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June
29, 1942
...It
is difficult to describe in detail the history of the
establishment of the Judenrat. We placed before ourselves one
aim: to co-opt for the work persons of influence, who were
honest and capable courageous people. There are such people
among us, I will not praise them here. But one I will praise a
little to his face, Engineer Barash, who is also the director
of our industry, with his great ability and exceptional energy
everybody knows and respects him. The German Authorities have
been persuaded that we work without profit to ourselves and
the attitude towards us has, in time, become tolerable... Our
industry has developed, as you know, and its importance to the
ghetto is so great that we saw the need for Eng.
Barash to be in charge of this industry, and this has raised
our reputation in the eyes of the Authorities.
Today
a year of labor has ended that has been hard but full of
blessing, and a new year begins, and we pray that in
this new year we may be remembered for life! May the Lord,
Blessed be He, continue not to abandon us; that we may be able
to continue with our tasks to the benefit and good fortune of
the whole population.
Eng.
Barash: We could not let this day pass without gathering
together and talking at least with those who are closest to
us. There is nobody who could describe what has happened to
us, what we survived during these past 365 days no artist, no
writer, no painter. We can scarcely believe it ourselves, and
I think nobody will believe it in the future, all that has
happened to us in this period. It is lucky that we cannot
foresee the future, for if we could we would not have lived
and reached the present stage. If I were just to recite the
record of our troubles, just a list without describing them,
it would take a long time, a very long time. I will just
recall the worst and most unexpected of them....
In
short we did not have single quiet day, one in which there was
no scent of danger. Many of the dangers that threatened us
were countermanded, as you know, as a result of our actions.
We
did many useful things:
1)
Our factories, which often had to "make bricks without
straw," which caused admiration among those who hate us.
2) The exhibition that was arranged outside the ghetto
demonstrated our achievements and our ability to succeed. 3)
At the same time we established a system of schools and trade
schools. 4) Our social welfare... hospitals, etc., in many
cases are more extensive than similar institutions that we had
before the war. 5) Our vegetable-growing and other work show
that the Jews are a very productive element.
There
are differences of opinion concerning the actions of our
Judenrat. But one must take the position of the Judenrat into
account. After all, we are hostages, held responsible for
everything that happens in the ghetto. And you have seen what
that means in other cities. The members of the presidium went
gray there before their time. The devotion, heart and soul, of
the presidium cannot be described in words. If we survive,
whole books will have to be written about it. Later there was
a total change in our position, which distinguishes us from
the people in all the other occupied areas and ghettos. There
is nothing new to it, when the weak pay compliments to the
strong, that is familiar flatter. But that we, the weak,
hear compliments from those who are stronger, from those who
have the power. This change came about as the result of our
productive work.
I
am full of admiration for the close harmony that reigns
between the members of the Judenrat. Differences of opinion
simply do not happen. All our decisions and actions are
unanimous.
In
truth, there is no place for optimism in the ghetto, but when
I consider the road along which we have come and our burdens,
then I am sure that we will take the Bialystok ghetto through
to a happy end.
(Loud
applause)....
Mr.
Sobotnik: ...The Judenrat did not start out as what it is
today: It developed in time as it worked, thanks to the
efforts of its first members who created everything that we
now have. As I said, we were not chosen by anybody. The
respected Eng. Barash convinced us to accept the great and
difficult duties because he understood the needs of the hour.
Now it has become a government, so to say, with all the
offices, departments, ministers. The official chairman, Dr.
Rosenman, walks around by himself to find workers for the
Germans. He has gone through a great deal. His most important
contribution was to have appointed the respected Eng. Barash,
because the Rabbi did not have the strength to do everything
that was needed. I do not wish to praise the individual, what
matters to me is the job, the achievement. The respected Eng.
Barash is the prime minister in our "government," as
well as the minister of the interior, minister of industry,
because in the ghetto everything must be concentrated in one
hand. Industry, for instance, is connect with the Wehrmacht,
so it becomes a matter of foreign policy. Sometimes we are
surprised how he gets it all done, how it all works out. It
seems like Divine intervention, particularly in the past few
weeks. Everything gets done in the best possible way. The
other responsibilities, it seems to me, are carried out by the
other members, but it is the spirit, the direction, which is
the most important thing....
What
is our direction? In matters concerning the community we try
always to reach agreement, compromise, so that everybody may
be satisfied. From now on we shall have to stand by the letter
of the law! Let him who is fearful and fainthearted return to
his house! We shall have to cling to this principle if we wish
to stay alive. And the ghetto must remain a productive element
as well.
Of
all our prayers for "Life," for a good life, for a
livelihood, for a life without shame or disgrace, etc., we
must today make do with just "Life"; and that thanks
to Rosenman and Barash: we only help, but they, and especially
Eng. Barash, labor for us!...
Blumental,
pp. 214-220. |
