Magnificent Silver Pendant of the Head of the Judenrat in the Lodz Ghetto, Mordechai Chaim Rumkowski. Lodz Ghetto ...

Magnificent Silver Pendant of the Head of the Judenrat in the Lodz Ghetto, Mordechai Chaim Rumkowski. Lodz Ghetto, [1941], Historic Piece

Magnificent silver pendant made by aluminum artisans in the Lodz Ghetto for Mordechai Chaim Rumkowski, "King" of the Ghetto. Ghetto Lodz, [1941].

Specifications: Casted and engraved silver pendant made by an artisan. 13 cm. long, 7 cm. wide. The pendant integrates Jewish motifs such as scales, pair of lions, tablets of the ten commandments, shofars and a Torah crown. The pendant consists of three sections. The center section has a box that opens to a Torah Scroll with a circle in front with a star of David and the Hebrew word שד'י flanked by two lions. The bottom section has a star of David with a menorah at center [5 stems]. The text ליטצמאן שטאדט appears on the pendant [the German name for the Lodz ghetto], נשיא מ.ח. רומקאווסקי. תש"א [President M. Ch. Rumkowski] and עם ישראל חי [the Jewish Nation lives on!] appears in middle of the word געטא [ghetto]. The pendant is decorated with zircons.

Background: This magnificent pendant serves as historic testimony to Rumkowski's character and attitude that enabled him to act like a "president" or "king" as head of the Judenrat. In addition to this pendant, there are other, simpler, surviving pieces made by the artisans in the Lodz ghetto in honor of Rumkowski. These pieces are housed in Yad V'Shem - The World Holocaust Remembrance Center.

Article included from the Yediot Achronot newspaper from 24.6.1981 regarding this pendant's arrival in Israel. In addition, there is testimony that this pendant was made in the Lodz ghetto in honor of Rumkowski and eventually reached the hands of R' Yaakov Yoskwitz.

Yaakov Zvi Yoskowitz was interned in the Lodz ghetto during the War. He survived the war and was then hospitalized in Theresienstadt and then transferred back to Lodz. When he recuperated, he set out on a quest to recover rare hassidic manuscripts that had been buried in the Lodz cemetery during the War. He immigrated to Palestine and settled in Tel Aviv. He retained manuscripts uncovered in the Ghetto, works by his friend the educator, author and poet, Alter Shnorr [= Yisrael Dov Itzinger]. There are a few theories of how this pendant came into his possession. It is possible that he coincidentally found it while searching the ghetto before he was expelled from it or after liberation, or he may have purchased it later on.

Refer to the Hebrew catalogue text for more information regarding Mordechai Chaim Rumkowski.

Condition: The pendant has been restored, professionally cleaned and gold plated and the missing zircons have been replaced. Fine-very fine condition.