Texas Jewish Post (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 19, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 21, 1965 Page: 1 of 16
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jess jawiif
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS
Unless something is done quickly to extend the statute of
limitations on Nazi War Criminals beyond the May 8, 1965 ex-
piration date tens of thousands of sadistic murderers will be al-
lowed to go free without ever coming to trial for the crimes they
iiave committed.
An interesting expose recently came to light and it should
serve as illumination for a mass appeal to the Federal Republic
>f Germany to extend the limitation clause.
We’re speaking about the photos that were taken at the com-
nand of Josef Cyrankiewicz, Auschwitz prisoner during the Nazi
*eign of terror that saw millions of jews perish in the death fur-
laces.
Cyrankiewicz, in a dramatic episode, had the pictures taken
rom a hole in the roof of the execution chamber following or-
lers from the camp underground which he headed that photos
lad to be obtained to convince the world leaders that the Ger-
nans were actually exterminating Jews by the millions. Cyran-
liewicz is now7 Prime Minister of Poland. He was a political pris-
mer.
The job of actually concealing the camera and taking the
>hotos fell upon a Jewish inmate, David Szm-ulewski, who is now
ersonal security chief to the Polish premier.
“Congress Bi-Weekly,” published by the American Jewish
Ingres's carries an article by S. L. Shneiderman. describing the
vent in its January 4 issue.
Shneiderman tells, how he learned of the story of the con-
ealed camera from Erich Kulka of Prague, an Auschwitz su-
ivor himself, who testified at the current trials in Frankfurt ar.d
7ho is considered the leading authority on the history of the Nazi
eath center. The death photos have been submitted as evidence1
i the Frankfurt trial of 20 Auschwitz officials — a trial now go-
lg into its second year.
In his Congress Bi-Weekly article, “Photos From The Au-
fdhwitz Hell,” Shneiderman says that the opening of the Soviet
irchives “may well bring to light the facts about crimes ccm-
nitted by former Nazi functionaries who are now leading re-
.pectable lives in West Germany, some of them perhaps ccwpy-
ng important positions in government service ... It is doubt-
ful that the Soviets w'ill make available the names of Nazi crim-
inals who now work for the East German government. That
Soviet-controlled regime has always refused to give information
>n the crimes of former Nazis serving in its army and civil
mreaucracy.”
The story of the secret camera in the death house at Au-
schwitz begins in the spring of 1944, “when the Nazis were ac-
;elerating the mass slaughter of Europe’s Jew's with Adolf Eich-
nann zealously supplying trainloads of victims from Hungary.
“Leaders of the underground found that all of their efforts
© convince Allied governments of the truth about Auschwitz
jvere in vain. No one would belie-ve in the scope of the Nazi
jrimes.
“The heads of the underground within the camp reached the
conclusion that photographic proof of the existence of the gas
ahambeTs and the crematoria would have to be produced or the
world w'ould not accept even the possibility that such things were
going on.
“The leadership of the underground cel! in Auschwitz One
passed on to the cell i«i Birkenau an order to get such photo-
graphs, no matter what sacrifices had to be made.”
The death factory was located in Auschwitz Two, known as
Birkenau, a sealed-off area that could not be penetrated. It was
ocff-limits for even the most trusted of liazi personnel. Shneider-
man relates:
“Cyrankiewicz, an inmate clerk in Block II, headed the cen-
tral Auschwitz One cell. Szmulew'ski, a roofer by trade w'ho fre-
quently moved around the camp on repair jobs, headed the Birk-
enau cell. Upon receiving the order, Szmulewski met w'ith un-
ierground members employed in the section of the camp where
slave laborers sorted out the personal effects of those who died
in the gas chambers. He instructed them to look for a camera.
In a very short time they discovered a Leica in excellent condi-
tion, wiith a telescopic lens and some film.
“The next problem was to get the camera into the Birkenau
compound where the gas chambers and crematoria were located.
