Polish-Jewish Relations: 1,300 Keyword-Phrase-Indexed Book Reviews (by Jan Peczkis)

Patterns of Jewish Leadership in Nazi Europe, 1933-1945, by Yisrael Gutman (Editor). 1979

The Judenrat and the Jewish Ghetto Police: Various Motives of Jews Serving the Nazis. Same is Applicable to Polish Denouncers and Killers of Fugitive Jews

The highlight of this book, on Jewish leadership and the Shoah, is the chapter by Aharon Weiss. I thank Polish scholar Ewa Kurek for bringing the work of Aharon Weiss to public attention. Unfortunately, however, this book has only a terse summary of Weiss’ extensive Hebrew-language research on the JUDENRAT and the Jewish Ghetto Police, the so-called JUDISCHER ORDNUNGSDIENST. (p. 201).

The following (except titles in CAPS) are direct quotes from Aharon Weiss:

THE JUDENRAT AND THE MASS DEPORTATIONS (TO THE DEATH CAMPS). SELF-SEEKING BEHAVIORS

However, when the waves of mass deportations began, and fears as to the fate of the deportees increased- even if the terrible truth was not known in all cases and in all places- under such conditions, continued accession to German demands, when these involved the surrender of Jews, was tantamount to willfully abetting in harmful measures against the community. This was the focal point around which behavior patterns of the different JUDENRAETE revolved–there were those who absolutely refused to surrender Jews to the enemy, while others adopted the approach that by sacrificing a part of the community, others might be saved. There were also JUDENRAT members whose actions were devoid of any concern for the communal welfare, and who were motivated purely by the desire to secure their own interests. (pp. 212-213).

THE JEWISH GHETTO POLICE: A MAJOR NAZI GERMAN TOOL IN THE SUCCESS OF THE HOLOCAUST

One central conclusion emerges from the data which has been amassed to date: Out of a total of one hundred communities in the General Government, the Jewish Police in eighty-six of them acceded to the demands of the Germans at some stage of their activities, including participation in the round-ups for mass AKTIONEN. The distinction in the various stages in the existence and operation of the Jewish Police is important because the vast number of episodes in which the Jewish Police ceded to German demands occurred most noticeably in the final stages of the ghettos’ existence, at a time when personnel changes had been effected within the ranks of the Police. Elements sensitive to public needs had either left the Police or had fallen victim to the Germans. The subservient policemen and commanders prevailed to the very end, although in most cases they found their death at Nazi hands. (p. 216).

In relation to the Jewish Police, we must reiterate that it was the weakest link, and its activities proved incompatible with the community’ s stance. (p. 217).

(End of direct quotes)

Note, from the quote from pages 212-213, that the Jewish communities were not instantly aware of the fact that Jews were being shipped to the death camps. This awareness came gradually. Consequently, the “save one’s life” exculpation, for Jewish-Nazi collaboration, could not possibly have been a valid factor in the early stages of the Holocaust. (Of course, Jewish-Nazi collaboration began long before the Holocaust, but that is another story.)

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PERSECUTORS CORRUPT THE PERSECUTED: A FACT RECOGNIZED FOR JEWISH COLLABORATORS [WHY NOT ALSO FOR POLISH COLLABORATORS?]

Joseph Michman wrote, ” Long ago, Rabbi Jacob Emden commented on the sentence in the Passover Haggadah: ” ‘ The Egyptians did us evil,’ ” interpreting it as ‘ they made us evil.’ The rule that the persecutor is responsible for the corruption of the persecuted applies very pertinently to the moral position of the Jewish Councils.” (p. 257).

Why indeed not the same standard for Polish collaborators (including the SZMALCOWNIKI [blackmailers of Jews], and the Polish denouncers and killers of fugitive Jews)?? (sic)