Pomnik Korczaka i Dzieci na Madison Avenue zrujnowany przez nowe pokolenie Żydów w Nowym Jorku.

Po lewej, Monument Holokaustu, pomnik Korczaka i Dzieci na Madison Avenue w Nowym Yorku. Zrujnowany totalnie przez nowe pokolenie Żydów w Nowym Jorku. Na miejsce Monumentu wstawiono okna trzy okna, tak by Żydzi z Synagogi Park Avenue mieli lepszą perspektywę...

Piękny tryptyk o trzech elewacjach na ścianie synagogi na Nowojorskim Manhattanie był chyba pierwszym w Nowym Yorku "Monumentem Zagłady".  Jego twórcą w 1980 roku był Nathan Rapoport. 

Na dolnym reliefie z brązu (3) upamiętnił Rapoport Janusza Korczaka otoczonego dziećmi z sierocińca w Warszawskim Getcie. Wszyscy jakby unosili się w niebiosa. 

Na środkowej elewacji tryptyku (2), na 16 kamieniach była wyryta dedykacja; „Błogosławionej Pamięci Miliona Żydowskich Dzieci Ofiar Holokaustu”. 

Na górnej elewacji (1) w kompozycji „Zwycięstwo”, przedstawił Rapoport motyw z Jerozolimskiego „Zwoju Ognia” z 1971 roku: triumfalny pochód współczesnych Izraelczyków, m.in. Haluca i żołnierza izraelskiego z menorą powracających do Erec Izrael (parafraza do znanego reliefu z rzymskiego Łuku Tytusa gdzie idący, wynoszą m.in. Menorę. Na reliefie Rapoporta niosący Menorę, idą w przeciwnym kierunku niż na Łuku Tytusa).

Dlaczego używam czasu przeszłego w tym opisie? Podczas pisania książki o Korczaku, pomnik Korczaka i Dzieci na Madison Avenue został zrujnowany przez nowe pokolenie Żydów z Park Avenue Synagogi w Nowym Jorku. Przez 40 lat, jak jeszcze Holocaust Survivors (Ocalali) w Nowym Yorku żyli, zdobił ten tryptyk fasadę konserwatywnej synagogi w Nowym Jorku. Teraz, na Madison Avenue prawie nic nie pozostało po pomniku oprócz napisu זכור , "Pamiętaj" w języku hebrajskim. Dwie figuralne płaskorzeźby z brązu z oryginalnego pomnika, zostały wyrwane i przyczepione na bocznej ulicy tuż przed oknami biurowymi synagogi. Przyczepione bez żadnego tła ani opisu. Są trudne do zobaczenia gdyż zasłaniają je drzewa. Płaskorzeźby nie są już wolne jak poprzednio na Madison Avenue, ale przymocowane do ciężkich pionowych i poziomych żelaznych prętów, które dodatkowo niszczą widok płaskorzeźby. Płaskorzeźba z brązu Korczak i dzieci miała przedstawiać „wolne dzieci z wychowawcą”. Teraz są uwięzieni przez ciężkie żelazne pręty. Aby zobaczyć płaskorzeźby, trzeba przejść na drugą stronę ulicy, bo chodnik na ulicy 87 jest mały, a na to co zostało z pomnika jest trudno odcyfrować gdyż oprócz belek rzuca cień drzew uniemożliwia rozróżnienie zlewających sie postaci na płaskorzeźbie.

Moją bardzo osobistą refleksją, gdy stałem na chodniku na 87-ulicy z podniesiona maksymalnie głową, było to, że Janusza Korczaka i dzieci z Domu Dziecka umieszczono na żelaznych kratach, jak ciała do kremacji zwłok na rusztach z szyn w Treblince. W Treblince bowiem ciała zagazowanych ofiar układano na szynach, rusztach, ochlapywano benzyną i palono. Stosy działały 24 godziny na dobę. Po udoskonaleniu systemu można było spalić jednorazowo 10 000–12 000 ciał. Właściwie cała moja warszawska rodzina, około 100 osób, została zamordowana w Treblince.