The commandant of the compound, Otto Muhl, always searched
entering workers personally. Szmulcwski arranged lor under-
ground members belonging to the Sonderkommande that worked
in the crematory to damage the roof of a building. This made it
possible for Szmulewski to get into the sealed-off area. The cam-
era was concealed inside a clay drain pipe on the wagon that
brought in the tools, clay tiles and other roofing materials. Com-
mandant Mohl made his usual personal search, but did not find
the camera.
“In the attic of the building under repair, Sznjplewski broke
©pen the drain pipe and removed the camera, concealing it inside
ihis striped prisoner’s shirt, with the lens peeping through a but-
tonhole he had enlarged with a knife. While the attention of the
©ther members of the roofing crew were elsewhere, he pointed
(the camera through a small hole in ihe roof and focussed upon
<the horrifying sight of naked women and children being driven
into the gas chambers by armed GS men. He photographed this
tragic procession from the front as the first row of women was
(entering the chamber. Then he photographed ai:other part of the
compound where members of the Sonderkommando were carry-
ing dead bodies from the chamber for cremation in fires burning
in open pits.
“A member of Szmulewski’s cell secreted the exposed film in
ihis trousers, while the cam-era was hidden in the same building
for possible future use. The man with the film carried it around
for five days, untiL he was able to contact an underground courier
from outside the camp. It was smuggled “W Cracow, where it was
developed.
Continued To Postorial Page
IN OUR NINETEENTH YEAR
VOLUME XIX. NO. 3
THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 1965 16 PAGES—15c PER COPY
$ Texas Jewish Post $
rsAE— Seven Arts Featt^cs
WNS—Worldwide Newsservice
UN5—-United -Nations Service
• V
Dedicated to Truth. Liberty and Justice Member
American AaeoctaHoa Engl!8h-Jewif«h Newspapei.
THE SOUTHWEST'S LEADING ENnJ JSH- -JEYS1SH WEEKLY NEWSPAPER Texas Frees Association
o
Abram Raps Soviet Aide On Issue
Free Religion Fight
GENEVA (JTA)—After
several years of obstructions
by the Soviet Union and Po-
land, the United Nations
Subcommission on the Pre-
vention of Discrimination and
Protection of Minorities has taken
up the question of drafting an
international convention guaran-
teeing religious freedom.
The draft of such a convention
was presented by the representa-
tive of the United States, Morris
B. Abram, who is also president
of the American Jewish Commit-
tee.
The text of the U.S. draft
does not .mention the Soviet
Union by name, in conformance
with the Subcommission’s rules.
However, it was clear to the
members of the Subcommission
that the draft is aimed primari-
ly against the Communist coun-
tries where religions practices
are being restricted.
The draft of the international
convention prepared by Mr.
Abram provoked in advance the
opposition of the representatives
of the Soviet Union and Poland
in the Subcommission.
Meanwhile, an open clash
took place between Mr. Abram
and the Soviet representative,
Evgeni N. Nasinovsky, on a
proposal made by Mr. Abram
that a study being conducted
on equality in the administra-
tion of justice must include not
only statements from govern-
ments but also data supplied
by non-governmental organisa-
tions.
The study is being conducted
by the Sudanese member of the
group, Chief Justice Abou Ran-
nat, of Sudan.
The U.S. text of a draft for
an international pact to eliminate
religious discrinlinations, which
Mr. Abrams Introduced on Thurs-
day, call upon all governments of
the world “to preserve, protect
and defend the right to freedom
of thought.”
Mr. Abram expressed serious
doubts as to the objectivity of
an official Ukrainian document
recently presented to the United
Nations, concerning the ways and
means utilized for the elimina-
tion in Ukrainia of all forms of
racial and religious discrimina-
tion.
Each problem has to be faced
frankly and openly, and not by
quoting the Soviet Constitution,
said Mr. Abram.
