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Amidst much
terror and intimidation, the first transport from Lodz set out for
the gas vans of the Chelmno extermination camp. Earlier, the German
authorities forced the chairman of the Judenrat, Chaim Rumkowski, to
prepare lists of candidates for deportation and to organize the
assembly points at the edge of the ghetto. Rumkowski was not aware
of the purpose of the deportation at that time. A committee was
appointed and ordered to select victims among those in the
"Social-A" category-people sentenced for various offenses
(who would be banished along with their families), and those on the
dole. Excused from the deportation were the seriously ill, sick
children, residents of old-age homes, public functionaries, and
rabbis. Those who did not report as told were taken to the
collection point by the Jewish police. The first deportation also
included deportees from Germany: groups of Jews and Gypsies, who had
been living in a separate part of the ghetto since October 1941.
From the assembly point, the victims were transported to the Chelmno
extermination camp under especially heavy German guard. All were
murdered in gas vans the day they arrived, or the day after.
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