Michal Shuldenfrei
Encyclopedia
Michal Shuldenfrei (January 27 1887 - July 1 1965) was a Polish Jewish politician, lawyer, a delegate to the first Sejm
of post World War II
Poland.
He was elected as the only member of the Jewish Bund to the 1947 Polish parliament (as part of the electoral list of the still independent Polish Socialist Party
, which was soon forced to merge into the Communist Polish United Workers' Party
).
In the interwar period in Poland he served as a defense lawyer in several politically charged trials. He was also very active in the Bund. During the last stages of German occupation of Poland he joined the Soviet sponsored State National Council
. In 1944, after the entry of the Soviet Army
into Poland, and the establishment of the Lublin Committee he tried to reorganize the Bund, despite the fact that its pre war leaders, like Victor Alter
and Henryk Ehrlich
had been executed on Stalin's orders. He was one of the signatories of PKWN's July Manifesto
.
After the war he was known for his dedication to the pursuit of German Nazi war criminals responsible for the Holocaust. He was also very active in trying to bring the perpetrators of the Kraków pogrom
to justice.
He is buried at the Okopowa Street Jewish Cemetery
in Warsaw.
Sejm
The Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....
of post World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Poland.
He was elected as the only member of the Jewish Bund to the 1947 Polish parliament (as part of the electoral list of the still independent Polish Socialist Party
Polish Socialist Party
The Polish Socialist Party was one of the most important Polish left-wing political parties from its inception in 1892 until 1948...
, which was soon forced to merge into the Communist Polish United Workers' Party
Polish United Workers' Party
The Polish United Workers' Party was the Communist party which governed the People's Republic of Poland from 1948 to 1989. Ideologically it was based on the theories of Marxism-Leninism.- The Party's Program and Goals :...
).
In the interwar period in Poland he served as a defense lawyer in several politically charged trials. He was also very active in the Bund. During the last stages of German occupation of Poland he joined the Soviet sponsored State National Council
State National Council
Krajowa Rada Narodowa in Polish was a parliament-like political body formed in the late stages of the Second World War in the Soviet Union, as part of the formation of a new Communist Polish government...
. In 1944, after the entry of the Soviet Army
Soviet Army
The Soviet Army is the name given to the main part of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union between 1946 and 1992. Previously, it had been known as the Red Army. Informally, Армия referred to all the MOD armed forces, except, in some cases, the Soviet Navy.This article covers the Soviet Ground...
into Poland, and the establishment of the Lublin Committee he tried to reorganize the Bund, despite the fact that its pre war leaders, like Victor Alter
Victor Alter
Victor Alter was a Jewish socialist activist and publicist of the Bund, and a member of the executive committee of the Second International.-Life:...
and Henryk Ehrlich
Henryk Ehrlich
Henryk Ehrlich was an activist of the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party , member of the Petrograd Soviet, Warsaw City Council and member of the executive committee of the Second International...
had been executed on Stalin's orders. He was one of the signatories of PKWN's July Manifesto
PKWN Manifesto
The Manifesto of the Polish Committee of National Liberation known as July or PKWN Manifesto was a political manifesto of the Polish Committee of National Liberation, a Soviet-backed provisional government, which operated in opposition to the London-based Polish government in exile.It was...
.
After the war he was known for his dedication to the pursuit of German Nazi war criminals responsible for the Holocaust. He was also very active in trying to bring the perpetrators of the Kraków pogrom
Kraków pogrom
The Kraków pogrom refers to the events that occurred on August 11, 1945, in the city of Kraków, Poland, which resulted in one dead and five wounded victims.-Background:...
to justice.
He is buried at the Okopowa Street Jewish Cemetery
Okopowa Street Jewish Cemetery
The Okopowa Street Jewish Cemetery is one of the largest Jewish cemeteries in Europe. Located on Warsaw's Okopowa street and abutting the Powązki Cemetery at , the Jewish Cemetery was established in 1806 and occupies 33 hectares of land. The cemetery contains over 200,000 marked graves, as well...
in Warsaw.