[B.
Destruction of the Jewish existence in Romania
1929-1939]
[5.15. General JDC work in Romania: Kassas]
Generally speaking, much of the work of JDC in Romania was
done by the Reconstruction Foundation loan kassas, whose
influence in Poland has been discussed. In fact, with the
Polish loan kassas in the throes of a crisis between 1933
and 1937, much attention was devoted to the Romanian
kassas, and large sums (p.212)
were invested in Romania.
(End note 75: In 1934 the foundation invested $ 36,820 in
Poland and $ 156,349 in Romania. In 1935, $ 137,500 was
invested in Romania; in 1936, $ 220,000)
The number of these kassas grew, until they reached 81 in
1938. Over 52,000 individuals were registered with them;
together with their families, this embraced over 25 % of
the Jewish population in the country, and thus the kassas
became a popular and extremely helpful prop for the shaky
Jewish economic situation. They charged only a nominal
rate of interest and extended loans that averaged about $
70 for relatively long periods of time.
As in Poland, this helped small Jewish merchants and
craftsmen to withstand temporary setbacks, made it
possible to purchase essential equipment or horses for
transport, and aided them in their hard struggle against
growing competition. A large proportion of these kassas
operated in Bessarabia (39 in 1938), the most
poverty-stricken area in the country.
Free Loan kassas existed in Romania as well. However,
contrary to the situation in Poland, these never became
popular. Only 15 such institutions operated in 1935, and
their number did not increase in later years.
[1937: Romania coming
into a good economic situation]
It should be stressed that, except for regions such as
Bessarabia, Romania recovered from the effects of the
world economic crisis quicker than did her neighbors. By
1937 she had achieved a budgetary surplus, and exports
were rising.