AJC’s Manheim S. Shapiro Will Speak In Area
The Julius Schepps Communi-
ty Center of Dallas and the Dan
Danciger Jewish Community
Center, Fort Worth will join
with the Dallas and Fort Worth
Chapters American Jewish Com-
mittee to present Manheim S.
Shapiro, National Director, De-
partment of Jewish Communal
Affairs, American Jewish Com-
mittee, who will speak on “The
Vanishing Jew, Dilemmas For
American Jewish Parents.”
Shapiro will speak at the
D.D.J.C.C.* in Fort Worth, Mon-
day, January 25. 8 P.M. The
Dallas meeting will be held
Tuesday, January 6, 8 P.M. in
Kaplan Auditorium-, Congrega-
tion Shearith Israel.
Trends toward assimilation
have caused American Jewish
parents to be increasingly con-
cerned about transmitting the
MANHEIM S. SHAPIRO
Jewish heritage to their chil-
dren.
Shapiro, a probing student of
this problem, has conducted
numerous surveys on the atti-
tudes of American Jews toward
their owp Judaism and toward
rearing their children as Jews
in a free society. An eminent
social scientist, he has written
extensively on Jewish affairs,
community organization, preju-
dice and group identity. A grad-
uate of Brooklyn College, Uni-
versity of Michigan, New School
for Social Research, and the
Isaac Elchanan Yeshiva, he is
uniquely qualified to help un-
derstand the developing trends
and problems in American Jew.-
ih life and what we can be
-done about themu
AJCommittee m-emhers and
their friends are invited.
Large Audience Views Danciger JCC Dedication
Center workers and especially
Maurice Rabinowitz, who
A bright, crisp day brought
over 450 people to the dedica-
tion of the Dan Danciger Jewish
Community Center in Ft. Worth
last Sunday. An auxiliary park-
ing lot had to be pressed into
service to accommodate the
cars which overflowed the main
parking area.
Mrs. Irving Rapfogel, chair-
man of the Dedication Program
introduced the president of the
Center, indefatigable I. E. Hor-
witz, who served as master of
ceremonies for the historic
event.
Horwitz traced the eight years
of work that Center proponents
accomplished before the Center
became transformed from a
dream to reality. Special ac-
colades were handed to many
was
ill and Arthur Ginsburg, who
with Dr. Abe Greines, were
honorary co-chairmen.
Greetings were offered by
Mayor Pro Tern Willard Barr in
the absence of Fort Worth May-
or Bayard Friedman; Herbert L.
Tuchin, president of the Fort
Continued To' Postorial Page
Jishop Gorman To Address Ft. Worth B’nai B'rith Dinner
“According to advanced res-
"vations, we should have one
f the largest crowds in our
istory.” So spoke Hennon Gil-
chairman of the B’nai
B’rith Man of The Year Instal-
lation Dinner which will be held
Sunday evening in the Crysta
Ballroom of the Hotel Texas.
“We have room for everyone,
continue' Gilbert, “however, it
will be necessary to close res-
1 ervations Friday evening so that
Continued To - Postorial Page
7 — —
I Rabbi Schachtel Delivers Inaugural Prayer I
WASHINGTON (JTA) —
President Lyndon B. John-
son had asked a personal
friend, Rabbi Hyman Judah
Schachtel, of Houston, Texas,
to deliver one of the four
inaugural prayers to be offer-
ed at the official inaugural
ceremony at the United
Rabbi Schachtel is spirit-
ual leader of Congregation
Beth Israel of Houston. When
President Johnson served as
Senate Majority Leader, he
invited Rabbi Schachtel to be
“chaplain of the day” in the
United States Senate cham-
ber and the rabbi then de-
States Capitol on January 20.' livered the opening prayer.
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Wisch, J. A. Texas Jewish Post (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 19, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 21, 1965, newspaper, January 21, 1965; Fort Worth, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth755751/m1/1/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .