One of the most controversial figures in modern Jewish history was Chaim Rumkowski, an archetypal figure for the class of Jews who collaborated with the Nazis. At first, Rumkowski had what seemed to be a rational plan. In exchange for making themselves economically and militarily useful to the Nazi war machine. Unfortunately, the noose tightened. Prices were rigged so that the Ghetto got even less food than ever. Eventually, there were simply deportation quotas, ostensibly for labour camps further east.
When hospitals were emptied out, when the lists contained only the children and the elderly, it became chillingly clear that the ghettoes were part of an extermination plan. It must be remembered that the moral choices faced by Rumkowski and other ghetto leaders were framed by the Germans and were made under a duress that is hard to contemplate today. When the epithet “kapo” is hurled at modern day Jewish enemies of Israel, it is really not a fair comparison. The following doicumentary makes this apparent to all who view it.
