People persecuted as Jews were required, from 1939 onward, to join the Reichsvereinigung der Juden(Reich Association of Jews in Germany) Compulsory association of all Jewish organisations and communities, founded in June 1939. More (Reich Association of Jews) in Germany Founded in the same year by order of the Nazi regime, the association was intended to act as a centralized representative body for Jews in Germany. The association was controlled by the Gestapo(EN) Politische Polizei in der Zeit des Nationalsozialismus, die politische Gegner*innen sowie Jüdinnen*Juden überwachte und verfolgte., which also used it to access the assets of deportees from the financial administration.

In “Heimeinkaufsverträgen” (home purchase contracts), for instance, elderly Jews were forced to transfer most of their remaining assets to the Reichsvereinigung(Reich Association of Jews in Germany) Compulsory association of all Jewish organisations and communities, founded in June 1939. More in exchange for supposedly age-appropriate accommodation in the Ghetto TheresienstadtThe Theresienstadt “Altersghetto” (ghetto for the elderly) was established in the old garrison town in what is today Terezín (Czech Republic) as the largest concentration camp (KZ) in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. More. The Gestapo(EN) Politische Polizei in der Zeit des Nationalsozialismus, die politische Gegner*innen sowie Jüdinnen*Juden überwachte und verfolgte. had direct access to the accounts into which these sums were paid.

In addition, the Jewish Community of Berlin, as part of the Reichsvereinigung(Reich Association of Jews in Germany) Compulsory association of all Jewish organisations and communities, founded in June 1939. More, had to cooperate with the financial administration in assigning new tenants to apartments belonging to Jewish former owners or tenants who had been deported.

In this difficult situation, Jewish organizations in all areas of life tried to help those being persecuted despite the most adverse circumstances.