Singer treadle sewing machine of the type used by a cobbler in Łódź Ghetto

The sewing machine table was acquired by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 1990. 

Singer treadle sewing machine of the type used by a cobbler in Łódź Ghetto 

a: Height: 17.500 inches (44.45 cm) | Width: 25.250 inches (64.135 cm) | Depth: 7.875 inches (20.003 cm) b: Height: 29.250 inches (74.295 cm) | Width: 340500.000 inches (864870 cm) | Depth: 18.500 inches (46.99 cm) 

Cobbler's style treadle sewing machine and tables like this Singer style model were used by Jewish forced laborers in Łódź Ghetto in German occupied Poland from May 1940 to summer 1944. This mass produced machine was very durable and affordable. Łódź was occupied by Germany a week after the September 1939 invasion of Poland. It was renamed Litzmannstadt and, in February 1940, the Jewish population, about 160,000 people, was confined to a small sealed off ghetto. All residents had to work and many were forced laborers in ghetto factories. Eventually, nearly 100 factories were in operation. The major ones produced textiles, including uniforms for the German Army. Due to the severe overcrowding and scarce food, disease and starvation were common. The Judenrat [Jewish Council] administered the ghetto for the Germans. Judenrat chairman Mordechai Rumkowski thought hard work and high outputs would preserve the ghetto. But in January 1942, mass deportations to Chelmno killing center began; half the residents were murdered by the end of the year. In summer 1944, Łódź, the last ghetto in Poland, was destroyed and the remaining Jews were sent to Chelmno and Auschwitz-Birkenau killing centers. 

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a. Wide, black painted, cast iron, treadle powered sewing machine used with a cast iron treadle table (1990.285.7 b). The vertical body of the L-shaped machine is attached to a hollow, square base with 2 feet on the left. A horizontal, suspension arm with a plate at the end extends from the left base. A second parallel arm that extends from the body, is suspended above the lower arm. There is a rectangular sewing head with a curved face, tension levers, and thread guides at the end of the upper arm. A trapezoidal lever connects to the top of the head and is mounted to the top center of the upper arm. A needle and an L shaped, walking presser foot are fixed at the end of 2 tension rods on the sewing head base. There is a spool pin on a tab at the right end of the upper arm. A spoked wheel and a pulley disc are attached to the right end of the body. The machine has painted gold floral and scrollwork designs. The machine is still threaded, with leather stuck below the needle. The motion and speed of the machine are controlled by pressing down on the treadle connected to the table. This turns a large spoked wheel on the table, which is connected by treadle belt to the smaller spoked wheel and pulley on the machine. The belt turns the pulley and shifts the lever, which pushes the needle up and down, and pulls 2 threads, top and bottom, to create a lockstitch. b. Wide, black cast iron, treadle sewing machine table for a wide sewing machine (1990.285.7a). The table has lattice work legs connected by an H cross brace. A large spoked wheel is attached to the right side and a rectangular lattice work treadle with an extension is attached near the bottom. The table has a flat, rectangular top, which angles down in the center, about 1 foot, and flattens into an L shape with a raised lip edge. There are several holes in the top of the table for mounting the machine and passing the treadle belt through the surface to connect to the large wheel beneath.