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PLOTZK-BORN JEWISH PAINTERS
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- Bu səhifədəki naviqasiya:
- Yehiel Aronson
- Dr. Simchowicz
- Zylberber
- JECHIEL-MEIR (MAKS) ELJOWICZ - PORTRAIT-PAINTER By Moshe Rubin
- Maks Eljowicz
- Korzen, Zylberberg and Eljowicz
- SHMUEL HAR-SHALOM (FRIDENBERG) By Moshe Rubin
- Korzen and Eljowicz
- THE HOLOCAUST PERIOD 1939-1945 THE JEWS OF PLOTZK UNDER THE NAZI REGIME By Dr. Joseph Kermish Director of Yad Vashem Archive, Jerusalem
- Samek Szatan
- Porzka Jakob
- Tilman family, Gombinski family, Warszawiak family, Bursztyn family, Goldberg family, Manczyk family, Toibenfligel family, Ben-Cjon Parwa, Marisia Sziber
- Sender Chmiel, Meir Kohen
- Eng. Szajnwicz, Eng. Cybolski, Koenigsberg, Jagoda
- Dr. Bromberger, Samek Szatan, Szperling, Y. Zeligman, Szachtman, Szajnwicz Guzik
- Szatan
- Chaim Ber Rubin from Mojzesz Leib Rubin
- Gitl Grossman, Dawid Gold, Plocer
PLOTZK-BORN JEWISH PAINTERS NATHAN KORZEN Page 65-66 Nathan Korzen, who perished in the bloom of his life in the Wilna ghetto, was a member of a young group of Polish painters, and was considered one of the important Jewish artists in Poland. The members of his family in Plotzk were engaged in various arts and crafts, and little Nathan loved to observe the handwork of his uncles, who were goldsmiths and silversmiths. His grandfather and father owned a workshop for the manufacture of copper goods, among them Jewish ritual objects. Eager to take up formal art studies, Nathan left his home and went to Warsaw. Professor Tadeusz Pruszkowsky of the Art Academy there recognized right away his outstanding talents and enabled him to enroll at the Academy. While still a student, Korzen already exhibited his work at a Jewish Gallery in Warsaw. Having finished his studies successfully, he soon became known as one of the finest painters of portraits in Poland. Leading personalities commissioned him to do their portraits and he was never short of work. He also painted from nature, and whenever he visited Plotzk, which is set in beautiful surroundings, he went out of town to paint the countryside. He spent many days at the picturesque village of Kazimierz, which attracted many painters because of its lovely setting. As the art critic Yehiel Aronson states in his appreciation of Korzen, he was not affected by the surrealistic school of Post-Impressionism, since he was gifted with the ability to express his longings realistically on canvas. Korzen lived in Wilna at the outbreak of the war, as he thought that from there it would be easier to escape to the West. His hopes did not materialize, and he stayed on in the Ghetto, where he took part in the cultural life of the oppressed Jews. Murderous hands put an end to his creative life. His brother Harry, who resides in Toronto, published there a book in his memory in 1948. Regrettably only very few of his pictures were saved from destruction and some of them are to be found in the collection of Dr. Simchowicz of Tel Aviv. FISHL ZYLBERBERG (ZBER) Page 65-66 "Poems are talking pictures and pictures – are silent poems"... Melech Rawicz
Page 66-67 The above was born in Raciąż but moved with his parents at a young age to Plotzk. He specialized in painting the portraits of persons from the well-to-do classes, (writers, famous physicians etc.). During the years before the war, Eljowicz worked as an internal decorator and in 1937 was awarded the First Prize for the nicest show-window by the Warsaw municipality. That year he was sent by the Polish Government to arrange the Polish Pavilion at the Levant Fair in Tel-Aviv. After the Nazi invasion, Eljowicz stayed in the Warsaw ghetto where he, and others artists, were engaged in decorating the Kehila meeting-hall. One day he was sent by the Jewish committee to decorate the walls of a deportees' transit-station. He and his Colleagues painted a most impressive picture of a Jewish smith at work. This picture later irritated an S/S officer so greatly that he ordered to destroy it. Maks Eljowicz, who contributed a lot to the artistic education of the Jewish public, perished at the extermination camp of Treblinka. DAVID TUSHINSKY - MASTER OF MINIATURES By E. E. Page 67
