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"Warsaw 1939" by Yoel Mestboim
A memorial book about Jewish Warsaw. Documentation of events and figures from the ghetto, its people, artists and culture.
Yoel Mestboim (1882-1957) was a Yiddisher author born in Poland. He immigrated to Israel in 1933.
12X21 cm.
230 pp.
Condition: Excellent.
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Min Ha'Metzar (from Dire Straits) – memories from Lodz Ghetto, Yehuda Leib Girst, 1949
The book describes the author's history since the beginning of the war – the conquering of Lodz by the Germans, the building of the ghetto and the condition in it, the transports to Auschwitz and the stay there, the Death Marches and the liberation and the end of the war. The book is written in impressive language and innocent faith. Includes a poem named 'Hanukkah Candles in Auschwitz'.
Yehuda Leib Girst (1901-1963) was a Haredi Jew, graduate of Yeshivas and an ordained rabbi. After immigrating to Israel, he was an educator and author of books in Yiddish and Hebrew on various subjects. He published articles and historical researches in religious and Haredi newspapers under the penname Y. Ben Menachem. He was the Rabbi Kook Prize for religious literature in 1960.
168 pp.
Condition: Very good.
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An announcement calling for recruitment to the British army in the Land of Israel during World War II
During World War II, the Jewish settlement in Israel saw itself as an alley of the United Kingdom, Britain, in its war against the Nazis. One of the things the Yishuv did to help the war was to recruit boys and girls to the British army in order to help in the war. Many proclamations were published in order to encourage the recruitment.
It should be noted that during most of the years of the war, there was no clear information about the fate of the European Jews; only in 1943 did certain news on the subject arrive.
The proclamation before us was printed in February 1943 and is titled "Forbidden, Forbidden, Forbidden". It cites an article that was published in the 'Davar' newspaper (2/2/1943) about the many prohibitions the Jews of Europe suffered from. The publishers of the proclamation call the public to recruit to the army in order to help the British beat the Nazis. "Only victory in the war might cancel all these prohibitions".
16x21 cm.
Condition: Very good.
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Jewish Physician Certificate in German, Warsaw Ghetto
This certificate confirms that Moszek Malowany, a Polish Jew, can serve as a physician in the ghetto. The certificate includes three pages that specify the physician's family members and his qualifications in German.
Rare!
Condition: Very good.
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Auschwitz Cross – a Medal of Honor of the Polish government which was given to the prisoners of the camps
On one side of the medal there is the symbol P in a triangle, as it appeared on the Polish prisoners' prison uniform, and the years 1939-1945. In addition there is an engraving of a barbed wired fence and the gates of the camp.
On the other side, the following inscription appears: PRL / WIĘŹNIOM / HITLEROWSKICH / OBOZÓW KONCENTRACYJNYCH" – from the Polish Republic to the prisoners of the Nazi camps.
A piece of cloth that reminds the prisoners' uniform, 6.5X4 cm., is attached to the medal.
This Medal of Honor was given during the years 1985-1999 on behalf of the Polish government to the prisoners of the camps in Poland, especially Auschwitz. The medal was given in honor of the prisoner (even after his death). In most cases, the medal was given to Polish citizens, yet there were exceptions and the medal was given to foreign citizens as well.
The size of the medal is 42X42 mm. and it is shaped as a cross.
Condition: Very good. The attached cloth is a bit worn out.
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Four anti-Semite "Bills" (receipts for a donation), Austria, 1920
Four receipts for a donation to a Nazi Defense Organization named "Antisemitenbund".
On the bills there is an illustration of the burning of liberal German and Austrian newspapers which were perceived at the time as supporters of Jews. A few years later, with the Nazis rise to power, they indeed closed these newspapers or turned them forcibly into the voice of their propaganda.
The inscriptions on the bills are in German. A Swastika appears on their back side.
The bills are of 10 Heller, 20 Heller and two of 50 Heller.
Condition: Very good.
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Collection of newspapers from the day of victory over Germany, 1945
A. A special issue of Yediot Acharonot, 7.5.45, 10:00. "The Day of Victory has been announced! Tomorrow and the day after are holidays. Churchill will address the nation afternoon", the full speech of the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, "This is how the surrender was signed".
Rare!
B. Yediot Chadashot (New Information), a special publication for the Day of Victory, 10.5.45.
30-page issue.
Condition: good.
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The Eichmann Trial, two booklets, 1961
1. The Attorney General against Eichmann – Opening speech
A booklet that contains the Prime-Minister's announcement about Eichmann being caught, the opening speech of the Attorney General, the early legal argumentation, the indictment and the Law of Nazis and their Aids. Published by the Prime-Minister's Office.
The General Attorney Gideon Hausner was a parliament member and a minister of the Israeli government. He served as the prosecutor at the Eichmann Trial. His opening speech is known for its touching words "I do not stand here alone. With me stand the six million. Hausner's picture appears on the first page.
198 pp.
