“The responsibility for the crime of the murder of the whole Jewish nationality in Poland rests first of all on those who are carrying it out, but indirectly it falls also upon the whole of humanity, on the peoples of the Allied nations and on their governments, who up to this day have not taken any real steps to halt this crime. By looking on passively upon this murder of defenseless millions of tortured children, women, and men they have become partners to the responsibility.” Szmul Zygielbojm
Szmul
Zygielbojm
Stage 2 - Symbolization
“The responsibility for the crime of the murder of the whole Jewish nationality in Poland rests first of all on those who are carrying it out, but indirectly it falls also upon the whole of humanity, on the peoples of the Allied nations and on their governments, who up to this day have not taken any real steps to halt this crime. By looking on passively upon this murder of defenseless millions of tortured children, women, and men they have become partners to the responsibility.” Szmul Zygielbojm
Szmul Zygielbojm, born 21.02.1895 (February 21st, 1895) in Borowica
Szmul Zygielbojm came from a poor, large family and he had to start working as early as the age of 10. Because of this, he was unable to focus on his education. However, his curiosity and thirst for knowledge made him quickly catch up with his studies. He also became known as a good speaker and organizer, which helped him in his political career in Warsaw and Lodz.
After the outbreak of World War II, he co-organized the underground Jewish Resistance Movement and actively opposed the regulations introduced by the Third Reich, including the forced symbolization of Jews. He argued that consent to wearing armbands with the Star of David would mean consent to further restrictions that would be introduced by the occupier in the future. In 1940, he managed to escape from Poland and eventually found refuge in London, where he became a member of the Polish National Council. Zygielbojm tirelessly passed on information about the ongoing Holocaust in Poland that he received from representatives of the Polish underground and Jewish organizations. He tried to reach the highest political and military authorities to draw their attention to these crimes. After the fall of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, out of a sense of helplessness and as a protest against the lack of world reaction to the Holocaust, Szmul Zygielbojm committed suicide on the 11th of May 1943. In his farewell letter, he wrote: “I cannot continue to live and to be silent while the remnants of Polish Jewry, whose representative I am, are being murdered.”
Source: Męczeństwo, walka, zagłada Żydów w Polsce 1939-1945, Wydawnictwo Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej, Warszawa 1960, photo no. 46.
Warsaw ghetto; source National Digital Archives
source: Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe (National Digital Archive)
source: Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, Antony Polonsky (eds.), Polin. 1000 years of the history of the Polish Jews, Warsaw: Museum of the History of Polish Jews, 2014, p. 346
source: Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe (National Digital Archive)
Symbolization
This is the imposition of symbols by force that makes it possible to visually distinguish one group from others. During the Holocaust, Jews were forced to wear different symbols that differed from country to country: a yellow Star of David sewn onto clothing, or, as in occupied Poland, a white armband with a blue Star of David worn on the arm. Classification and symbolization are commonplace. They become dangerous when accompanied by hatred and dehumanization. To counteract symbolization, symbols and hate speech should be banned by law.
How is this person’s story related to the stage of genocide in G. Stanton’s theory?
Szmul Zygielbojm was guided by socialist ideals already in his pre-war activities. He was engaged in the struggle for the rights of the excluded and actively opposed social isolation. During the war, he tried to follow his path as well. He protested against the symbolization of Jews, their isolation in ghettos, and the obligation to wear armbands with the Star of David. Zygielbojm understood perfectly well what the difference was between the voluntary wearing of symbols and symbolization that was imposed by force in order to stigmatize certain group or groups.
National Council of the Republic of Poland – a consultative and advisory body to the president and the government of the Republic of Poland in exile. The Council was established by the decree of the president of the Republic of Poland Władysław Raczkiewicz on 9th December 1939 in France and operated in the years 1939-1991. The Council consisted of several dozen councilors, including representatives of the Jewish community. During the meetings, basic issues of the international situation and Polish foreign policy were discussed.