Donatorzy tryptyku, Leon i Anya Jolson, Żydzi rodem z Polski, ufundowali Monument Nathana Rapoporta dla przyszłych pokoleń, gdy on sami, których rodziny zostały zamordowane, odejdą.

Jestem z drugiego pokolenia po Holokauście. Prawie całe rodziny mojego Ojca i mojej Mamy zostały zamordowane w 1942 roku. Mam nadzieje że nie jestem sam w mojej opinii jeżeli chodzi o te nikczemne zburzenie Monumentu w chwili gdy miał przypominać przyszłym pokoleniom ten okres z historii Europejskich Żydów. A o ile stoję sam w mojej opinii, to stoi za mną  sześć milionów Żydów zamordowanych podczas Holokaustu.

Bardziej dokładny opis Zburzenia Monumentu jest na stronie angielskiej:

https://jimbaotoday.blogspot.com/2023/06/park-avenue-synagogue-congregation-and.html

Obecny widok. 3 to okno które Żydzi z "Synagogi Park Avenue" wstawili w miejscu, gdzie od początku znajdowała się płaskorzeźba z brązu „Janusz Korczak i dzieci z Domu Dziecka”. Żydowska konserwatywna kongregacja, Park Avenue Synagogue, dokonała wg. mnie profanacji Pomnika Holokaustu przy Madison Avenue. Zrobili to bez zgody darczyńców, Ocalałych rodem z Polski. Zgładzono pomnik sławnego Rapoporta, dzieło sztuki, które zostało specjalnie wkomponowane w budynek od samego początku, już na etapie planowania budynku. Kiedy zerwano Ostatni spacer Korczaka (3) Żydzi z "Synagogi Park Avenue" wstawili w miejscu, gdzie od początku znajdowała się płaskorzeźba z brązu „Janusz Korczak i dzieci z Domu Dziecka” (3), nowe okna. Dzięki tej "Akcji" nieznana, zapewne bardzo zasłużona osoba dostała pokój z widokiem na Medison Avenue.

Żydowska konserwatywna kongregacja, Park Avenue Synagogue, dokonała wg. mnie profanacji Pomnika Holokaustu przy Madison Avenue. Zrobili to bez zgody darczyńców, Ocalałych rodem z Polski. Zgładzono pomnik sławnego artysty, Nathana Rapoporta, dzieło sztuki, które zostało specjalnie wkomponowane w budynek od samego początku, już na etapie planowania budynku. Kiedy zerwano Ostatni spacer Korczaka (3) Żydzi z "Synagogi Park Avenue" wstawili w miejscu, gdzie od początku znajdowała się płaskorzeźba z brązu „Janusz Korczak i dzieci z Domu Dziecka” (czerwona kreska), nowe okna. Dzięki tej "Akcji" nieznana, zapewne bardzo zasłużona osoba dostała pokój z widokiem na Medison Avenue.

Park Avenue Synagogue Congregation and 6 000 000 Shadow People, among them 1 500 000 Children. All of them perished during the Holocaust - זכור - Silent desecration of the Holocaust Monument in New York.

Children and their "shadows" of the Łódz ghetto (Litzmannstadt ghetto) - Last dance before the deportation to the death camp where they were murdered by suffocation in the gas chamber.

Shadow people are different! Especially those murdered during the Holocaust. 6 000 000 Jews and among them 1 500 000 children.

Why am I discussing suddenly "Shadow People"? The explanation is that it was actually the subject that representatives of the Jewish congregation Park Avenue Synagogue were most interested in when I tried to discuss the desecration by them of the Holocaust Monument at Madison Avenue. The monument was especially dedicated to Jewish children that perished during this dark period of Jewish history. Representatives of the Jewish congregation Park Avenue Synagogue question about Shadow people that support me was very special because we were supposed to discuss how the Monument can be restored at its right place!

Jewish congregation Park Avenue Synagogue in New York performed the desecration of the Holocaust Monument at Madison Avenue without permission from the donors. The monument by Nathan Rapoport was especially dedicated to Jewish children that perished during this dark period of Jewish history.

