Szlama Ber Winer, nom de guerreYakov (Ya'akov) Grojanowski (23 September 1911 – c. 10 April 1942), was a Polish Jew from Izbica Kujawska, who escaped from the Chełmno extermination camp during the Holocaust in German-occupied Poland. Szlamek (the diminutive form of Szlama) is sometimes incorrectly referred to as Szlamek Bajler in literature by the surname of his nephew, Abram Bajler, from Zamość(see postcard). Szlama Ber Winer escaped from the Waldlager work commando at Chełmno (German: Kulmhof), and described in writing the atrocities he witnessed at that extermination camp, not long before his own subsequent murder at the age of 30, in the gas chambers of Bełżec. His deposition is commonly known as the Grojanowski Report.[1]
Szlama Ber (Szlamek) was born in Izbica Kujawska near Koło on 23 September 1911 (or the 10th, in Julian calendar) to a Jewish merchant Iccak Wolf Winer (35 years of age) and Srenca née Laskow, his lawful wife according to birth certificate from the Office of Public Records.[2] They lived in Izbica just north of Chełmno before the Holocaust. It was an area of interwar Poland which had been annexed in 1939 by Nazi Germany as part of the new territory of Reichsgau Wartheland earmarked for complete "Germanization". In 1940 the Nazis created a ghetto in Izbica for 1,000–1,600 Jews.[3] On 12 January 1942 Winer was deported to Chełmno extermination camp, to slave labour with the camp's Sonderkommando.[4][5] Two days later, the Izbica Ghetto was liquidated through deportations of 900–1,000 others to extermination on 14–15 January 1942. Szlamek was spared but witnessed the death of his own family in the gas vans. He was assigned by the SS to the burial commando. On Monday, 19 January, Szlamek escaped by slipping out of a lorry on the way to the Rzuchów forest subcamp.[6]
Postcard sent to Warsaw by Abram Bajler, nephew of Szlamek Winer, informing about the final deportation of his uncle with family
Szlamek managed to make his way from Chełmno to the Warsaw Ghetto in the General Government part of occupied Poland. He contacted the clandestine Oneg Shabbat group, headed by Emanuel Ringelblum, and gave detailed information about his harrowing experience with the camp's Sonderkommando. He described the entire extermination procedure at Chełmno step-by-step: how the people who arrived were murdered in gas vans; the constant beatings by the SS; how the inside of the vans was cleaned between loads, and how the bodies were buried in deep dug-out mass graves.[7] Szlamek also described the brutal treatment of prisoners forced to deal with the dead, and his escape from the camp.[8] Winer wrote the Grojanowski Report on the request of Oneg Shabbat who sent its Polish version to the Delegatura (the underground representatives of the Polish government-in-exile), while the German copy was produced for the German people in the hope that it would evoke more compassion for the Jews in them.[9][10][11]
Wanted by the Gestapo, Szlama Ber Winer was whisked to Zamość where subsequently he also wrote back to his friends at the Warsaw Ghetto about the existence of a death camp in Bełżec mere 44 kilometres (27 mi) south of the city.[9] A few days after writing this last communiqué, around the 10th of April 1942, he was apprehended together with members of his extended family, and deported to the Bełżec extermination camp along with some 3,000 Jews of the Zamość Ghetto, marched from the market place to the awaiting Holocaust trains at the station.[10][12][13] Two weeks later, the 14-year-old nephew of Szlama Winer, Abram Bajler, wrote a postcard from Zamość to Warsaw – sent on 24 April 1942 – after the deportation of his own uncle to the death camp. The message reads:
Zamość, 24 April 1942 Dear Mr Waser. After receiving your postcard, I hasten to reply. Albeit, my Uncle will never come, because he is not in Zamość anymore. Two weeks have already passed since he left town together with the rest of our family. For now, we don't know where they are. I was left behind with my younger brother because we were at work at the time. Try to imagine our situation with myself the 14-year-old boy left alone without care or supervision, and made responsible for the well-being of my little brother; but we manage somehow, because we have no choice. We have to accept what's given us. There's no other news. Greetings — Abram.
Zamość dn 24 / IV 1942 r Sz.P. Waser. Po otrzymaniu Pańskiej pocztówki śpieszę do Pana z odpowiedzią. Otóż Wujek już więcej nie przyjedzie, gdyż nie znajduje się więcej w Zamościu. Mija już dwa tygodnie jak opuścił wraz z całą rodziną naszą Zamość. Narazie nie wiemy gdzie się znajdują. Ja z moim młodszym bratem zostałem bo byliśmy przy pracy. Może pan sobie wyobrazić sytuację naszą jeżeli ja 14-to letni chłopak już zostałem bez żadnej opieki nad sobą i ja muszę się jeszcze opiekować młodszym bratem, ale jednak dajemy sobie radę. Lecz trudno trzeba się jakoś pogodzić z losem. U nas narazie nic nowego, kończę moje pismo, kłaniam się Panu. — Abram. [14]
^Patrick Montague (2012). Chełmno and the Holocaust: The History of Hitler's First Death Camp. I.B.Tauris Publishers. p. 241. ISBN978-1848857223. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
^ARC (2006), Szlamek Bajler, also known as Yakov Grojanowski (extract from deposition), Death Camps.org. Sources: Martin Gilbert, Lucjan Dobroszycki.
