מי אתה, ליאון ברז'ה? סיפורו של קאפו באושוויץ - היסטוריה, פוליטיקה וזיכרון

הצד הלא מוכר באישיותו של ברז'ה-גרינבוים, מי שאכן היה קאפו, אבל בה בעת היה גם חלק ממערך הפעילות המחתרתית באושויץ-בירקנאו. גרינבוים נהרג במלחמת הקוממיות A biography of Leon Berger, the "nom de guerre" of Eliezer Gruenbaum, born in 1908 in Warsaw, the son of Zionist leader Yitzhak Gruenbaum. Gruenbaum was imprisoned for communist activities in 1929-31, then studied law in France and went briefly to fight the fascists in Spain (where he took the name Leon Berger). In spring 1941, he was arrested in France and sent to Beaune-la-Rolande, where he became the head of the Jewish committee, aiding Jews and organizing activities. In June 1942 he was deported to Auschwitz, where he became the spokesperson for his French group; he was sometimes beaten when trying to help others. From February 1943 he served as kapo of block 20 for 11 months. He continued briefly to work in Auschwitz, was sent to the Jawiszowice labor camp, and then to Buchenwald, where he was accused of collaboration by other inmates. Notes that Gruenbaum was a member of resistance groups in the three camps. Based on documentation, discusses two investigations in 1945-46 of his activities as a kapo. An investigation by the Communist Party in Poland resulted in his being ousted from the party in 1945, while another investigation by law enforcement officials in Paris resulted in his being cleared of all charges in 1946. Gruenbaum contended that he became a kapo in order to help his communist friends, and that he beat Jews, when necessary, so that the Germans wouldn't beat and kill them. He emigrated to Eretz Israel in 1946; in May 1948 he was killed in action, fighting for Israel's independence.