Miroslav Šalom Freiberger
Encyclopedia
Miroslav Šalom Freiberger (born 1904 Zagreb
, Croatia, died c. Auschwitz) was chief rabbi
of Zagreb and a catechist, translator, writer and spiritual leader. He was educated as a lawyer and doctor of theology.
, Slavonia. When he was 34 years old he became chief rabbi
of Zagreb
, where he became popular among the younger Jews, thanks especially to his communicativeness. In the years prior to the onset of World War II, he was a strong advocate of Zionism
and the return of Jews to what was then the British Mandate for Palestine. However, he decided to stay in Zagreb while there was still even one Jew left there.
With the foundation of the Independent State of Croatia
and the first application of racial laws, Freiberger made efforts to rescue the Jews there. He had many connections with Jewish organizations in Italy, Hungary and Switzerland, and extremely good relations with the Catholic Church in Croatia
, especially with Alojzije Stepinac, Archbishop of Zagreb. Archbishop Stepinac urged Freiberger and his family to take refuge in his court until the end of the war. However, Freiberger declined the offer since he wanted to share the destiny of his people. At the end of 1942 he escorted the last group of rescued Jews to Budapest
and Istanbul
, from where they were transferred to the British Mandate for Palestine. Among them, with ten underage girls and boys, was his sixteen year old son Ruben. The group had received travel documents only after Stepinac and Vatican officials had intervened with the Croatian authories.
Despite the efforts of Archbishop Stepinac to save him, in the spring of 1943 Freiberger was arrested by the Ustasha regime, when Heinrich Himmler
himself arrived in Zagreb, dissatisfied with the way the regime was "solving the Jewish question
" in Croatia. Stepinac immediately sent a request for his liberation to state officials, but without success. On May 3, 1943, with the last transport of Jews from Croatia, the Nazis
transported him from Zagreb Main Station to Auschwitz
. He was killed at the camp entrance when he protested against the inhumane procedures inflicted on the members of his community.
Amiel Shomrony
, Freiberger's former secretary, and Igor Primorac filed two motions to recognize Stepinac as righteous among the nations
for helping Freiberger in saving the Jewish people of his community.
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, Croatia, died c. Auschwitz) was chief rabbi
Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's Jewish community, or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities...
of Zagreb and a catechist, translator, writer and spiritual leader. He was educated as a lawyer and doctor of theology.
Biography
Freiberger's first work in the Jewish community was as a rabbi in OsijekOsijek
Osijek is the fourth largest city in Croatia with a population of 83,496 in 2011. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja county...
, Slavonia. When he was 34 years old he became chief rabbi
Chief Rabbi
Chief Rabbi is a title given in several countries to the recognized religious leader of that country's Jewish community, or to a rabbinic leader appointed by the local secular authorities...
of Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, where he became popular among the younger Jews, thanks especially to his communicativeness. In the years prior to the onset of World War II, he was a strong advocate of Zionism
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
and the return of Jews to what was then the British Mandate for Palestine. However, he decided to stay in Zagreb while there was still even one Jew left there.
With the foundation of the Independent State of Croatia
Independent State of Croatia
The Independent State of Croatia was a World War II puppet state of Nazi Germany, established on a part of Axis-occupied Yugoslavia. The NDH was founded on 10 April 1941, after the invasion of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers. All of Bosnia and Herzegovina was annexed to NDH, together with some parts...
and the first application of racial laws, Freiberger made efforts to rescue the Jews there. He had many connections with Jewish organizations in Italy, Hungary and Switzerland, and extremely good relations with the Catholic Church in Croatia
Catholic Church in Croatia
Roman Catholicism in Croatia is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome.There are an estimated 3.8 million baptised Roman Catholics in Croatia, roughly 85% of the population. The national sanctuary of Croatia is in Marija Bistrica...
, especially with Alojzije Stepinac, Archbishop of Zagreb. Archbishop Stepinac urged Freiberger and his family to take refuge in his court until the end of the war. However, Freiberger declined the offer since he wanted to share the destiny of his people. At the end of 1942 he escorted the last group of rescued Jews to Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
and Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, from where they were transferred to the British Mandate for Palestine. Among them, with ten underage girls and boys, was his sixteen year old son Ruben. The group had received travel documents only after Stepinac and Vatican officials had intervened with the Croatian authories.
Despite the efforts of Archbishop Stepinac to save him, in the spring of 1943 Freiberger was arrested by the Ustasha regime, when Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler was Reichsführer of the SS, a military commander, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. As Chief of the German Police and the Minister of the Interior from 1943, Himmler oversaw all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo...
himself arrived in Zagreb, dissatisfied with the way the regime was "solving the Jewish question
Final Solution
The Final Solution was Nazi Germany's plan and execution of the systematic genocide of European Jews during World War II, resulting in the most deadly phase of the Holocaust...
" in Croatia. Stepinac immediately sent a request for his liberation to state officials, but without success. On May 3, 1943, with the last transport of Jews from Croatia, the Nazis
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
transported him from Zagreb Main Station to Auschwitz
Auschwitz concentration camp
Concentration camp Auschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II...
. He was killed at the camp entrance when he protested against the inhumane procedures inflicted on the members of his community.
Amiel Shomrony
Amiel Shomrony
Amiel Shomrony was a Croatian Jew who survived the Holocaust as the secretary of Zagreb's chief rabbi Miroslav Šalom Freiberger during the World War II....
, Freiberger's former secretary, and Igor Primorac filed two motions to recognize Stepinac as righteous among the nations
Righteous Among the Nations
Righteous among the Nations of the world's nations"), also translated as Righteous Gentiles is an honorific used by the State of Israel to describe non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save Jews from extermination by the Nazis....
for helping Freiberger in saving the Jewish people of his community.