Moisés Bensabat Amzalak (4 October 1892 - 6 June 1978) was a Portuguese scholar and economist. Amzalak was born and educated in Lisbon. He combined a successful business career with broad academic activity. A devoted Jew, a central figure in the Portuguese Jewish Community, he headed the Lisbon Jewish community from 1926 until his death in 1978.[1]
Amzalak established a solid academic career. He became professor of philosophy and later dean of the Lisbon Institute of Higher Economics and Finance (1933-1944), and was president of the Sciences Academy of Lisbon and deputy rector of the Technical University of Lisbon (1944-1956) and rector from 1956 until his retirement in 1962.[1]
Amazalak was a public figure of great influence. He co-owned the newspaper O Século, then one of the major daily newspapers in Portugal. He was a close friend and a supporter of Portuguese dictator António de Oliveira Salazar.[5] Avraham Milgram says that Amzalak "holds a place of honor on the consciousness of the Lisbon Jews."[5]
Nazi controversyedit
In 2007, historian Antonio Louça published a book where he questioned why Amzalak allowed his newspaper to help the Nazi propaganda machine before World War II. In that book Louça also stated that in January 1935, Amzalak hosted the German ambassador, Baron von Hoyningen-Huene, and the latter subsequently recommended to his superiors that Amzalak be awarded the medal of excellence from the German Red Cross, a German civil assistance organization.[6][7] In response, Esther Mucznik, one of the leaders of the Jewish Community of Lisbon, defended Amzalak's reputation. Mucznik pointed out the notable work done by Amzalak during the war and also observed that Amzalak's actions in 1935-37 cannot properly be judged in light of what we know today about the Holocaust.[8][9]
Yad Vashem Historian Avraham Milgram remarks that, before the war Amzalak, just like Pope Pius XII, regarded Germany as bulwark against communism and that he misread the Nazi regime in respect to the Jews just as Pius XII did.[5] As the war approached, and from 1938 on, Amzalak changed this view and throughout the war, he made a major effort to assist the refugees.
Portuguese researcher Jose Freire Antunes in his book Jews in Portugal, Testimony of Fifty Men and Women credited Amzalak for the expansion of the refugee relief in Lisbon and for the transfer of JDC offices to Lisbon. It was due to the intervention of Augusto Isaac de Esaguy and Amzalak that many of the refugees with visas issued by Aristides de Sousa Mendes were allowed to continue on their way to Portugal.[5][8]
The Portuguese ruler António de Oliveira Salazar held Amzalak in high esteem and that allowed Amzalak to play an important role in getting Salazar's permission to transfer from Paris to Lisbon the main HIAS-HICEM (Jewish relief organization) European Office in June 1940.[10][4] Later in the war, Amzalak, together with Leite Pinto, General Manager of the Beira Alta Railway, which operated the line from Figueira da Foz to the Spanish frontier, organized several trains that brought refugees from Berlin and other European cities.[11][12] Amzalak was also able to persuade Salazar to instruct consuls in territories under Nazi occupation to validate all passports held by Jews even though these documents were known to be far from "kosher".[10]
Pimentel, Irene; Ninhos, Claudia (2013). Salazar, Portugal e o Holocausto (in Portuguese). Lisbon. p. 908. ISBN9789896442217.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
Pimentel, Irene (2006). Judeus em Portugal Durante a II Guerra Mundial (in Portuguese). Lisbon: A Esfera do Livros. ISBN9789896261054.
Pinto, Jaime Nogueira, «Salazar visto pelos seus próximos», Testimonial from Francisco de Paula Leite Pinto, ISBN972-25-0567-X, 1993 Bertrand Editora S.A
Saraiva, José Hermano (20 July 2012). "Recorde a grande entrevista de José Hermano Saraiva ao SOL (2ª parte)". Sol (in Portuguese). Lisbon. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
^Malherbe, Marc (1996). La Faculté de Droit de Bordeaux: (1870 - 1970) (in French). Bordeaux: Presses Universitaires de Bordeaux. p. 233. ISBN2867811635. OCLC 35999921.