When only one year old, his parents moved from Brzezany (near Lodz) to Plotzk, where he lived for 20 years, until the outbreak of war. The romantic scenes of the town inspired him just as they influenced other Plotzk artists, such as Korzen,_Zylberberg_and_Eljowicz'>Korzen, Zylberberg and Eljowicz. He studied in Lodz, was recruited into the Polish army and soon after the defeat of 1939 moved eastwards. Eventually he got to Israel, but here he felt that his special brand of art would not be appreciated. For several years he worked for a living, unable to further his art-work. Then he moved to Paris, where, due to his natural ability to make friends and his desire to make his work known, he has succeeded in his career. Two exhibitions of his work took place in Paris in 1948 and he was awarded an international art prize. He maintains his relations with Israel and comes here from time to time, both to exhibit his. work (Haifa, Eilat, Petah Tiqva and other places) and to find new subjects for his art. His drawings are greatly influenced by three factors: The Holocaust, Jewish national rebirth and Europe's culture. One of his critics said that Tushinsky's art is "a mirror of his epoch". SHMUEL HAR-SHALOM (FRIDENBERG) By Moshe Rubin Page 68
Only later in life, once he was already settled in Kiryat-Haim, Israel, he returned to his first love - art. After his daily chores at the local glass factory, he devoted all his free time to the creation of copper etchings. After a period of study in Paris, he showed his work at two exhibitions, (1961 and 1963) in Haifa. His work was very favorably reviewed by Israeli art-critics, and he continues to create scenes taken from the landscape and the day-to-day life of the workers and ordinary folk of Israel. THE HOLOCAUST PERIOD 1939-1945 THE JEWS OF PLOTZK UNDER THE NAZI REGIME By Dr. Joseph Kermish Director of Yad Vashem Archive, Jerusalem Pages 70-75 UNTIL THE DEPORTATION pages 70-73 The first bombs fell in Plotzk on September 1st, 1939, at 6 AM. People first thought that these were air force exercises but very soon realized that the war had begun. Shops were closed down and peasants who had come to the market, rushed home. On the second and third days several wealthy Jewish inhabitants fled town and escaped to Warsaw. On the fourth day began the evacuation by order of the authorities. People fled in three directions to Warsaw (by motor-boats), to Gombin and Gostynin. Plotzk was captured by the German army on September 8th, 1939. During the initial 2-3 weeks the town was under military rule and no anti-Jewish measures were taken by the military forces. German soldiers even did their shopping in Jewish stores. In some cases, German soldiers warned Jews against danger from the Gestapo. Plotzk refugees, who had gone to nearby Gombin, being under the impression that the Germans meant no harm, even returned to town. In the last days of September it seemed that life in town became normal. But on October 7th, 1939, when according to Hitler's decree, Plotzk was annexed to West Prussia (Gau West-Preussen), and the rule over those territories was handed over to Nazi party-organs (especially the Gestapo), the persecution began: confiscations of Jewish shops, kidnappings of Jews for forced labor, sadistic treatment of religious Jews, etc. On October 15th, 1939, 10 Jewish notables were summoned to the Judendrat, and notified that a collective fine of 1 million zlotys had been imposed on the Jewish population as a penalty for its disloyalty towards the German authorities. They were ordered to collect this amount within a few hours, while three of them were retained in custody as hostages, where they were maltreated and beaten. After negotiations the Germans agreed to accept half a million only and the hostages were released. At that time Jews began to leave the mixed residential quarters. Individual Germans started to loot Jewish homes, taking away pieces of furniture, house utensils, etc. Jews were forced to greet uniformed Germans by taking off their hats and forbidden to use the side-walks. Many Jews disappeared after having been arrested at night. The constant looting by Gestapo-men made daily life unbearable. The Rabbi of town was forced to leave Plotzk, after having been taken several times to do forced labor and having suffered greatly. The Great Synagogue was converted into a garage, the Little Synagogue was demolished, and the Beit Hamidrash at Szeroka Street was turned into a concentration place for workers and a guard-room of the "Jewish police". Many German offices used Scrolls of the Law for stair coverings. Kidnapping of Jews and forced shaving of beards and side-locks became a daily occurrence. Religious Jews in prayer-shawls and Tefillin were forced to dance in the streets to the amusement of Germans who took snapshots of these scenes. In the last days of October 1939 all industrial and commercial undertakings were officially closed and confiscated. Yellow notices were affixed to them: "Jewish-Closed". The Mayor