^ abChris Webb (2010), Chelmno Diary: "Szlamek Bajler recounts his time at Chelmno" (extract from deposition with foreword) Holocaust Education & Archive Research Team.
^ ab"Grojanowski Report, Yad Vashem" (PDF). 2014. Retrieved 2014-03-09. According to Yad Vashem summary the Grojanowski Report is available at the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw (copy in: YVA, JM/2713). It was translated into Hebrew by Elisheva Shaul, as "Taking of Testimony from the Forced Undertaker Jakob Grojanowski, Izbice-Kolo-Chelmno," Yalkut Moreshet 35 (April 1983), pp. 101-122.
^"Chelmno, Yad Vashem" (PDF). 2014. Retrieved 2014-03-04.
^Martin Gilbert (1986), The Holocaust – The Jewish Tragedy, William Collins Sons & Co, London.
^Translation from the Polish; based on the original postcard photo made available by the Holocaust Research Project.org.
References
Patricia Heberer, Children During the Holocaust (Google Books)
Bajler (Blajer, misspelling), Szlamek ARC Roll of Remembrance
Lance Ackerfeld, Emanuel Ringelblum: The Terrible Choice Yizkor Book Project
February 02, 2023
szlama, winer, guerre, yakov, akov, grojanowski, september, 1911, april, 1942, polish, from, izbica, kujawska, escaped, from, chełmno, extermination, camp, during, holocaust, german, occupied, poland, szlamek, diminutive, form, szlama, sometimes, incorrectly, . Szlama Ber Winer nom de guerre Yakov Ya akov Grojanowski 23 September 1911 c 10 April 1942 was a Polish Jew from Izbica Kujawska who escaped from the Chelmno extermination camp during the Holocaust in German occupied Poland Szlamek the diminutive form of Szlama is sometimes incorrectly referred to as Szlamek Bajler in literature by the surname of his nephew Abram Bajler from Zamosc see postcard Szlama Ber Winer escaped from the Waldlager work commando at Chelmno German Kulmhof and described in writing the atrocities he witnessed at that extermination camp not long before his own subsequent murder at the age of 30 in the gas chambers of Belzec His deposition is commonly known as the Grojanowski Report 1 Szlama Ber WinerBorn23 September 1911Izbica Kujawska German EmpireDiedc April 10 1942 1942 04 10 aged 30 Belzec death camp German occupied PolandNationalityPolishOther namesYakov GrojanowskiKnown forHolocaust deposition called the Grojanowski Report Contents 1 Life 1 1 The report 2 See also 3 Notes 4 ReferencesLife EditSzlama Ber Szlamek was born in Izbica Kujawska near Kolo on 23 September 1911 or the 10th in Julian calendar to a Jewish merchant Iccak Wolf Winer 35 years of age and Srenca nee Laskow his lawful wife according to birth certificate from the Office of Public Records 2 They lived in Izbica just north of Chelmno before the Holocaust It was an area of interwar Poland which had been annexed in 1939 by Nazi Germany as part of the new territory of Reichsgau Wartheland earmarked for complete Germanization In 1940 the Nazis created a ghetto in Izbica for 1 000 1 600 Jews 3 On 12 January 1942 Winer was deported to Chelmno extermination camp to slave labour with the camp s Sonderkommando 4 5 Two days later the Izbica Ghetto was liquidated through deportations of 900 1 000 others to extermination on 14 15 January 1942 Szlamek was spared but witnessed the death of his own family in the gas vans He was assigned by the SS to the burial commando On Monday 19 January Szlamek escaped by slipping out of a lorry on the way to the Rzuchow forest subcamp 6 The report Edit Main article Grojanowski Report Postcard sent to Warsaw by Abram Bajler nephew of Szlamek Winer informing about the final deportation of his uncle with family Szlamek managed to make his way from Chelmno to the Warsaw Ghetto in the General Government part of occupied Poland He contacted the clandestine Oneg Shabbat group headed by Emanuel Ringelblum and gave detailed information about his harrowing experience with the camp s Sonderkommando He described the entire extermination procedure at Chelmno step by step how the people who arrived were murdered in gas vans the constant beatings by the SS how the inside of the vans was cleaned between loads and how the bodies were buried in deep dug out mass graves 7 Szlamek also described the brutal treatment of prisoners forced to deal with the dead and his escape from the camp 8 Winer wrote the Grojanowski Report on the request of Oneg Shabbat who sent its Polish version to the