The Holocaust Monument was planned together with the Educational building. The corner or North bay on the Madison Avenue facade has solid stone panels in place of windows.

Jewish congregation, Park Avenue Synagogue, performed the desecration of the Holocaust Monument at Madison Avenue without permission from the donors. The monument was an artwork that was specially incorporated into the building from the very beginning, already when the Educational building was planned. Now, the only item that is left between the former top and middle panel (between 1 and 2) is the stone with one word in Hebrew - Remember. Of this action, Park Avenue Synagogue got three rooms with windows at Madison Avenue. Until recently, the monument, the tryphtyk including two sculpters in bronze and 16 stones with inscription could be seen above the Madison Avenue entrance to this beautiful synagogue, where according to rabbi at Park Avenue Synagogue, "every Jew and non-Jew who comes into the orbit of this institution and what it represents – all of these are thundering statements that the values of Korczak, his children, those murdered in the Warsaw Ghetto and all the Six Million live on." These words were delivered in the sermon year 2013. The rabbi, Eliot J Cosgrove, continued: Tomorrow evening we will begin our observance of Yom HaShoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. When the establishment of Yom HaShoah was first proposed by Israel’s Prime Minister Ben-Gurion, the suggested date was the fourteenth of Nissan, corresponding to April 19, 1943 – the day upon which the ghetto uprising began. (That date was not chosen, because it would not have worked to observe a memorial day on erev Pesah.) In fact, the name of the commemoration was initially Yom HaShoah u’Mered HaGetaot, Day of Remembrance of the Holocaust and Ghetto Uprising. Even as it is now called – Yom HaShoah V’HaGevurah, Holocaust and Bravery Remembrance Day – our memorial is linked to the events of this one particular uprising which began exactly 70 years ago. One single stone from the original Monument with זכור (Remember) was left at Madison Avenue (just below number 1). Maybe to remember this obvious desecration! According to the law, the Monument can not be removed from its present location. It can not be divided or reinstalled in a different way as the artist, the donators, and the owners of the building agreed. The Monument should be therefore promptly reinstalled, exactly in the way it was before.

Jewish conservative congregation, Park Avenue Synagogue, performed the desecration of the Holocaust Monument at Madison Avenue without permission from the donors. The monument was an artwork that was specially incorporated into the building from the very beginning, already when the Educational building was planned.  When Korczak´s Last Walk (3) was taken away the congregation put new windows at the place where the bronze relief "Janusz Korczak and the Orphanage Children" was from the very beginning (red bar).  Through this "Action", an unknown, probably very distinguished person got a room with a view of Medison Avenue.

Zoom discussion with Jewish congregation Park Avenue Synagogue representatives. I hoped that I will at least receive an explanation of why the congregation demolished the first Holocaust monument in New York. I wanted also to know what happened to the inscription and 16 stones. The only information I got was that it happened during the remodeling of the building and the fate of the 16 stones with the inscription "TO THE SACRED MEMORY OF THE MILLION JEWISH CHILDREN WHO PERISHED IN THE HOLOCAUST" (middle panel, number 2 on photos). The sacred definition is: considered to be holy and deserving respect, especially because of a connection with a God. The cited above words of rabbi seem to have very little effect as the Holocaust memorial was, in natural absence of Holocaust survivors, taken away by the new Jewish generation in New York.

So actually, also what was left after the original memorial, two figural bronze reliefs that moved to the front of office windows without any background or description are difficult to see. Reliefs are no longer free but fastened to heavy vertical and horizontal iron bars that further deteriorate the reliefs. Korczak and the Children bronze relief was meant to show "free children with their educator". Now they are imprisoned by the heavy iron bars. One has to cross the street to see the reliefs as the sidewalk on 87 Street is small and also trees are shadowing what was left of the monument.
My very personal reflection when standing at 87th Street was that Janusz Korczak and the Orphanage children were put on the iron bars like the bodies for cremation in Treblinka. In Treblinka, railroad rails were laid as grates on blocks of concrete, and the victim's bodies were placed on rails over wood, splashed with petrol, and burned. The pyres operated 24 hours a day. Once the system had been perfected, 10,000–12,000 bodies at a time could be incinerated Actually my entire Warsaw family, approximately 100 persons, was murdered in Treblinka.