published a decree forbidding Jews to engage in commerce and industry as of October 31st, and specifying in 7 paragraphs the ways and means by which Jewish enterprises were to be taken over by Germans. All Jewish property was thus confiscated "according to Law". The Germans set fire to the Jewish mill and accused its owners of having caused the conflagration themselves. At the end of November 1939 the Jews were forced to wear yellow "Magen David" badges, and to sign their identity cards with their finger-prints. Many Jews escaped from town to Warsaw and other places. At the end of 1939, after liquidating the Kehila Committee, the German authorities nominated a "Judenrat" consisting of a few known personalities, and of some new people, who until then had not taken any active part in public affairs. One of the first steps of the "Judenrat" was to set up the "Jewish Police". The "Judenrat" became responsible for carrying out German orders, supplying manpower for the German military and other authorities and regulating the life of the Jewish population. The "Judenrat" managed to keep some shops open for the Jewish population, which was deprived the right to buy from non-Jewish shops-owners. A Jewish pharmacy, clinic and post office branch were also opened. The Jewish Ghetto was established by order of the Nazis in September 1940, and enclosed Synagogalna, Szeroka, and part of Bielska Street. Jews were forbidden to leave this area without special permits (Strassenschein), all contacts with the outside world were cut off, daily routine centering around the "Judenrat", which opened a bakery and some shops for food and fuel distribution. 7600 Plotzk Jews and 3000 refugees from Dobrzyn, Rypin, Sierpc, Raciaz etc. lived in the ghetto in December 1940. The terrible congestion, hunger, epidemic diseases, lack of medicines, made life unbearable. Ghetto residents used doors and window-frames as fuel to heat their homes. At that period the Nazis began to persecute the Polish intelligentsia. Some of the Polish lawyers, doctors and teachers were being sent to concentration camps or killed, and the churches were closed. Inside the Ghetto the "Judenrat" tried with all means at its disposal to prevent the deportation Jews from Plotzk by bribing the Germans with money, drinks and presents. Nevertheless the "Judenrat slowly turned into an instrument of the Germans by which their discrimination orders were carried out. The poorer segments of the Jewish population suffered more than the people who had some means left. The ghetto was shocked one Saturday in September 1940 when the Germans brutally expelled all the inmates of the Home of Aged, which had existed for many decades, and killed all of them in nearby Działdowo, but for 12 who managed to escape. Later the "Judenrat" was ordered to compile a list of incurables, sick and crippled people. All of them disappeared. A fortnight later the "Judenrat" was told to draw up a list of Zionist leaders. Instead a list of dead personalities and of those who escaped to Russia was handed in. The authorities then arrested five Jews, who were picked up at random on the street and sent them to a camp. The day of general deportation from the ghetto approached. A few days before February 20, 1941, 25 men were arrested and killed. This was the first mass-murder of Jews in Plotzk. The verdict said that the executed had planned an attempt on the Gestapo. The "Judenrat" members had to be present during the execution as hostages "in order to prevent re-occurrence of such acts". The names of the victims were identified according to the documents found in their mass grave after the war. The last victim, Szatan'>Samek Szatan escaped but perished later. The victims of that execution were: Grynszpan Mosze age 38, Sadzowka Mosze age 55, Bogacz Reuwen age 25, Płocker Hersz age 38, Przachedzki Dawid and his son Abraham 17 years old, Flaks Abraham age 55 and his son Pinchas age 23, Rotblat Simcha Lajb age 32, Szwarc Moniek age 30, Porzka Jakob age 38, Bursztyn Abram age 32, Bursztyn Israel age 25, Kredit Mark age 27, Zilberberg Hersz Reuwen, Fajka Efraim, Papierczyk Fiszel, Korstein Mosze, Szmit Aharon Lajzer, Goldberg, Graubard Efraim, Rifenholc Icchak, Kamzel, Herszkowicz Cadok, Zgal Alter. (Source note 43 in the Hebrew version, page 459). After that the general feeling of Plotzk Jews was that the day of calamity was approaching. People slept at nights with their packed bags, and were ready for everything. In order not to be taken away by surprise they organized a guards system every night from 7 PM. onward. On February 20, 1941 the news about the impending general