^"Portuguese Jewish Leader Receives Honorary Doctorate of Sorbonne at Paris Ceremonies". JTA - Jewish Telegraphic Agency. December 6, 1950. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
^ abLevy, Samuel. (in Portuguese). Israeli Community in Lisbon. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
^LOUÇÃ, ANTÓNIO and PACCAUD, ISABELLE "O Segredo da Rua d'O Século –Ligações Perigosas de Um Dirigente Judeu com a Alemanha Nazi (1935-1939) Lisboa, Fim de Século, 2007, ISBN9789727542536
^Segev, Tom (29 November 2007). "How we missed out on the Swiss option: A last-minute Arab proposal in 1947 / The Portuguese Jew who supported the Nazis / The death of an Austrian Jew 90 years ago". Haaretz. Tel Aviv. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
Steven Spielberg Film and Video Archive - Portugal Europe's Crossroads
January 01, 1970
moisés, bensabat, amzalak, october, 1892, june, 1978, portuguese, scholar, economist, amzalak, born, educated, lisbon, combined, successful, business, career, with, broad, academic, activity, devoted, central, figure, portuguese, jewish, community, headed, lis. Moises Bensabat Amzalak 4 October 1892 6 June 1978 was a Portuguese scholar and economist Amzalak was born and educated in Lisbon He combined a successful business career with broad academic activity A devoted Jew a central figure in the Portuguese Jewish Community he headed the Lisbon Jewish community from 1926 until his death in 1978 1 Moises Bensabat Amzalak Contents 1 Biography 2 Nazi controversy 3 Sources 4 References 5 External linksBiography editAmzalak established a solid academic career He became professor of philosophy and later dean of the Lisbon Institute of Higher Economics and Finance 1933 1944 and was president of the Sciences Academy of Lisbon and deputy rector of the Technical University of Lisbon 1944 1956 and rector from 1956 until his retirement in 1962 1 His main interests were economic history history of economic thought and marketing He published extensively in his areas of expertise but also published several works on Judaism Amzalak received the Honorary Doctorate from several universities including the University of Bordeaux in 1935 2 and the prestigious Sorbonne Paris in 1950 3 4 Amazalak was a public figure of great influence He co owned the newspaper O Seculo then one of the major daily newspapers in Portugal He was a close friend and a supporter of Portuguese dictator Antonio de Oliveira Salazar 5 Avraham Milgram says that Amzalak holds a place of honor on the consciousness of the Lisbon Jews 5 Nazi controversy editIn 2007 historian Antonio Louca published a book where he questioned why Amzalak allowed his newspaper to help the Nazi propaganda machine before World War II In that book Louca also stated that in January 1935 Amzalak hosted the German ambassador Baron von Hoyningen Huene and the latter subsequently recommended to his superiors that Amzalak be awarded the medal of excellence from the German Red Cross a German civil assistance organization 6 7 In response Esther Mucznik one of the leaders of the Jewish Community of Lisbon defended Amzalak s reputation Mucznik pointed out the notable work done by Amzalak during the war and also observed that Amzalak s actions in 1935 37 cannot properly be judged in light of what we know today about the Holocaust 8 9 Yad Vashem Historian Avraham Milgram remarks that before the war Amzalak just like Pope Pius XII regarded Germany as bulwark against communism and that he misread the Nazi regime in respect to the Jews just as Pius XII did 5 As the war approached and from 1938 on Amzalak changed this view and throughout the war he made a major effort to assist the refugees Portuguese researcher Jose Freire Antunes in his book Jews in Portugal Testimony of Fifty Men and Women credited Amzalak for the expansion of the refugee relief in