Condition: Very good
2. The Eichmann Trial in the public opiniom of Western Germany
A collection of documents collected by Hans Lam and translated by Avraham Bartura, which present the response of Western Germany to the Eichmann Trial. Among the documents there is the public statement of the president of the State, the Chancellor and other dignified people, articles from newspapers and church manifestos.
74 pp.
Condition: Excellent.
The Eichmann Trial during which Adolf Eichmann was sentenced to death put the memory of the Holocaust at the center of the Israeli consciousness and aroused great interest around the world.
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A collection of banknotes, Theresienstadt Ghetto, 1943
As part of the Germans' objective to present Theresienstadt Ghetto as a regular civilian city, on 1.1.1943, they founded a fictive bank named 'The Jewish Self-Administration Bank' (Bank der juedischen Selbst-verwaltung). Money was printed and deposited in accounts in the name of Theresienstadt Jews, while in fact, the money could not be withdrawn from the account.
This collection of banknotes is the full series of the seven notes printed by the bank of the ghetto of the nominal value of 1-100 Kronas. An illustration of Moses holding the two stone tablets is printed on the notes.
The notes are signed by Ya'akov Edelstein, the head of the council of elders of the Ghetto at the time.
Theresienstadt was a “model” ghetto used by the Germans to deceive the Red Cross. An internal Jewish committee operated there and Jewish cultural activities were held. Many of Germany’s Jews were transferred to the ghetto, and many died of diseases. Eventually the prisoners were transported, group after group, to Auschwitz.
Condition: Very good. There a few folding signs and a small tear on the 100 Krona note.
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A letter in the handwriting of Rabbi Arye Levin to the president Zalman Shazar – a request to pardon the leader of the group that was accused of killing Kastner, 1962. Historical letter!
Yisrael (Rudolf) Kastner (1906-1957) was a Jew of Hungarian origin, a senior clerk at the Trade and Labor Ministry and a candidate of the Mapai Party for the second Knesset. In 1953, Kastner was accused by a member of the Mizrachi Movement, Malkiel Gruenwald, of collaboration with the Nazis in the extermination of the Hungarian Jews during World War II and of concealing the fact that the Hungarian Jews were about to be exterminated in order to save about 1,700 'distinguished' Jews, his friends and relatives among them, who were allowed to leave Budapest for Switzerland and of assisting the Nazi criminal Kurt Becher by attesting in his favor during the Nuremberg Trials.
Kastner sued Gruenwald for libel. The attorney Shmuel Tamir, a member of the Etzel and the Herut Party, defended Gruenwald. The judge in the trial was Binyamin Ha'Levi. In June 1955, Judge Ha'Levi ruled that Gruenwald's accusations regarding Kastner's collaboration with the Nazis have been proven and that "Kastner had sold his soul to the devil". Kastner's supporters claimed that he was actually a hero, who despite all the objective risks and emotional hardships involved in being in touch with people such as Eichmann, Kastner had done his best to save as many Jews as possible.
The trial itself was conceived as an accusation of the national parties against Mapai, whose representative in Budapest had been Kastner. Therefore, the government decided to appeal to the Supreme Court. On 28.6.1955, the Herut Movement filed a no-confidence motion against the government due its handling of the affair, which brought to the government's collapse.
On 7.3.1957, Kastner was shot and died from his wounds. In January, the Supreme Court ruled that Kastner had not collaborated with the Nazis. The ruling noted that under certain circumstances, a leader should hides information from the public.
The General Security Services found out that the murder was committed by former Lehi fighters. The initiator and organizer was Yosef Menkes. He, the driver Dan Shemer and the shooter Ze'ev Eckstein were judged and sentenced to many years in prison. After several years, they were pardoned by president Shazar.
The letter before us contains a unique revelation. It turns out that President Shazar received a long and personal appeal from Rabbi Arye Levin to pardon Menkes. It seems that this appeal was highly significant.
The matter of the pardon is shrouded in fog. Was it only a humanitarian matter considering the mothers and children? Was it questioning the conviction in light of the special circumstances? In the letter, Rabbi Levin might hint at such a possibility: "to be the savior of the prisoner … even if he is guilty". This is interesting material for those studying the affair.
The letter is composed of two parts. The first contains congratulations to Shazar for being appointed "President of Israel in the Land of Israel". The words demonstrate Rabbi Levin's respect to the State of Israel and its president.
The second part is the request for pardoning Menkes. It turns out that Rabbi Levin was most active in the request for the pardon. He tells Shazar that he has already appealed in the matter to Prime-Minister Ben-Gurion and to the President Ben-Zvi. The latter, however, died before signing the pardon and now the matter is laid before Shazar. He appeals to Shazar in a respective yet most clear manner: "And now, Mr. President, it is your duty to be the savior…"
The complete letter is written in Rabbi Levin's pearly handwriting. At the end of the first part, there are two signatures in his handwriting, one in square script and the other in his regular handwriting. At the end of the second part there is an additional signature. All in all, three signatures.
A historical document, most rare! Another such long letter of Rabbi Levin is unknown!
Condition: Very good.
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