deportation of the Jews from the ghetto was spread. On that day the "Jewish Policemen" were summoned to Gestapo Headquarters, where they were beaten with whips which the "Judenrat" was commanded to supply earlier. In the evening rumors were circulated in the ghetto that the deportation had been postponed and that money had been raised to bribe Commissar Burg. But on the morrow the deportation began. At 4 o'clock in the morning the patients of the Jewish hospital were taken out, and about half of them were beaten to death on the spot. At that time, S.S. men in four lorries arrived at the corner of Szeroka and Bielska Streets, shouting "Juden heraus!". All the Jews were driven from their homes and concentrated on Szeroka Street. There they remained from early in the morning until noon. Packages, handbags, etc. were taken away. They were told to enter trucks, while those who were unable to do so, such as elderly and sick people, were shot. About 200 people were loaded on each truck. 4000 Jews were expelled to Działdowo camp during this 21st of February 1941. The remaining Jews, including "Judenrat" members who were held responsible for the presence of the deportees at the concentration point, were ordered to return home. The second and last deportation took place on March 1st, 1941. A day before, all the "Judenrat" members were arrested. The second deportation followed the pattern of the first one. The expelled reached Działdowo in 4 hours time, making their way through villages and townships, where gentiles threw bread and sausages into their trucks. About 7000 Jews arrived at Działdowo, where they were accommodated in dirty huts, which had been emptied of their former prisoners. The Germans continued looting clothes, shoes and personal belongings. Every day a transport of 1,000 people was sent from the camp, arriving at the railway station barefoot and half-naked. Plotzk became "Judenrein". The author quotes the Historian Dr. Ringelblum, who had written in connection with the deportation of Jews from ancient communities like Kalish and Plotzk: "There was no period in their 800-year history, when Jews were not living there". * Jews mentioned in this chapter (partial list, translated from the Hebrew part):
PLOTZK REFUGEES IN EXILE pages 73-74 The majority of the expelled Plotzk Jews was sent to Bodzentyn, in the Kielce region. Another transport arrived on March 11th at Tomaszow Mazowiecki wherefrom the refugees were sent to nearby townships; a third transport was directed to Kielce and from there to three other localities. About 1500 Plotzk Jews, mostly of the poorer classes were concentrated at Bodzentyn, where they arrived without clothes, shoes or money. The local Kehila organized a kitchen for them which prepared every day about 1500 meals and distributed bread rations of 150-200 gram per person, free of charge. A committee of Plotzk refugees was organized in Bodzentyn and an appeal was sent to Warsaw, asking for help. A letter of May 5th describes the position of the refugees. Epidemic diseases had caused many deaths. "We had to bury 100 of our brethren" communicated another letter. Mortality was high. People wore rags, were hungry and were covered with wounds. About 800 refugees arrived by train at Chmielnik. The Jews of that township, who were still unmolested, could not believe the horror stories they heard from the refugees. Some of them found hard work there as wood-cutters. Their committee received small sums of money from Plotzk refugees in Warsaw and used them for constructive help. In April 1941 a ghetto was instituted in Chmielnik, from which the people were later on, in October 1942, sent to Treblinka. Another group numbering 700, was sent to Suchedniow, where they remained under similar conditions until September 22, 1942, when they were deported to Treblinka. Smaller transports of Jews from Plotzk arrived at Wierzbnik (about 300 refugees), at Starachowice, Daleszyce, Zarki, Drzewica and other places. Everywhere conditions were unbearable. Lack of food, lack of sanitation, hopelessness. Many died of epidemic diseases since it was impossible to obtain medical aid. Initially efforts were made to organize some food supplies or to raise funds but later on all efforts proved futile as the majority of Plotzk refugees were sent from all these places to Treblinka and the rest of them to other death camps. A few escaped during deportation but were killed later on. At the final conclusion of the war only a handful survived. Jews mentioned in this chapter (partial list, translated from the Hebrew part):
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