text:
[Page 1]
It has been estimated that in March 1942, 75-80% of the victims of the Shoah were alive, while 20-25% were dead. By February 1943, the percentages had been exactly reversed. Put another way, in that eleven-month period, a minimum of three million Jews had perished. Most of the Jews had died in the camps, at Belzec, Sobibor and Treblinka, but many thousands had been shot on the outskirts of the towns in which they had been ghettoised, during the round-ups which were an intrinsic part of the Aktionen, or in transit to the extermination centers. Thousands more had died in the ghettos themselves and in labor and concentration camps from starvation, disease, over-work and summary execution.
The intense killing phase was short and brutal. But what of secrecy? How was it possible to prevent knowledge of murder on such a scale becoming widespread? What did Western Nations know of the homicidal happenings in Poland and the East? Up until June 1941, our intelligence gathering was reasonably plentiful and accurate. With the onset of 'Barbarossa' the West was taken aback by the sheer ferocity of the campaign. It was not long, however, that the allies penetrated the German code system, and from then on were regularly receiving details of the German radio traffic being sent back detailing the most secret information the 'Operational Reports' of the 'Einsatzgruppen' to Berlin. Allied intelligence was collated from many other directions: Neutral countries, The World Jewish Congress, and the Jewish agencies abroad. This was further enhanced from other independent sources throughout the war period.
[Page 2]
therefore known at the highest levels of British Government. On 24 August 1941, in a radio broadcast, Winston Churchill said:
Whole districts are being exterminated. Scores of thousands literally scores of thousands of executions in cold blood are being perpetrated by the German police-troops upon the Russian patriots who defend their native soil. Since the Mongol invasions of Europe in the sixteenth century, there has never been methodical, merciless butchery on such a scale, or approaching such a scale.Churchill went on to say, We are in the presence of a crime without a name. No specific mention was made of the Jews. The British were in a difficult position; to disclose too many details might have alerted the Germans to the possibility that their codes were being broken. In fact, there is some evidence that the Germans were suspicious of exactly that, for on 13 September 1941 Kurt Daluege, head of the Ordnungspolizei, instructed field commanders to make their reports by courier and not by radio.
By November 1941, Churchill was less reticent about the fate of the Jews. In a message to the Jewish Chronicle on 14 November, 1941, he wrote: None has suffered more cruelly than the Jew, the unspeakable evils wrought on the bodies and spirits of men by Hitler and his vile regime. There had been newspaper reports of Nazi atrocities in Poland since the early days of the war, but now the information emerging was of a more sinister nature. Under the heading Extinction Feared by Jews in Poland, Dr Henry Shoskes presented details of the mortality rate in the ghettos of Poland to The New York Times on 1 March 1942. The monthly average of those dying was 10,000.
The methodical mass murder of hundreds of thousands of Jewish men, women and children - Polish as well as those brought from other European countries caused a deep moral shock amongst the population of Poland. In the face of overwhelming force of arms the Poles retreated into the partisan culture of sniping at the enemy from afar.
It is the part played by the Polish Underground forces in Poland, the Polish Government in Exile and other sources that is reviewed.
Leading this clandestine opposition were two main groups: 1. The Armia Krajowa (AK), and the largest, which was closely aligned to the Polish Government in Exile in London, and 2. The Communist Gwardia Ludowa, later the Armia Ludowa (AL), the Army of the People.[1]
From their centralized bases, splinter groups operated with or without agreement. In February, 1942, the AK established a separate group dealing with Jewish matters which was lead by Henryk Wolinski. The AK held prominence over the rest, and were able to manoeuvre more or less at will but, they have a shady past stemming from a long standing aversion of the Jews over many
[Page 3]
decades. It is to this group that we find our sources of information for many of the signposts of incidents, atrocities, and happenings during the main period of extermination of the Polish and European Jews.