I hoped that conversation with Mr. Mark First would give some information about the reason for this clear desecration of the Holocaust Monument, the artwork of the famous Nathan Rapoport donated by two Holocaust survivors. The artwork called "Korczak's Last Walk" was a bastion of remembrance, hope, and community for the Jewish population in New York as well as for visitors from abroad. Nathan Rapoport monument at Madison Avenue was dedicated particularly to Jewish children and part of it, a bronze relief, portrays Janusz Korczak, as he led 239 orphans during the liquidation of the Warszawa Ghetto on August 5, 1942. The children were led through the entire ghetto to the cattle trains that would take them to their final destination, death camp Treblinka.

 
The inscription in the middle panel (2) gave information about Jewish children who perished in the Holocaust. Until recently, the monument, the tryphtyk including two sculptures in bronze and 16 stones with inscriptions could be seen above the Madison Avenue entrance to this beautiful synagogue, where according to the rabbi at Park Avenue Synagogue,:

"every Jew and non-Jew who comes into the orbit of this institution and what it represents – all of these are thundering statements that the values of Korczak, his children, those murdered in the Warsaw Ghetto and all the Six Million live on.". Six Million - 6 000 000 Jews are now just shadows and the memory of them was kept until recently by this important Holocaust Monument. Now, they are gone! By they, I mean the Holocaust victims and the Holocaust survivors that wanted to keep the history of Jewish people, also the dark periods, alive.

Back to my Zoom discussion with Jewish congregation Park Avenue Synagogue representatives. I hoped that I will at least receive an explanation of why the congregation demolished the first Holocaust monument in New York. I wanted also to know what happened to the inscription and 16 stones. The only information I got was that it happened during the remodeling of the building and the fate of the 16 stones with the inscription "TO THE SACRED MEMORY OF THE MILLION JEWISH CHILDREN WHO PERISHED IN THE HOLOCAUST". The sacred definition is: considered to be holy and deserving respect, especially because of a connection with a God. The cited words of the rabbi seem to have very little effect as the care of the Holocaust memorial by the new Jewish generation in New York simply demolished it.

So the info I got from the highest representatives of Park Avenue concerning the decision of demolishing the Holocaust memorial and also describe the process leading to that, as well as earlier requested information about what happened to 16 stones from the middle panel of the memorial were not answered. Or concerning 16 stones, I got a simple answer "We do not know". However, they wanted to know who the shadow people (Mr. Mark First description) were? Who in the world is involved and wants to reinstall the Holocaust Monument at the place that was decided by the donors and Park Avenue Synagogue representatives. 

I wanted to say that there are 6 000 000 of the Shadow People behind me but I disliked making the atmosphere more tense than it already was!

Perspective and windows

Mr. Mark First talked that my perspective differs from theirs. That was obvious that their perspective changed concerning the way of remembering the Holocaust. After demolishing the artwork by Rapoport, they got three new rooms in the building with a beautiful perspective of Madison Avenue...

Copyright
During our talk, Mr. Mark First pointed out that Nathan Rapoport Monument named "Korczak Last Walk" was a donation from the J family nowadays belongs to the Jewish Congregation. I reminded him that it does not mean that Park Avenue Congregation can do whatever they want to do it. According to my friends, the layers, specializing in copyright and art (from Israel and Europe) it is not allowed to make changes in the art or remove it from the building that was an integral part of the art.
Copyright protection in the United States exists automatically from the moment the original work of authorship is fixed. So the Holocaust Monument that was "fixed" by Nathan Rapoport in 1979 has this very strong copyright protection. This means the original work can not be removed or rearranged without the permission of the author. Park Avenue Synagogue, as I understand the law, had no right to demolish Rapoport's art. Placing parts of the Monument at 87th Street is therefore not legal. This has nothing to do with the ownership of the Monument itself or the building it has been placed on. Thus, especially as the Monument was built as a part of the building and no windows were planned there.
The description of the Monument is rather clear as published during 1979-1980 in Park Avenue Synagogues' own Bulletin. Also, the stone of the building was chosen to fill the requirements for Monument. Thus, both as the background and the part of Jewish history as described by Nathan Rapoport.

Agreement with donors - Conditions
According to Barbara Blumenthal, daughter of donors, her parent's donation, Nathan Rapoport Monument named "Korczak Last Walk" was meant to be an integral part of the building and be placed just over the entrance from Madison Avenue. These conditions were fulfilled and it is likely that the congregation accepted these conditions during the years 1979-2019. It is likely that there must be a kind of Donation Agreement, written proof for a donation.

Description of the Holocaust Monument by Richard Yaffe
Description of the Holocaust Monument by Richard Yaffe, a journalist, and editor-in-chief of Israel Horizons magazine. He was also a special correspondent for CBS, spoke to sculptor Nathan Rapoport while the work was being created and reported on the conversation in his 1980 book Nathan Rapoport Sculptures and Monuments:

“Rapoport was hard at work on the finishing touches, the casting in bronze, of his latest project, for the entrance of the new school of the Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City. Rapoport im­mediately saw the school as the perfect place for a memorial to Janusz Korczek. Luckily, Dr. Judah Nadich, the rabbi of the congregation, did not need any convincing to dedicate the school to this martyr and his schoolchildren, and to the million Jewish children who perished in the Holocaust.

"What I have done," Rapoport says, pointing to a sketch of the memorial, "is to symbolize the mar­tyrdom and redemption. You see the menorah com­ing back to Jerusalem from the Arch of Titus, which was put up in Rome to commemorate the defeat of the Jews and whose inscription says that Israel would not rise again. It is Titus' Rome that is in ruins, and it is Israel that has survived and is building."

Three people are carrying the menorah back to Jerusalem — a sabra (a native-born Israeli), the Israel Underground which liberated the country from the British, and the Zva Hagana Yisrael, or Zahal, the Israeli Army of Defense (now IDF). And the Angels of God proclaim the victory, "I brought back the menorah which is the symbol of redemption."”

The Holocaust Monument, Korczak Last Walk, all three panels, should be reinstalled at its former place, at the entrance to the building facing Madison Avenue according to the former agreement between the donors, Anya and Leon Jolson, and Park Avenue Synagogue..

My words are of stone and bronze

“My words are of stone and bronze – silent but everlasting,” said Nathan Rapoport, an outstanding creator of Holocaust memorials. But he was wrong! His Holocaust Memorial at Madison Avenue was just demolished and the fate of stones with words is unknown. Even the highest representatives of Par Avenu Synagogue had no slightest idea what happened to the stones* with "words": TO THE SACRED MEMORY OF THE MILLION JEWISH CHILDREN WHO PERISHED IN THE HOLOCAUST.

To read more about it open the link below:

https://jimbaotoday.blogspot.com/2023/05/to-sacred-memory-of-million-jewish.html

*  One stone with זכור (Remember) was left. Maybe to remember this obvious desecration! According to the law, the Monument can not be removed from its present location. It can not be divided or reinstalled in a different way as the artist, the donators, and the owners of the building agreed.
The Monument should be therefore promptly reinstalled, exactly in the way it was before.

Park Avenu synagogue has 6 000 members. I wonder how many of them got the important piece of information that the "remodeling" of the Educational building was actually the removal (desecration) of the Holocaust monument and inserting instead three new windows with a magnificent view of Madison Avenue.

Anya and Leon Jolson. Great couple of Holocaust survivors who throughout their entire life remembered their 6 000 000 brothers and sisters, Holocaust victims.

The entrance today. On the right one can read the description that The facade sculptures are the gift of two survivors of the Holocaust (Anya and Leon Jolson). However, the facade structures are not anymore there! Great couple of Holocaust survivors who throughout their entire life remembered their 6 000 000 brothers and sisters, Holocaust victims. 

