — mainly in Yiddish and Polish. Some of the music and songs were by renowned musicians and poets; others were written by unknown individuals. There were songs sung in the streets by everyday people; other songs were written for and sung in the ghetto theaters — usually at the famous variety shows. The following songs (with my own translation) were most commonly known:
RUMKOWSKI, KHAIM
(From Yiddish)
Rumkowski, Khaim, who gives us bran,
Who gives us barley and gives us manna
In ancient times Jews were eating manna,
Today every wife consumes her man.
Rumkowski, Khaim pondered hard,
Worked over plans day and night;
Created a ghetto, with a diet,
And he claims that he’s wise and right.
Listen Jews, I have for you some news,
But hell, I will not reveal my views.
Jews are wondering and do foresee
That by Shevuot we’ll all be free.
Another day “news” is spreading
Some are sure now and they are betting
The day of freedom’s very near
Happily they laugh, rejoice and cheer
But Rumkowski, Khaim
Laughs louder, sneering;
He claims: “The ghetto remains sealed
And I’ll continue to rule over you!”
He cries “Hear Rokhele,
if from your grave you rise,
You will be pleased to see
Your man is Kaiser.”
BIJA DZWONY
(From Polish)
Bells are ringing,
Crows are croaking,
Khaim the First, the madman,
Is now ruler over millions.
Horror propagated by a gray steed,
Our brave and handsome king,
Who fights against black marketing:
He designed for us a ghetto
A Jew, a caretaker, with his wife Chave
Who carries a broomstick like a trucheon.
Butter, eggs, flour, bread —
Give us, Khaim, all we need.
The ghetto child peddlers sold home made toffees (made from brown sugar, probably mixed with coffee grains), used a peculiar chant and words:
A huge brick for five pence,
A large bomb — for five pence!
Whole posts, whole buildings,
Sweet as honey, chocolate, rum!
As they were selling home made cigarettes, they chanted: “Papierosn, gute gemakhte!” (Well made cigarettes!”), and as they were selling saccharine they sang: “zeks a tsener, sakharin”. Sometimes, whole families were deported from the ghetto because of one member’s “criminal activity ” of black-marketeering .
©2001 Fela Infeld Glaser and Marty Capsuto
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Child In Captivity 