Promissory Notes or Konversionkasse

When Hitler came to power in 1933 and started restricting Jewish rights, Jews tried to leave Nazi-occupied Germany. The regime encouraged Jews to leave and granted them exit visas. Finding a country that welcomed Europe’s Jews was much more difficult. Jews who did secure entry visas were not permitted to leave with money, property, or possessions. In exchange, the Nazi government issued Konversionkasse or promissory notes in the mid-1930s. Upon arrival in the new country, refugees expected that these notes could be exchanged for local currency, however, these notes were worthless. This is a 10 Reichsmark note from 1934. The refugees typically pinned the notes inside their clothing.