The Jewish Legion was a proposed military unit intended to be part of the Polish Anders' Army in the Soviet Union during World War II. Never fully realized, it was evacuated from the Soviet Union and made its way through Iran to Palestine. Upon arrival, many people with the legion joined the ranks of the Yishuv in Mandatory Palestine.
Following the German invasion of the Soviet Union, in July 1941 the Sikorski–Mayski agreement was signed between the Polish government in exile and the Soviet Union. This agreement allowed for the creation of a semi-independent Polish Army in the Soviet territory. The idea for a Jewish Legion was raised by Jewish Zionist activists about a year later. They hoped that such a unit would facilitate the creation of an independent Land of Israel; another goal was to reduce some reported tensions between Poles and the Jews within the recreated Polish Army.[2][3] Indeed, one of the groups supporting the creation of this unit, as noted by Israel Gutman, were plain anti-Semites who wanted to rid the [Polish] Armed Forces of Jews through the medium of the "Jewish Legion".[4] However, the Jews themselves were also divided on this idea which, while supported by the Zionists, was opposed by the more assimilated Jews,[4] including Bundists such as Henryk Erlich and Wiktor Alter.[5] Vocal opponents of the idea within the Jewish ranks included the Bundist politician Lucjan Blit, who even compared it to a "moral victory" for Nazism through the creation of a "Jewish ghetto within the Polish Armed Forces".[4]
Proposaledit
The unit was initially proposed to be created within the Anders' Army. The idea was eventually rejected by the Polish authorities, chiefly the ambassador Stanisław Kot and general Władysław Anders. Kot concluded that it would result in disunity and unnecessary fragmentation of Polish sources, benefiting the Soviets, and would likely not be well received in the West. Likewise, Anders rejected the idea arguing that it would open doors for other ethnic minorities found within the Polish ranks to counter-productively demand their own formations and that all citizens of Poland should simply serve in the same formation. Another consideration for both Kot and Anders was related to the Soviet stance which questioned whether non-ethnic Poles should be recognized as proper citizens of Poland, and whether they should be recruited into the new Polish formations or into the Soviet Army itself. Therefore, Kot, Anders, and some Jewish activists who opposed this plan viewed the Jewish Legion idea as endangering Jews and other minorities' status as Polish citizens.[4]
Jewish battalion at Koltubankaedit
Despite the eventual rejection of the plan, a single Jewish battalion, commanded by Polish Army colonel Janusz Gaładyk, was created in Koltubanka [ce], near Samara, around October 1941. It was likely intended as a form of a model and a test for the future Legion. The battalion never saw combat, and was disbanded around May and June of 1942, around the time that the Anders' Army was being relocated outside Soviet territory to the British-controlled Middle East.[6] Upon arrival in Mandatory Palestine, many members of the battalion joined the body of Jewish residents (Yishuv) there.[7]
See alsoedit
Jewish Brigade, part of the British Army in World War II
Jewish Legion, a name used to refer to battalions of the Royal Fusiliers of the British Army in World War I
Referencesedit
^Brzoza, Czesław; Sowa, Andrzej Leon (2009). Historia Polski 1918–1945 [History of Poland: 1918–1945] (in Polish). Kraków: Wydawnictwo Literackie. p. 695. ISBN9788308041253.
^Marrus, Michael Robert, ed. (8 August 2011). Bystanders to the Holocaust. Vol. 3. Walter de Gruyter. p. 1076. ISBN9783110968682. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
^Norman Davies; Antony Polonsky (2 December 1991). Jews in Eastern Poland and the USSR, 1939-46. Palgrave Macmillan UK. pp. 361–363. ISBN978-1-349-21789-2.
^ abcdGutman, Yisrael (1977). "Jews in General Anders' Army In the Soviet Union" (PDF). Yad Vashem Studies. 12.
^Anonymous. "In the steps of the Polish Moses". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
^"The Historian Lucien Steinberg about Jewish Resistance during the Holocaust". IWitness. USC Shoah Foundation. 1971.
Further readingedit
Rozen, Leon Szczekacz (1966). Cry in the wilderness: a short history of a Chaplain : activities and struggles in Soviet Russia during World war II. New York: Balshon printing. OCLC 603751461.
External linksedit
Datka Czesław. "General Władysław Anders: difficult choices". Polish History Museum – via Google Arts and Culture.