Delegatura the underground representatives of the Polish government in exile while the German copy was produced for the German people in the hope that it would evoke more compassion for the Jews in them 9 10 11 Wanted by the Gestapo Szlama Ber Winer was whisked to Zamosc where subsequently he also wrote back to his friends at the Warsaw Ghetto about the existence of a death camp in Belzec mere 44 kilometres 27 mi south of the city 9 A few days after writing this last communique around the 10th of April 1942 he was apprehended together with members of his extended family and deported to the Belzec extermination camp along with some 3 000 Jews of the Zamosc Ghetto marched from the market place to the awaiting Holocaust trains at the station 10 12 13 Two weeks later the 14 year old nephew of Szlama Winer Abram Bajler wrote a postcard from Zamosc to Warsaw sent on 24 April 1942 after the deportation of his own uncle to the death camp The message reads Zamosc 24 April 1942 Dear Mr Waser After receiving your postcard I hasten to reply Albeit my Uncle will never come because he is not in Zamosc anymore Two weeks have already passed since he left town together with the rest of our family For now we don t know where they are I was left behind with my younger brother because we were at work at the time Try to imagine our situation with myself the 14 year old boy left alone without care or supervision and made responsible for the well being of my little brother but we manage somehow because we have no choice We have to accept what s given us There s no other news Greetings Abram Zamosc dn 24 IV 1942 r Sz P Waser Po otrzymaniu Panskiej pocztowki spiesze do Pana z odpowiedzia Otoz Wujek juz wiecej nie przyjedzie gdyz nie znajduje sie wiecej w Zamosciu Mija juz dwa tygodnie jak opuscil wraz z cala rodzina nasza Zamosc Narazie nie wiemy gdzie sie znajduja Ja z moim mlodszym bratem zostalem bo bylismy przy pracy Moze pan sobie wyobrazic sytuacje nasza jezeli ja 14 to letni chlopak juz zostalem bez zadnej opieki nad soba i ja musze sie jeszcze opiekowac mlodszym bratem ale jednak dajemy sobie rade Lecz trudno trzeba sie jakos pogodzic z losem U nas narazie nic nowego koncze moje pismo klaniam sie Panu Abram 14 See also EditJewish ghettos in German occupied Poland The Holocaust in PolandNotes Edit Szlamek Bajler Deathcamps org 2014 Retrieved 2014 03 04 Patrick Montague 2012 Chelmno and the Holocaust The History of Hitler s First Death Camp I B Tauris Publishers p 241 ISBN 978 1848857223 Retrieved 10 March 2014 Statistical data Glossary of 2 077 Jewish towns in Poland Archived 2016 02 08 at the Wayback Machine by Virtual Shtetl Museum of the History of the Polish Jews in English and Getta Zydowskie by Gedeon in Polish as well as Ghetto List by Michael Peters at ARC in English Virtual Shtetl Izbica Kujawska Museum of the History of Polish Jews Szlamek Bajler and Family WordPress com Jon E Lewis Voices from the Holocaust pages 101 102 Google Books Heath Alan Chelmno Waldlager Youtube com ARC 2006 Szlamek Bajler also known as Yakov Grojanowski extract from deposition Death Camps org Sources Martin Gilbert Lucjan Dobroszycki a b Chris Webb 2010 Chelmno Diary Szlamek Bajler recounts his time at Chelmno extract from deposition with foreword Holocaust Education amp Archive Research Team a b Grojanowski Report Yad Vashem PDF 2014 Retrieved 2014 03 09 According to Yad Vashem summary the Grojanowski Report is available at the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw copy in YVA JM 2713 It was translated into Hebrew by Elisheva Shaul as Taking of Testimony from the Forced Undertaker Jakob Grojanowski Izbice Kolo Chelmno Yalkut Moreshet 35 April 1983 pp 101 122 Chelmno Yad Vashem PDF 2014 Retrieved 2014 03 04 Martin Gilbert 1986 The Holocaust The Jewish Tragedy William Collins Sons amp Co London Yad Vashem Diaries footnote 12 PDF 2014 Retrieved 2014 03 04 Translation from the Polish based on the original postcard photo made available by the Holocaust Research Project org References EditPatricia Heberer Children During the Holocaust Google Books Bajler Blajer misspelling Szlamek ARC Roll of Remembrance Lance Ackerfeld Emanuel Ringelblum The Terrible Choice Yizkor Book Project Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Szlama Ber Winer amp oldid 1112449280, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
