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Council for Aid to the Jews
(cryptonym "Zegota") - An aid organization for
the Jews in Poland was founded in December 1942 and
continued its
activities until January 1945. It was based on the
Provisional Committee
for Aid to the Jews established in September 1942, whose
members
included W. Krahelska-Filipowicz and Z. Kossak-Szczucka. It
was created
under the aegis of the Delegation of the Government of
Poland, and
financed from its budget. Zegota functioned on the basis of
an agreement
between center and left-wing political parties active in the
Polish
underground, such as Polska Partia Socjalistyczna [Polish
Socialist
Party] - Wolnosc, Rownosc, Niepodleglosc [Freedom, Equality
and
Independence], Stronnictwo Demokratyczne [Democratic Party],
Stronnictwo
Ludowe [People's Party], Front Odrodzenia Polski [Front for
the Rebirth
of Poland], and a coalition of Jewish organizations (Bund,
Zydowski
Komitet Narodowy [Jewish National Committee]).
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Most activities were in Warsaw, where its
main groups were operating, but the organization had
district councils
in Krakow and Lwow as well. The Council's tasks included
finding shelter
for Jews who were in hiding and providing false documents
(approximately 50,000), known as "Aryan papers". The Council
also
distributed financial assistance and food, arranged medical
care and
organized assistance for Jews who were in the camps.
The Council's chairman was J. Grobelny, followed by R.
Jablonowski
in 1944. F. Arczynski, W. Bartoszewski, A. Berman, L.
Feiner, P.
Gajewski and J. Matus also played particularly important
roles in the
organization.
(G.Z./CM)
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