Mendel Balberyszski
Encyclopedia
Mendel Balberyszski was a Lithuanian Jew
, Polish politician and survivor of the Holocaust in Lithuania. He is chiefly known today as the biographer of the destruction of the Vilna Ghetto
in his book Stronger Than Iron – The Destruction of Vilna Jewry 1941-1945: An Eyewitness Account. It is the account of life and organization in the Small Ghetto from its day of formation until its liquidation, it is also the only complete historical record of the fate of the Jewish population of Vilna from the day of the arrival of the Germans, through the two Ghettos, the concentration camps in Estonia until the liberation of the surviving 84 Jews by the Soviet Army.
. In these capacities he was a fervent advocate of the rights of the Jewish community to cultural autonomy.
In 1925, Lodz
he founded The Jewish Artisans and Small Business Association and became president of one of the largest Jewish charity organizations the Noten Lekhem.
Later in 1939 he became one of the leaders of the Polish Democratic Party, one of the three major political parties in pre-war Poland.
With the outbreak of the Second World War he escaped from German occupied Poland to return to his native Vilnius
.
In June 1941, Germany occupied Lithuania. Soon after the Jews of Vilnius were herded into two ghettos. He became a member of the Advisory Council that was responsible for the administration of the small ghetto. After the liquidation of the small ghetto, he became an important figure in the large Vilna ghetto where he opposed the Judenrat's policy of co-operating with the Germans in the deportations of Jews.
After the war, he emigrated to Australia where he returned to active Jewish communal activities, founding the Association of Partisans and Camp Survivors of which he became the President. He was also President of the Carlton
Hebrew Congregation, an offical of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria
, a contributor to the Jewish press and a sought after guest lecturer. The Balberyszski Jewish Bookstore which he acquired and expanded in the early 1950s became the focal point for the Yiddish speaking intellectuals and a communal landmark.
Lithuanian Jews
Lithuanian Jews or Litvaks are Jews with roots in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania:...
, Polish politician and survivor of the Holocaust in Lithuania. He is chiefly known today as the biographer of the destruction of the Vilna Ghetto
Vilna Ghetto
The Vilna Ghetto or Vilnius Ghetto was a Jewish ghetto established by Nazi Germany in the city of Vilnius in the occupied Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic , during the Holocaust in World War II...
in his book Stronger Than Iron – The Destruction of Vilna Jewry 1941-1945: An Eyewitness Account. It is the account of life and organization in the Small Ghetto from its day of formation until its liquidation, it is also the only complete historical record of the fate of the Jewish population of Vilna from the day of the arrival of the Germans, through the two Ghettos, the concentration camps in Estonia until the liberation of the surviving 84 Jews by the Soviet Army.
Biography
He was an outstanding Yiddish orator and a member of the editorial staff of the Vilnius Yiddish newspaper Der Tog. He became a leading member of the Jewish Democratic Party, the FolksparteiFolkspartei
The Folkspartei was founded after the 1905 pogroms in the Russian Empire by Simon Dubnow and Israel Efrojkin. The party took part to several elections in Poland and Lithuania in the 1920s and 1930s and did not survive the Shoah.-Ideology:...
. In these capacities he was a fervent advocate of the rights of the Jewish community to cultural autonomy.
In 1925, Lodz
Lódz
Łódź is the third-largest city in Poland. Located in the central part of the country, it had a population of 742,387 in December 2009. It is the capital of Łódź Voivodeship, and is approximately south-west of Warsaw...
he founded The Jewish Artisans and Small Business Association and became president of one of the largest Jewish charity organizations the Noten Lekhem.
Later in 1939 he became one of the leaders of the Polish Democratic Party, one of the three major political parties in pre-war Poland.
With the outbreak of the Second World War he escaped from German occupied Poland to return to his native Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
.
In June 1941, Germany occupied Lithuania. Soon after the Jews of Vilnius were herded into two ghettos. He became a member of the Advisory Council that was responsible for the administration of the small ghetto. After the liquidation of the small ghetto, he became an important figure in the large Vilna ghetto where he opposed the Judenrat's policy of co-operating with the Germans in the deportations of Jews.
After the war, he emigrated to Australia where he returned to active Jewish communal activities, founding the Association of Partisans and Camp Survivors of which he became the President. He was also President of the Carlton
Carlton, Victoria
Carlton is an inner city suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 2 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Melbourne...
Hebrew Congregation, an offical of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria
Jewish Community Council of Victoria
The Jewish Community Council of Victoria Inc is the roof body of the Jewish community of Victoria, the Australian state with the largest Jewish population . The JCCV’s mission is to represent the Victorian Jewish community on all matters that affect its status, welfare and interests. The JCCV was...
, a contributor to the Jewish press and a sought after guest lecturer. The Balberyszski Jewish Bookstore which he acquired and expanded in the early 1950s became the focal point for the Yiddish speaking intellectuals and a communal landmark.