Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-11-27
Nazis Pawnbrokers
For Jews TO Help
Payment Of Fine
Reich Sets Up Special
Office to Liquidote
VuIuubles
By the Associated Press,

By the Associated Press.
BERLIN, Nov. 26.-Nazi financial
officials established a special pawn
brokerage" Office today to buy, at
their own final evaluation, jewels
and other art objects from Jews.
Some Jews, short of ready cash,
need money for emigration. 9th
ers need it to pay their share of
the $500 100000 fine the Nazis levied
against Jews for the Staying of the
German diplomat Ernest Won Rath
by a young Polish Jew in Paris.
Objects that will be offered for
sale to the government doubtlessly
will include priceless heirlooms that
have been in Jewish families for
neutrality-suspicious. to. the
precious articles Russian aristocrats
sold after the Bolshevist revolution.
The Office probably will begin
operations next week, it was learned,
under the Chamber of Industry
and Commerce acting on orders
from the Economic Ministry. Gov
eminent experts are to be appointed
as appraisers.
Disposition to Be Problem.
They were expected to face the
problem soon after business begins
of what the government should do
with the Jewish valuableS after it
buys them, so as to avoid overload
ing the market.
1t was intimated precious metals
1tlro Coll Gould no y,oo1tnH GnuyY1 md
added to the gold reserves. An
other possibility was to offer. the
objects whenever a foreign market
gave indication of good prices.
How much property emigrating
Jews will be permitted to take with
them remained problematic.
Jewish circles feared there would
be practically nothing left for most
emigrants after selling their be-
longings for whatever they can get
to obtain cash to pay regular taxes.
the flight tax on emigrants and
their shares of the $500 100000 fine.
EvaluatiOn Factors Changed.
Jewish leaders pointed out that
figures regarding Jewish fortunes
were based on many factors which
have changed Since-such as the
evaluation on business enterprises
when they were going concerns be-
fore the anti-JeWish violence after
November 10, the investment in
goods and wares and the value of
real estate.
One Munich Jew, for instance, re-
ceived $4,000 marks ST ,200) for real
estate valued at 100000 marks (S40,-
OO0). Hence he failed to realize
enough from its sale to pay his share
of the fine. According to earlier fig
ures given the government regarding
his property, he has to pay 20 per
cent of the 100000 marks. or $4,000.
But should he now claim his prop
erty to be worth only $4,000 marks,
he would be in conflict with another
regulation providing that any Jew
who gave the incorrect evaluation
of his fortune is liable to criminal
action
He must therefore abide by the
,000-mark evaluation and pay the
government 10000 marks as his part
of the penalty.
Jewish leaders believe this uncer-
tainty as to who can meet his obli-
cations and who cannot may delay
emigration.
They feared the finance ministry
might refuse to give any prospective
Jewish emigrant a certificate show
ing all obligations have been met be-
cause he might have to make up for
the failure of some less fortunate
jew to deliver his contribution.
Government estimates previously
put the total Jewish wealth between
seven billion or eight billion marks
(S2,800,0000O0 or SO 200 900, OOO). Jews
had to submit reports on their pos
sessions under a decree issued April
26.