The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising is one of the greatest examples in human history of dignity and courage in the face of a horrendous reality. The moral fortitude of those Jewish fighters is a guiding light that will shine for all eternity- teach your children about these people.
It all began with the Nazi’s surprise blitzkrieg attack of Poland, the official beginning of World War II. The Nazi invasion of Poland was cold and brutal even by their standards, particularly for that nation’s long-suffering Jewish population. At first the Nazis relocated all of Poland’s Jews into small urban ghettos in three major cities, primarily Warsaw.
There, over 300,000 people were packed into a small walled-off neighborhood. Then the Nazis began deporting the ghetto residents to what at first were believed to be slave labor camps. When Poland’s Jews realized the truth, and learned about the extermination camps, they resolved to fight to the death in the Ghetto. They organized militias, made weapons, and laid out plans for their defense.
There, over 300,000 people were packed into a small walled-off neighborhood. Then the Nazis began deporting the ghetto residents to what at first were believed to be slave labor camps. When Poland’s Jews realized the truth, and learned about the extermination camps, they resolved to fight to the death in the Ghetto. They organized militias, made weapons, and laid out plans for their defense.
One of the key figures in the Uprising was a young man by the name of Michael Klepfisz.
Michał Klepfisz was described by those who knew him as a tall and thin young man with a calm and laid back manner. But despite his unassuming appearance, this Michael is considered one of the greatest heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.
Michael began his transformation from a chemical engineer to a murderous warrior and Protector of His People by an act of almost-unbelievable selfless heroism.
Michael was one of the unfortunates who had been swept up off the street in the Warsaw Ghetto by a roving patrol of Nazi SS Soldiers.
He was loaded onto a train, a train bound for the Treblinka Extermination Camp.
As the train rumbled through the night, Michael managed to kick out the bars covering a small window. He jumped off the moving train and found himself all alone, deep in Poland’s ancient and dark forests.
Instead of taking refuge in the wilds, Klepfisz made his way back through Nazi-occupied Poland and snuck back into the Warsaw Ghetto. Yes, you read that right. He was free, having barely cheated a horrible death, and he returned to Warsaw. To help. By fighting and killing.
After making sure his wife, daughter and sister were safely hidden outside Warsaw, Michael took charge of the Jewish Combat Organization’s bomb-making Unit. With guile and ingenuity he amassed the raw materials to start producing explosives. In the basement of an abandoned factory he created powerful bombs, artillery shells, land-mines, hand grenades and other explosive devices. In other basements, other Jews built, rebuilt, and repaired old rifles and loaded cartridges with Michael’s home-made gunpowder.
When everything was as ready as could be hoped, the Jews of the Warsaw Ghetto launched a surprise assault on the Nazi forces stationed within and around the Ghetto.
The stunning series of attacks killed large numbers of Nazi troops and allowed Warsaw’s Jews to seize a huge cache of weaponry.
More importantly, the Jewish Fighters expelled the Nazis from the ghetto, halting the deportations to Treblinka Extermination Camp. The shame and disgrace of the defeat was immediately felt all the way back to Berlin.
The human monster known as Himmler personally replaced the Commander in charge of the ghetto with a man of unquestioning viciousness. The Nazis were forced to bring in extra troops from every theatre, weakening their lines and exhausting resources on every front.
Michael and the other Jewish Fighters resisted so fiercely, the Nazis were forced to bring in yet more troops and resources. The Jews of the Warsaw Ghetto fought back with such intractable tenacity the Nazis were left with only one option.
Moving from building to building, they methodically leveled the entire Ghetto.
The Jews continued to fight back, contesting every house and basement, fighting to the last man and woman.
Michael Klepfisz died in direct combat, in a gunfight with a cohort of Nazis. In a final act of heroism, he drew their fire and killed several, allowing the rest of his squad to escape and continue fighting.
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