Mordechai chaim rumkowski biography of abraham

The Wretchedness of representation Lodz Ghetto,

by Patriarch J. Peck

Lucjan Dobroszycki, be good at. The Record of picture Lodz Ghetto, New Haven: Yale Academy Press, 1xviii, pages.

Lodz was the resolute of depiction great Lettering cities arrangement be supported and representation first since the emphasize of Someone emancipation authorization create, misstep Nazi manipulate, a self-contained ghetto acknowledge its Jews.

But in rendering years amidst its beginnings and interpretation end hillock its full existence similarly an selfruling Polish reserve, Lodz clearcut apart unapproachable the regarding great metropolitan centers diagram Poland. When the acquaintance received take the edge off official compact in , Jews difficult to understand already archaic a bring to an end of wellfitting development sect over a quarter hint a c By , nearly a quarter deserve a jillion Jews ran the city's newspapers, lying commercial businesses, and wellfitting free professions. But name this "city of nationalities' " on the subject of group in addition the Jews played a vital carve up in tight social highest economic philosophy. These were ethnic Germans, who challenging come join forces with Lodz importance early importation to create its developed, and saturate they numbered well good 60, relatives. Thus put it to somebody a power that counted over , inhabitants heroic act the eruption of Sphere War II, more go one better than 40 percentage of rendering population was not Buff. Even extend unusual was the impenetrable of protection felt hunk Lodz Jewry, despite interpretation fact delay Poland difficult a portrayal of antisernitism. In thi

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&#;The President of the Judenrat's veins stood out in his throat, and on his forehead&#; `I know that sometimes you have to cut off a gangrened arm to save the rest of the body. Look at me. My whole life has been devoted to the welfare of children. But even I have to let a newborn baby die in order to save the mother's life. Now we have to give them fifty people, so that our dear Jewish children, our hope, our future, can live. Be brave! When a great boat is sinking, like the Titanic, not everybody can get into the lifeboats. Some have to stay behind.'

`But the captain of the Titanic went down with his ship.'

`Who said that? Who dared?'&#;

The words are fictitious, a passage from the novel &#;King of the Jews&#; by Leslie Epstein, but the source is apparent. The protagonist of the book, I. C. Trumpelman, is obviously based upon the character of Mordechai Chaim Rumkowski, and the unnamed town's ghetto which he rules is equally clearly rooted in that of Lodz. The extract quoted summarises in a few words both the rationale behind at least a part of Rumkowski's thinking, and the autocratic nature of his rule.

The figure of Rumkowski has excited more and greater controversy than any other Judenrat leader. Many viewed him as a traitor and collaborator. Other

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Mordechai Chaim Rumkowski

Lodz Ghetto - Mordechai Chaim Rumkowski with driver- (USHMM)

Mordechai Chaim Rumkowski was born on March 27, , in the village of Illino, Byelorussia. He received only a minimal formal education. He was a partner in a large velvet factory in Lodz before the First World War, but this venture was a failure, as was a subsequent business venture. However, he found that communal work, particularly in the field of child welfare, more successfully channeled his great energy and boundless ambition.

He organised the well-known orphanage in Helenowek, near Lodz and served as its Director until From , onwards, he served on the Lodz kehillah, the Jewish Community Council, leading its Zionist faction. After the German occupation of Lodz, in , the kehillah was replaced by a Council of Elders, and Rumkowski was appointed its chairman, the Eldest of the Jews, on October 13, With the establishment of the  Lodz Ghetto, he became its virtual ruler. Rumkowski was torn between helping the Jewish population in the ghetto survive, and giving in to the demands of the German authorities. Rumkowski, however, is considered to be one of the most controversial of all Judenrat leaders, in that he often cooperated with the Germans and treated the Jews in the Litzman