Img. ID: 494913

Stone 30

SHMUEL ARTUR ZYGELBOJM
(1895 - 1943) 

A PROMINENT MEMBER OF THE JEWISH SOCIALIST BUND. COMRADE
ARTUR FLED POLAND IN EARLY 1940 WHEN CONFRONTED WITH THE
RISK OF ARREST BY THE NAZIS. 

ZYGELBOJM SERVED IN LONDON AS THE BUND REPRESENTATIVE ON
THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE POLISH GOVERNMENT-IN-EXILE. FROM
MID-1942 ON HE PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN ALERTING THE FREE WORLD
TO THE NAZI PERSECUTION OF JEWS AND TO THE NEED FOR RESCUE
AND RETALIATORY MEASURES AGAINST THE THIRD REICH. 

IN A DESPERATE GESTURE TO SHAKE ALLIED APATHY, ZYGELBOJM
COMMITTED SUICIDE ON MAY 12, 1943, ONE DAY AFTER AN UNDERGROUND
POLISH RADIO STATION ANNOUNCED THE MASSACRE OF THE LAST JEWS
IN THE WARSAW GHETTO, AMONG WHOM WERE HIS WIFE AND SON. HE
LEFT BEHIND TWO LETTERS -- ONE SENT TO THE POLISH PRESIDENT
THE OTHER TO THE POLISH PRIME MINISTER -- WHICH ARTICULATED
HIS PROTEST AGAINST THE ALLIES. NEITHER LETTER RECEIVED OFFICIAL
ACKNOWLEDGMENT FROM THE DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENTS.