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| The Jewish Fighting Organization (ŻOB) in the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. Icchak (Antek) Cukierman, who served as Anielewicz’s deputy during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1943, commanded an independent platoon during the Warsaw Uprising (1944) operating within the 3rd Battalion of the People's Army (AL). This ŻOB platoon, named after Anielewicz, included fighters such as Cywia Lubetkin, Kazik Ratajzer (Simcha Rotem), Sara Biderman, Irena Geldblum, Tuwia Borzykowski, Julian Fiszgrund, Józef Sak, Marek Edelman, and Zygmunt Warman. |
To the Jewish Historical Institute
Dear Doctor,
With reference to the correspondence received from the Jewish Historical Institute, I feel compelled to return to two key issues that were not fully addressed in your response.
These concern the process of "appointing" Marek Edelman as the commander/leader of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising within the narrative of the JHI (and others), as well as the matter you mentioned regarding the marginalization of Icchak Cukierman’s role.
The letter I received lacked any reference to the issue I raised concerning the "new roles of Edelman" that began to appear in the public sphere after 1968. I request a clarification of this matter, as in my estimation, this is not merely a question of "narrative," but of historical integrity.
I base my objections on the following facts:
Command Structure: Marek Edelman never served as the Commander-in-Chief of the ŻOB (Jewish Fighting Organization). This post was held by Mordechaj Anielewicz, and his sole deputy was Cukierman.
Origins of the ŻOB: Edelman did not participate directly in the actual creation of the Jewish Fighting Organization; he joined later, after the departure of the previous Bund representative.
Operational Role: During the 1943 Uprising, Edelman commanded a specific sector, including combat groups in the area known as the "brushmakers' shop." Attributing to him the role of "commander of the uprising" in a global sense is a factual misinterpretation (falsehood).
Political Context: I am interested in the rationale behind the JHI’s failure to correct the distortions that have accumulated since 1968, which systematically diminish the role of the leader of the Ghetto Uprise Mordechai Anielewicz, and the deputy leader, Icchak Cukierman ("Antek"), in favor of portraying Marek Edelman as the sole leader and face of the revolt.
Origins of the ŻOB: Edelman did not participate directly in the actual creation of the Jewish Fighting Organization; he joined later, after the departure of the previous Bund representative.
Operational Role: During the 1943 Uprising, Edelman commanded a specific sector, including combat groups in the area known as the "brushmakers' shop." Attributing to him the role of "commander of the uprising" in a global sense is a factual misinterpretation (falsehood).
Political Context: I am interested in the rationale behind the JHI’s failure to correct the distortions that have accumulated since 1968, which systematically diminish the role of the leader of the Ghetto Uprise Mordechai Anielewicz, and the deputy leader, Icchak Cukierman ("Antek"), in favor of portraying Marek Edelman as the sole leader and face of the revolt.
As an institution established to protect historical truth, the JHI should unequivocally address these discrepancies.
Sincerely,
Roman Romuald Wasserman Wróblewski
