![bel3_062.jpg [30 KB] - Belchatower survivors in the UNRA camp](images/bel3_062.jpg) |
during a memorial service
[Large sign in photo: “6th Yahrzeit – In remembrance of the Destruction of Belchatow”
Small sign on left: “The Nation of Israel Lives (Am Yisrael Chai)”]
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Translated from the Yiddish by Flora Rotblatt
In connection with the 25th Yahrzeit after the destruction of Belchatow, we
bring an excerpt from a speech that Itzik Gilberg gave for the remainder of the
survivors L”L[*] who were rescued from the crematoria and camps.
Even though it is already twenty years since the speech took place, we still feel the warm breath and words of the author.
… “For six years the dark nights of Hitler's barbarism, with its bloody boots, stepped over Europe and sowed death and destruction. We Jews have paid a very dear price. A third of our people, and especially Polish Jews, were destroyed. With the fall of Hitlerism freedom began to breathe in all of Europe. Also, there came the salvation of the remainder of the Jews not slaughtered and not stabbed to death, whom the Nazis were not able to exterminate…”
“Great was our disappointment, when we came home to our shtetl Belchatow, that we did not meet any of those closest to us!”
… “Surrounded with deep loneliness and accompanied by hateful looks from our former Polish neighbors, we continued on our wandering way to find peace, to be able to rebuild our destroyed homes and the appropriate atmosphere to heal painful wounds which the war left us”…
… “Very important for us was the help that we received from outside the country, especially from Argentina. We felt that we were not all alone – Someplace in the rest of the world beats a sympathetic heart with the same rhythm as our heart!”
“And this, for us, is the greatest joy”…
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| Belchatower survivors in the UNRA camp,
during a memorial service [Large sign in photo: “6th Yahrzeit – In remembrance of the Destruction of Belchatow” Small sign on left: “The Nation of Israel Lives (Am Yisrael Chai)”] |
| [*] | [editor's note: lamed”lamed, probably meaning lech l'shalom (may they walk in peace), but could mean lama li? (Why me?) – the traditional biblical or prophetic question, namely Moses asking G-d why did you choose me for this mission or the prophet Jonah asking why did you select me for the job, etc. The author would then be implying, why did you abandon me (the Jewish people), or, why did we survive? J. L.] return |
| President | -------------------- | Abraham Laib | |
| Vice-President | -------------------- | Hershke Goldmintz [Goldminc] | |
| Secretary | -------------------- | Zainwel Przedborski | |
| Asst. Secretary | -------------------- | Yankl-Meyer Pukatch [Pukacz] | |
| Treasurer | -------------------- | Laibl Hecht | Asst. Treasurer | -------------------- | Abraham Rozental |
| Managing Committee Members [Directors] | |||
| Aryeh Wilhelm | Zalman Lewkowicz | ||
| Lazer Huberman | Nechemye Wilhelm | ||
| Shlomo Lustshanowski | Yisroelik Machabanski | ||
| Shlomo Zhitnitski [Zitnicki] | Yitzhak Przybylski | ||
| Yosef Gliksman | |||
| Members | |||
|
Chana Przedborski |
|||
| Sarah' Moshe Wilhelm | |||
| Chana Wilhelm | |||
| Feige Machabanski | |||
| Pesia Sheinkop | |||
| Kreindl Pukacz | |||
| Sara Jakobowicz | |||
| Chaya Lewkowicz | |||
| Sarah' Moshe Factor | |||
| Baile Laib | |||
| Kreindl Goldminc | |||
| Chantshe Hecht | |||
| President | -------------------- | Yosef Gliksman | |
| Vice-President | -------------------- | Abraham Laib | |
| Secretary | -------------------- | Shlomo Naparstek | |
| Asst. Secretary | -------------------- | ||
| Treasurer | -------------------- | Yechezkel Wilhelm | Asst. Treasurer | -------------------- | Lazer Huberman |
| Managing Committee Members [Directors] | |||
| Julio Jakubowicz | David Elbinger | ||
| Nechemye Wilhelm | Heshke Goldminc | ||
| Yacob-Yosef Zilberszac | Laibl Hecht | ||
| Alternate [Deputy] Directors | |||
| Zanwel Birencwajg | Yisroelik Machabanski | ||
| Y. M. Pukacz | Zalman Lewkowicz | ||
| Fiscal Councilor | |||
| Anchel [Angel] Sapirsztajn | |||
| Alternate [Deputy] | |||
| Zainwel Przedborski | |||
| Bookkeeper | |||
| Simon Wilhelm | |||
| Manager | |||
| Yerachmiel Sapolanski | |||
| Founding Committee of the Cooperative “Superacion” | |||
| Abraham Laib | Faiwel Wilhelm | ||
| Heshke Goldminc | Yosef Gliksman | ||
| Zainwel Przedborski | Isaac Heller | ||
| Laibl Hecht | Abraham Rozental | ||
| Aryeh Wilhelm | Zalman Lewkowicz | ||
| Yankl-Meyer Pukacz | Chaim Grunwald | ||
| First Structure-Commission for Our Own Building | |||
| Laibl Hecht | Zainwel Przedborski | ||
| Abraham Rozental | Yisroelik Machabanski | ||
| Shlomo Naparstek | Heshke Golminc | ||
| Aryeh Wilhelm | Zalman Lewkowicz | ||
| Julio Jakobowicz | |||
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Herszel and Hela BRAJTBERG
1. Goe Street Sr. Gaufield [sic, Caufield] Melbourne – Australia |
Mosze Nute ROSENCWEIG SZAJNDEL
156. Victoria Street. N. Richmond Melbourne – Australia |
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Motek and Bluma BRAJTBERG
14. Highland Av. Balviw [sic, Balwyn] Melbourne – Australia |
Iechak and Hinda ROSENTHAL (Szmulewicz)
14. Eastbaurne [sic, Eastbourne]. Windsor Melbourne – Australia |
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Pinkus and CHAJA KATZ (Szmulevicz)
18. Stanley Pde. Gaufield [sic, Caufield] Melbourne – Australia |
León and Lola DZIALOWSKI
414. Glenferrie Rd. Koo [sic, Kooyong] Melbourne – Australia |
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Szmul Jankiel CYNCUNATUS
575. Inkerman Rd. Gaufield [sic, Caufield] Melbourne – Australia |
Szaja FREITAG
G. P. O. Box 822 F Melbourne – Australia |
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Updated 31 Mar 2007 by LA