The AK net spread far and wide, from Warsaw, to Lublin, Zakopane, Rzeszow, Rawa Ruska, Sobibor, Treblinka (Malkinia) and the killing fields of Belzec. The AK were able to infiltrate very sensitive points gather intelligence from many sources before passing on this vital information via agents and radio communication to London and other western agencies. Whether they were really effective against the German invaders, or in the protection of the Jews, as they might like history to think, is another matter. They did not buy any arms from deserting German soldiers until very late in the war. No partisan detachments of any importance were established by it before 1943, and, anyway, not only were Jews not accepted in the AK ranks, but a number of AK detachments were actively engaged in hunting down and murdering them.
If the AK succeeded in removing more than 200 Germans it would be surprising. Some say they killed more Jews than they saved; they were certainly hunted down during the war, and after. Through the whole conduct of hostilities on Polish soil and their relationship with the Jewish agencies, the AK was a reluctant band, who utterly failed the Jews in their greatest hour of need.
What did we know? - How was the West informed? - What were the papers saying?
In a report dated 20 June 1942, the United States Office of Strategic Services received a report from Lisbon, that began with the words Germany is no longer persecuting the Jews. It is systematically exterminating them. The information came from a British officer who had escaped from captivity and had hidden for a time in the Warsaw Ghetto before reaching Portugal. The officer reported that Heinrich Himmler had visited Dr. Hans Frank in April to inform him that the Jews were not disappearing fast enough to please the Führer. The Jews were to be virtually exterminated by a specified date. A trial speeding up had been ordered at Lublin, where for a time trainloads were taken daily to Sobibor station in the suburbs, thence to an isolated area where they are machine-gunned. Peasants had left nearby farms because of the stench of unburied corpses.
[Page 4]
On the 25 June, 1942, the 'Daily Telegraph' newspaper in London, reported having received information from the Polish Government in Poland that the Germans were planning to murder all Jews. The Telegraph reports on the murders committed in the Polish eastern territories: 50,000 Jews murdered in Vilna, the terror in the Warsaw ghetto and the use of mobile gas chambers.[4]
On 10 July, 1942, the London 'Times' reports that the Polish Vice-Premier S. Mikolajczyk[5] had received information from the Home Army (AK) about the murder of Poles, and the most terrible situation of the Jews who have been murdered en mass and transported out.[6]
10 August 1942, Newsweek magazine commented in its issue of that trainloads of Warsaw Jews were vanishing into a black limbo. On 20 August 1942, The New York Times quoting the previous day's edition of the French Paris Soir, stated that Jews from France were being deported to Polish Silesia.
Information was also available in the summer of 1942 from more direct sources. In Switzerland, quite independently of each other, three Germans provided the details. Ernst Lemmer, a journalist, spoke of gas chambers, both stationary and mobile, but he was not considered reliable. An economist, Artur Sommer, passed a note to Edgar Salin, a professor at the University of Basel. In it, Sommer stated that camps were being prepared in the East for gassing. The BBC should broadcast daily warnings. The message passed unheeded.
The third informant was a businessman, Eduard Schulte. His report of 30 July 1942 eventually reached the chief of the Geneva office of the World Jewish Congress, Gerhart Riegner, who cabled via diplomatic channels to Rabbi Dr. Stephen Wise in the United States and to British Member of Parliament Sidney Silverman. Riegner reported that a plan had been discussed and was under consideration in the Führer headquarters for the deportation of the European Jews to the East, where they were to be exterminated at one blow. Among methods under discussion was the use of prussic acid. Silverman received the cable; mysteriously, Wise did not, until Silverman sent him a copy. No public pronouncement was made in the United States concerning the contents of the telegram until November 1942. By that time, a report had already appeared on 5 October 1942 from the Jewish Telegraphic Agency concerning the systematic deportation of Jews from Lodz, who, the agency said, are poisoned by gas. The New York magazine Jewish Frontier carried a report in its issue of November 1942 about the killing of Jews in Chelmno, complete with information about gas vans.
