Before the outbreak of World War II, the Bazarowy (or Bazarny) Square was a place where commerce flourished. During the German occupation, just after the Litzmannstadt Ghetto had been created, the Square initially functioned as it used to before the war - traders and buyers still gathered there. In the vicinity of the Bazarowy Square – at 8 Rybna Street, several institutions were located, including the Department of Ration Cards and the Housing Allotment Office. From December 1941, the Displaced Persons Department was located at this address, which helped Jews brought from Western Europe. A little further along Rybna street, at numbers 15 and 21 schools were located, converted in the autumn of 1941 into collectives for persons displaced from Dusseldorf. At 14a Rybna Street Hilda Stern Cohen lived, brought on a transport from Frankfurt am Main. Her poems were published after the war. Between Rybna Street, Bazarowa Street and the today’s Zachodnia Street the old Jewish cemetery was located. Today, a commemorative plaque marks its location.
In 1942, the Bazarowy Square became a place of public executions of the ghetto residents - the first one took place on February 21st, 1942 On that day, in front of the Jews deported the West and forced into the Square by the Germans, Max Hertz of Cologne was executed, sentenced to death for an attempted escape from the ghetto.
Max Hertz transported from Cologne
on October 23 1941
went back to the train station
but when he was paying for the ticket
David’s star fell out of his pocket
straight into the cashier’s eye
and he hung over the bazaar pointing
the shortest way back to Europe