Lisbon and for the transfer of JDC offices to Lisbon It was due to the intervention of Augusto Isaac de Esaguy and Amzalak that many of the refugees with visas issued by Aristides de Sousa Mendes were allowed to continue on their way to Portugal 5 8 The Portuguese ruler Antonio de Oliveira Salazar held Amzalak in high esteem and that allowed Amzalak to play an important role in getting Salazar s permission to transfer from Paris to Lisbon the main HIAS HICEM Jewish relief organization European Office in June 1940 10 4 Later in the war Amzalak together with Leite Pinto General Manager of the Beira Alta Railway which operated the line from Figueira da Foz to the Spanish frontier organized several trains that brought refugees from Berlin and other European cities 11 12 Amzalak was also able to persuade Salazar to instruct consuls in territories under Nazi occupation to validate all passports held by Jews even though these documents were known to be far from kosher 10 Sources edit The Jew with a Nazi Medal Gallagher Tom 2020 Salazar The Dictator Who Refused To Die C Hurst amp Co Publishers Ltd ISBN 978 1 78738 388 3 Gallagher Tom 2021 Salazar O Ditador Que Se Recusa a Morrer in Portuguese D Quixote ISBN 9789722071772 Goldstein Israel 1984 My World as a Jew The Memoirs of Israel Goldstein Associated University Presses p 413 ISBN 9780845347805 Lochery Neill 2011 Lisbon War in the Shadows of the City of Light 1939 1945 United States PublicAffairs 1 edition p 345 ISBN 9781586488796 Milgram Avraham 2011 Portugal Salazar and the Jews Yad Vashem p 324 ISBN 9789653083875 OLIVEIRA Jaime da Costa Fotobiografia de Francisco de Paula Leite Pinto No centenario do nascimento de Francisco de Paula Leite Pinto Memoria 2 Lisboa Sociedade de Geografia de Lisboa 2003 Testimonial from Professor Baltasar Rebelo de Sousa Pimentel Irene Ninhos Claudia 2013 Salazar Portugal e o Holocausto in Portuguese Lisbon p 908 ISBN 9789896442217 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Pimentel Irene 2006 Judeus em Portugal Durante a II Guerra Mundial in Portuguese Lisbon A Esfera do Livros ISBN 9789896261054 Pinto Jaime Nogueira Salazar visto pelos seus proximos Testimonial from Francisco de Paula Leite Pinto ISBN 972 25 0567 X 1993 Bertrand Editora S A Saraiva Jose Hermano 20 July 2012 Recorde a grande entrevista de Jose Hermano Saraiva ao SOL 2ª parte Sol in Portuguese Lisbon Retrieved 15 March 2014 References edit a b Milgram 2011 p 34 Malherbe Marc 1996 La Faculte de Droit de Bordeaux 1870 1970 in French Bordeaux Presses Universitaires de Bordeaux p 233 ISBN 2867811635 OCLC 35999921 Portuguese Jewish Leader Receives Honorary Doctorate of Sorbonne at Paris Ceremonies JTA Jewish Telegraphic Agency December 6 1950 Retrieved August 6 2014 a b Levy Samuel Moses Bensabat Amzalak in Portuguese Israeli Community in Lisbon Archived from the original on September 23 2015 Retrieved August 6 2014 a b c d Milgram 2011 p 35 LOUCA ANToNIO and PACCAUD ISABELLE O Segredo da Rua d O Seculo Ligacoes Perigosas de Um Dirigente Judeu com a Alemanha Nazi 1935 1939 Lisboa Fim de Seculo 2007 ISBN 9789727542536 Segev Tom 29 November 2007 How we missed out on the Swiss option A last minute Arab proposal in 1947 The Portuguese Jew who supported the Nazis The death of an Austrian Jew 90 years ago Haaretz Tel Aviv Retrieved 15 March 2014 a b Gallagher 2020 p 125 Mucznik Esther 13 December 2007 Opiniao de Esther Mucznik VISAO in Portuguese Lisbon Retrieved 15 March 2014 a b Goldstein 1984 p 68 Gallagher 2020 p 124 Pinto p 122 and Tesimonials from Baltasar Rebelo de Sousa and Jose Hermano SaraivaExternal links editJewish community of Lisbon Steven Spielberg Film and Video Archive Portugal Europe s Crossroads Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Moises Bensabat Amzalak amp oldid 1206651763, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
