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Holocaust Prisoners Forged Billions in Nazi Plot
16 May
Summary
- Nazi Germany forced Jewish prisoners to create billions in fake British banknotes.
- The operation aimed to destabilize Britain's economy during World War II.
- Counterfeit notes had duplicated security marks but recycled serial numbers.
Nazi Germany orchestrated Operation Bernhard, a vast counterfeiting scheme forcing over 140 Jewish prisoners to produce billions in fake British banknotes. This plan, intended to crash the British economy, involved creating highly accurate replicas of £5, £10, £20, and £50 notes at a concentration camp near Berlin.
The operation, led by SS Major Friederich Bernhard Krüger, aimed to destabilize the Bank of England. Prisoners with expertise in engraving and printing were compelled to replicate genuine notes, studying around 150 security marks. Despite their skill, they couldn't devise a system for new serial numbers, leading to their discovery when recycled numbers were flagged.
Oscar Stein, a prisoner, estimated about nine million counterfeit notes were made, valued at approximately £5 billion today. While the initial plan to drop them over Britain failed, the money was later used for supplies and spies. The Bank of England eventually withdrew notes above £5, reintroducing higher denominations with improved security features later.
Elements of Operation Bernhard have inspired the new Peaky Blinders film. A collector, Andy Taylor, has donated many of these counterfeit notes, described as 'works of art,' to Holocaust Centre North, hoping to educate the public about this dark chapter of history.
