Remembering Szmul Zygielbojm and why his stand matters today

JVL Introduction

David Rosenberg writes movingly and with valuable detail about the experiences of Szmul Zygielbojm, a Jewish and Bundist leader in Nazi Occupied Poland.  After a dangerous journey, he made it to the UK and became the  Bund’s representative on the National Council of the Polish Government in Exile in London. On 11th May 1943, as the Warsaw Ghetto residents were still fighting back against the might of the Nazi forces, he committed suicide because of inaction by the Allies.

David ends his informative piece with word from Zygielbohm’s grandson, Arthur, that highlight why the issues faced by his grandfather are still, regrettably, so relevant today.  Arthur is “uneasy about Holocaust commemorations that focus too narrowly on ‘never forget… The unstated part is that there are things we have to remember. We are obligated to help prevent such occurrences in the future, whether to us or anybody else. There have been 15 genocides that have killed 100,000 or more people since 1900. How do we stop that? It is easier to fight the disintegration of democracy when the seeds of disintegration are planted than it is when they have taken hold.”

In the alarming political climate in Europe and beyond, we can remember Zygielbojm by telling his story, sharing his values, fighting oppression, responding to the testimony of refugees, and giving solidarity to all who are fighting for sanctuary, for freedom and equality.”

This article was originally published by Tribune on Thu 11 May 2023. Read the original here.