"Rapoport was hard at work on the finishing touches, the casting in bronze, of his latest project, for the entrance of the new school of the Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City. Rapoport im­mediately saw the school as the perfect place for a memorial to Janusz Korczea. Luckily, Dr. Judah Nadich, the rabbi of the congregation, did not need any convincing to dedicate the school to this martyr and his schoolchildren, and to the million Jewish children who perished in the Holocaust.

"

Park Avenu synagogue has 6 000 members. I wonder how many of them got the important piece of information that the "remodeling" of the Educational building was actually the removal of the Holocaust monument and inserting instead three new windows with a magnificent view of Madison Avenue.

There are 1 412 000 Jewish people in the eight counties that compose New York and its environs. To this, however, one may add over 350,000 Jewish people in New Jersey and 50,000 in southern Connecticut, many of whom live in suburbs and bedroom communities that still look to New York City as their center.

White Boat Mission - June was the month of preparations in Bergen-Belsen, Lübeck and Swedish Emergency Hospitals.

Preparations in Sweden

Preparation of UNRRAs White Boat armada.
Concerning the "White Boat" armada the preparations started before any formal decision was taken by the Swedish government. The formalities concerned with the renting of four civilian ships went very smoothly, apparently having been prepared in advance. In June (and possibly already in May) the ships were modified and partially rebuilt for their new task. That was needed as the two of the ships were newly built cargo ships. Now, their cargo rooms were fitted out with provisional beds for some 260 persons. Also, there was preparation on the M/S Kronprinsessan Ingrid, car- and passenger ship where the car deck was fitted with additional beds.
The five ships selected for the UNRRA mission assembled in Trelleborg on June 22nd, and shortly after they sailed for Lübeck.
The total number of patients transported from the Lübeck harbor to Swedish ports by five White Boats was approximately 1 500 (each trip). The distance between Trelleborg and Malmö was shorter and that was the reason that two White boats M/S Karskär and M/S Rönnskär transported half of the patients. In Sweden, White boats went to the following harbors: Göteborg, Helsingborg, Karlskrona, Kalmar, Malmö, Norrköping, Stockholm, and Trelleborg. The trips to Stockholm took the longest time.

Preparation of Emergency Hospitals in Sweden

Emergency hospitals were set up in numerous cities, starting within cities that were the destination of the White Boat armada. Malmö was the city where most of the White Boats arrived as the distance from Lübeck was the shortest.

Preparations in Germany

Preparation of Lübeck Transit Hospital
The former inmates of Belsen before boarding the White Boats were transported by the ambulance train to Lübeck. The command in place in Lübeck Transit Hospital also called Swedish Transit Hospital was held by Dr. Hans Arnoldson. He was responsible for the Luebeck detachment, which supervised the arrival of patients from Belsen and their departure by ship to Sweden. Lübeck June-July 1945. Transfer from the Bergen-Belsen hospital to the Swedish Transit Hospital, the so-called Lübeck Detachment in the Cambrai barracks at Schwartauer Allée, at that time on the outskirts of Lübeck. Nowadays almost the entire former area of the Detachment, including all of the buildings, remains untouched by the passage of time. Behind the gymnasium (the building across the street) which was the enrollment center for those who came by train from Bergen-Belsen, there is today an Astrid Lindgren preschool.

The head of the hospital was the doctor, Major Hans Arnoldson. Arnoldson had previously served in the Swedish Red Cross detachment in Germany and was associated with the Action known as "White Buses”. Despite the fact that the Detachment was called “Swedish”, the Swedes were there in the minority. In fact, the staff was mainly German: 14 doctors and 105 nurses plus 367 male helpers. In addition, there was British personnel from the Royal Army Medical Corps, fifty-six men plus guards of twenty men. There were just over 1,400 beds in the three buildings around the exercise site, where the Swedish bathing platoon had set up two parallel treatment lines and equipment for disinfection and sauna baths.

 Swedish Transit Hospital was located in the military Cambrai Barracks in Lübeck. Before going to Sweden for recuperation all the patients were registered, examined, and deloused by Swedish Military "Bath plutons".



Preparations at Bergen-Belsen Hospital