On 25 November, The New York Times published information received from the Polish Government in Exile that mentioned Belzec, Sobibor and Treblinka. In the same edition, the newspaper carried an item providing details of concrete buildings on the former Russian frontier used as gas chambers and of crematoria
[Page 5]
at Oswiecim (Auschwitz), as well as an estimate from Wise that the Jewish dead already numbered 2 million. The next day, The New York Times quoted Dr Ignacy Szwarcbart, a Jewish member of the Polish National Council in London: Jews were being gassed and in Belzec they were being killed by electrical current.
On 2 September, 1942, the text of a speech by Szmul Zygielbojm (a member of the Polish National Council), during a protest meeting against the German crimes in Poland and Czechoslovakia, was released to the Associated Press. In this speech, on the third anniversary of the outbreak of war, Zygielbojm recalled the defensive battles of 1939 and the German crimes in the occupied territories. He stressed the terrible fate of the Jewish people, quoting more than 700,000 of whom had been murdered by May, 1942: some had been shot, some starved, some gassed. Zygielbojm appealed for help now, before Europe becomes a cemetery.[7]
Zygelbojm appealed for immediate help, before Europe became a cemetery. In another speech broadcast by the BBC earlier that year, he had said: It will be a disgrace to go on living, to belong to the human race, unless immediate steps are taken to put a stop to this crime, the greatest that history has known. Zygelbojm spoke again on the BBC in December 1942, saying: If Polish Jewry's call for help goes unheeded, Hitler will have achieved one of his war aims to destroy the Jews of Europe irrespective of the final military outcome of the war.
On 20 September, 1942, the 'Chicago Sunday Herald' discussed the so-called 'Black Book' published by the Polish Ministry of Information in London in January, 1942. The book has some 586 pages, including 185 photographs and documents referring to the German terror in Poland. Six chapters are devoted to the persecution of the Jews and present the relevant photographs.[8]
On 26 October, 1942, the 'Detroit Evening News' also refers to the 'Black Book', and gives details of the chapters relating to the persecution of the Jews - of the burning of synagogues, starving people, confiscation of property, forced labour and the ghettos.[9]
On 29 October, 1942, Text of a speech by General Sikorski[10] addressed to the Polish Jews attending a protest meeting at the Royal Albert Hall, London, which was released to the Associated Press. Sikorski discussed the extermination of Polish Jews in Poland, and those transported there from all parts of Europe. He assured the meeting that the whole civilised world stands firm together against the Germans, who shall answer for their crimes.[11] He further warned the Polish people that they would be punished should they rob, blackmail or denounce the Jews. This speech by Sikorski, or one very similar at about this time, eventually filtered through to the 'RPZ' (Relief Council for Jews - cryptonym 'Zegota') who published 25,000 copies and distributed them all over Poland.[12]
[Page 6]
On 7 December 1942, The Times of London reported that E.Raczynski, the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Polish Government had passed the latest information from Poland to Anthony Eden, the British Foreign Secretary, including proof of the mass murder of Jews. The report continued that the German plan of extermination was continuing. It was intended to clear the Netherlands and Denmark of Jews by June 1943 and Rumania before the end of the same year. On the selfsame day, Eden advised the British Ambassador in Washington that he now had little doubt that a policy of gradual extermination of all Jews, except for highly skilled workers, is being carried out by the German authorities. The Polish Government has recently received reports tending to confirm this view. They regard these reports as reliable and they read convincingly. In a reply in the House of Commons on 17 December to a question put by Silverman, Eden listed the barbarities committed by the Nazis against the Jews and denounced this bestial policy of cold-blooded extermination. Those responsible would not escape retribution. At the conclusion of Eden's speech, the House rose to stand in silence.
[Page 7]
Allied hands still professing loyalty to Hitler after learning of his crimes should be executed. In vain, Karski protested that such a demand was impossible. It was against international law. The final stipulation was unrealistic and weakened the Jewish case. No, said Feiner, say it. We don't know what is realistic or unrealistic. We are dying here. Say it!