December 03, 2023
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The Jewish Legion was a proposed military unit intended to be part of the Polish Anders Army in the Soviet Union during World War II Never fully realized it was evacuated from the Soviet Union and made its way through Iran to Palestine Upon arrival many people with the legion joined the ranks of the Yishuv in Mandatory Palestine Contents 1 Background 2 Proposal 3 Jewish battalion at Koltubanka 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksBackground editAfter the Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939 and the subsequent annexation of Eastern Poland the Soviets deported about 325 000 Polish citizens including a number of Polish Jews from Soviet occupied Poland to the Soviet Union in 1940 and 1941 1 Following the German invasion of the Soviet Union in July 1941 the Sikorski Mayski agreement was signed between the Polish government in exile and the Soviet Union This agreement allowed for the creation of a semi independent Polish Army in the Soviet territory The idea for a Jewish Legion was raised by Jewish Zionist activists about a year later They hoped that such a unit would facilitate the creation of an independent Land of Israel another goal was to reduce some reported tensions between Poles and the Jews within the recreated Polish Army 2 3 Indeed one of the groups supporting the creation of this unit as noted by Israel Gutman were plain anti Semites who wanted to rid the Polish Armed Forces of Jews through the medium of the Jewish Legion 4 However the Jews themselves were also divided on this idea which while supported by the Zionists was opposed by the more assimilated Jews 4 including Bundists such as Henryk Erlich and Wiktor Alter 5 Vocal opponents of the idea within the Jewish ranks included the Bundist politician Lucjan Blit who even compared it to a moral victory for Nazism through the creation of a Jewish ghetto within the Polish Armed Forces 4 Proposal editThe unit was initially proposed to be created within the Anders Army The idea was eventually rejected by the Polish authorities chiefly the ambassador Stanislaw Kot and general Wladyslaw Anders Kot concluded that it would result in disunity and unnecessary fragmentation of Polish sources benefiting the Soviets and would likely not be well received in the West Likewise Anders rejected the idea arguing that it would open doors for other ethnic minorities found within the Polish ranks to counter productively demand their own formations and that all citizens of Poland should simply serve in the same formation Another consideration for both Kot and Anders was related to the Soviet stance which questioned whether non ethnic Poles should be recognized as proper citizens of Poland and whether they should be recruited into the new Polish formations or into the Soviet Army itself Therefore Kot Anders and some Jewish activists who opposed this plan viewed the Jewish Legion idea as endangering Jews and other minorities status as Polish citizens 4 Jewish battalion at Koltubanka editDespite the eventual rejection of the plan a single Jewish battalion commanded by Polish Army colonel Janusz Galadyk was created in Koltubanka ce near Samara around October 1941 It was likely intended as a form of a model and a test for the future Legion The battalion never saw combat and was disbanded around May and June of 1942 around the time that the Anders Army was being relocated outside Soviet territory to the British controlled Middle East 6 Upon arrival in Mandatory Palestine many members of the battalion joined the body of Jewish residents Yishuv there 7 See also editJewish Brigade part of the British Army in World War II Jewish Legion a name used to refer to battalions of the Royal Fusiliers of the British Army in World War IReferences edit Brzoza Czeslaw Sowa Andrzej Leon 2009 Historia Polski 1918 1945 History of Poland 1918 1945 in Polish Krakow Wydawnictwo Literackie p 695 ISBN 9788308041253 Marrus Michael Robert ed 8 August 2011 Bystanders to the Holocaust Vol 3 Walter de Gruyter p 1076 ISBN 9783110968682 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a work ignored help Norman Davies Antony Polonsky 2 December 1991 Jews in Eastern Poland and the USSR 1939 46 Palgrave Macmillan UK pp 361 363 ISBN 978 1 349 21789 2 a b c d Gutman Yisrael 1977 Jews in General Anders Army In the Soviet Union PDF Yad Vashem Studies 12 Redlich Shimon 1979 The Erlich alter affair Soviet Jewish Affairs 9 2 24 45 doi 10 1080 13501677908577310 ISSN 0038 545X Anonymous In the steps of the Polish Moses The Jewish Chronicle Retrieved 2015 12 16 The Historian Lucien Steinberg about Jewish Resistance during the Holocaust IWitness USC Shoah Foundation 1971 Further reading editRozen Leon Szczekacz 1966 Cry in the wilderness a short history of a Chaplain activities and struggles in Soviet Russia during World war II New York Balshon printing OCLC 603751461 External links editDatka Czeslaw General Wladyslaw Anders difficult choices Polish History Museum via Google Arts and Culture Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jewish Legion Anders Army amp oldid 1171742839, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
