Employment Certificate Issued by a Company Essential to the War Effort of Nazi Germany – A Life-Saving Document ...

Employment Certificate Issued by a Company Essential to the War Effort of Nazi Germany – A Life-Saving Document Given to Miklós Herman of Budapest – November 1944
Igazolás – an employment certificate issued to Miklós Herman by a road and railway construction company in Budapest (Kaltenecker Ferenc, ut- és vasút építési vállalkozó). Budapest, November 30, 1944. Hungarian.
Typescript certificate indicating that Miklós Herman is employed as a foreman in a company whose work is essential to the war effort. The certificate bears a passport photograph (stapled) and official inked stamps of the company; hand-signed by the supervisor.
On October 21, 1944, about one week after the Hungarian Arrow Cross Party came to power, the newly appointed Minister of Defense, Károly Beregfy, issued a special order requiring the draft of all the Jewish men aged 16-60 and all Jewish women aged 16-40 to Hungarian labour service units. Approximately 70,000 Jews from Budapest were sent to build the "South-East Wall" (Reichsschutzstellung), the system of fortifications planned by Nazi Germany with the intention of stopping the Red Army. The labor units worked under extremely harsh conditions; thousands died of exhaustion and many others died of starvation or disease.
Among the few groups who were granted exemption from labour service were Jews who worked in the armament industry. An official certificate of employment, such as this one, exempted its owner from forced labor, thus saving his or her life.
[1] leaf, approx. 29.5 cm. Good-fair condition. Fold lines, creases and minor wear. Minor stains. Tears and small holes to edges and fold lines. Pen notations on verso.