PEJSACH KAPLAN’S GHETTO DIARY (Editor’s note: Pejsach Kaplan, the prominent Jewish writer and editor of the Bialystok daily newspaper, Unzer Leben, became the official archivist of the Bialy- stok ghetto. He had the opportunity to observe and record daily events in the ghetto, including important facts about the establishment and conduct of the Juden- rat. Concerning the notorious ‘“‘February Action” in 1943, which marked the beginning of the Bialystok ghetto’s liquidation, Kaplan wrote as if with blood the following words: ‘“‘How does one describe the destruc- tion of Bialystok as the author of the Book of Lamenta- tions would have adequately done? It 1s possible for me only to record cut and dried facts, indelibly inscribed in my memory, about the recent bleak and bloody days.” The following are excerpts from Kaplan’s diary, found after the war in the ruins of the ghetto, together with other records of the Judenrat. Shortly after completing the diary in March 1943 Kaplan died, no longer able to withstand the pain and suffering of his times. On the very first day of the Nazi occupation, the com- mandant, a general, summoned Rabbi Dr. Gedalja Rozenman and ordered him to form a Judenrat of twelve members. Rabbi Rozenman and other Jewish leaders well understood they had no choice but to comply. Later on, the Judenrat was enlarged to twenty- four councilmen. Although members of the council made it clear from the beginning that they were required to carry out the orders of the Nazi command, nevertheless, because they had previously been respected personalities in the Jewish community, the Judenrat was held in high esteem. Given the nature of its mission, however, the council was often unavoidably autocratic in carrying }טס‎ its functions. Rabbi Rozenman, the Chairman, and his Vice- Chairman, Efrajim Barasz, usually started their day in conference with Nazi officials. Thereafter, they would meticulously carry out every order, taking pains to make certain the Jewish community in the ghetto faith- fully obeyed the rules. The slightest infraction brought about severe consequences, every rule bearing implicit or explicit threats of grim reprisals if transgressed. Because of Rabbi Rozenman’s advanced age and poor health, he was forced to resign and was succeeded by Vice-Chairman Barasz, who continued as Chairman of the Judenrat until March 1943. Others on the Juden- rat presidium were: B. Subotnik, finances; J. Goldberg, and Liman, administrators and heads of rationing. Barasz was considered by many the dictator of the ghetto. Actually, he was the only one able to carry ona successful liaison between the Nazis and the Jews. He deftly encouraged the Germans to reduce the severity of their requirements and, on the other hand, insisted that the Jews avoid any pretext that could be used by the The Bialystoker Memorial Book Nazis to mete out punishment. Barasz possessed un- usual energy, stability, stubbornness, supreme puncti- liousness, and, above all, scrupulous honesty. He consulted his presidium several times a day on impor- tant decisions, explaining his policies from time to time to the public at the Linas Hatzedek hall. The Nazis and the Judenrat Relations between the Germans and the Judenrat PEJSACH KAPLAN Writer, cultural leader, editor of the Bialystoker newspaper Unzer Leben, author of several important works in Hebrew and Yiddish. Died in the Bialystok ghetto in 1943. His diary of life in the ghetto with important documents were subsequently found and published partly in the Bialystoker Stimme in New York. were chaotic, mainly because the German admimnistra- tive structure was actually a conglomeration of compet- ing power centers: the military, civilian and police authorities. Often the orders issued by these different branches of the regime contradicted one another, sow- ing confusion among the Jews and the council. This uncertainty was, of course, no mere academic matter. Lives literally hung in the balance and threats were rou- tinely made that half the Judenrat or the whole Judenrat would be shot, or alternatively several hundred Jewish citizens would be executed. Subsequently, the anarchy lessened when the German civilian ghetto administra- tion provided the Judenrat with an “ironclad guaran- tee,”’ insisting that it was the sole authority. Despite this helpful development, the number of authority figures and pretenders was astronomical. Every item the Jews possessed could be requisi- tioned by the Nazis at a moment’s notice. Nothing was exempt. Even things not readily available had to be produced on time, usually in a short time, the alterna- tive being punishment or execution. Requests were not 71