Łódź Ghetto Coin

After invading Poland in 1939, the Nazis established a ghetto in the city of Łódź. They forced Jews living in the city and surrounding areas to move into the ghetto. Under the orders of the Nazis, the Łódź ghetto was administered by the Judenrat (Jewish Council). They developed their own currency to use within the ghetto. The Łódź ghetto currency, officially called “marks,” was widely known as "rumki" and "chaimki". These nicknames were in reference to Chaim Rumkowski, the head of the Judenrat.