Many other matters were discussed at that first meeting, including an appeal by the two leaders for material aid for the hapless Jews. Finally, it was decided that if Karski merely repeated their conversation when he reached London, he would not be believed. Messages had been sent to England before, without result. In order to be credible, Karski must become a witness. He must be able to swear that he had seen the butchery with his own eyes. Karski agreed to be smuggled into the Warsaw Ghetto.
Sometime between 20 25 August 1942, accompanied by Feiner, Karski entered the ghetto via a tunnel at 6 Muranowska Street on the Aryan side. More than thirty years later, he graphically described what he saw that day in Claude Lanzmann's film Shoah: It was not a world. There was not humanity. Streets full, full .Selling. Begging. Crying and hungry It wasn't humanity. It was some some hell Stench, stench, dirt, stench everywhere, suffocating. Dirty streets, nervousness, tension. Bedlam. Over and over again, Feiner would relentlessly point out some new horror to Karski. Remember this! remember this!
Karski returned to the ghetto on another day for further verification of the ghastly conditions, but left after only a short time. Frankly, I couldn't take it any more I was sick. But Feiner was not satisfied. The courier would have to see even more if he was to be an effective witness. Karski agreed to see The Final Solution in practice. Dressed as a Ukrainian guard, he entered the transit camp of Izbica Lubelska, were Jews were held until Belzec was ready to receive them. What he saw there defies description. Shattered by the experience, Karski returned to Warsaw to prepare for the long, tortuous journey to London, where he arrived on 25 November 1942. Until he had reached Paris he had carried with him a microfilm placed into a hollowed key, which was then welded shut. The key and its contents were immediately sent to London, arriving there before Karski himself, and formed the basis of a press release issued by the Polish Government in Exile on 24 November. This press release was the source of the material contained in The New York Times report of 25 November and The Times of London report of 7 December, referred to above.
Karski had hoped to meet Churchill, but had to be satisfied with an interview with Eden in February 1943. The audience was polite but unproductive, except to the extent that Eden provided a report of the meeting to the War Cabinet (which included Churchill) on 17 February 1943. Karski remained in England for several months, meeting a variety of supposedly influential people. But nothing of
[Page 8]
consequence occurred, and throughout that time the killing centres continued with their deadly work. The Polish Government decided to send Karski to the United States, where he arrived on 16 June 1943. It was not until late July of that year, eleven months after he had ventured into the Warsaw Ghetto (which no longer existed) and been smuggled into Izbica, that Karski finally met with the one person who could have significantly influenced Allied policy, United States President Franklin D Roosevelt. Karski pulled no punches in making his report to the President:
There is a difference between the German orchestrated systems of terror against the Poles and the Jews. The Germans want to ruin the Polish state as a state with regard to the Jews, they want to devastate the biological substance of the Jewish nation .If the Germans do not change their method of dealing with the Jewish population, if there is no effort at Allied intervention, whether through reprisals or other action, barring some unforeseen circumstance, within a year and a half of the time I left the Homeland, the Jewish people of Poland will cease to exist.Karski's impassioned plea on behalf of the Jews possibly influenced Roosevelt in his decision to set up the War Refugee Board on 22 January 1944, a move that was to have a beneficial effect, for by the war's end the board had played an important role in saving approximately 200,000 Jews, mainly in Hungary and Rumania. If it had stimulated Roosevelt into action, it was the only tangible consequence of Karski's brave effort to stop the killing. By 1944, of course, the Aktion Reinhard camps had long since been dismantled and most of the victims of the Shoah were dead. Karski's mission had been undermined by a combination of political hypocrisy, uncaring bureaucracy, national self-interest and indifference. The Jews, it appeared, were expendable.
Szwarcbart cabled confirmation of Karski's testimony to the Jewish World Congress in New York on 4th December 1942. Because of wartime censorship regulations, a copy of the telegram, which was passed to the Foreign Office, has survived in the British Public Records Office. Even more extraordinary is the cable sent the preceding day to the Jewish World Congress from Abraham Stupp of the Jewish Agency in Tel Aviv. Since Palestine was then a British Mandate, this telegram was subject to the same wartime censorship regulations and a copy duly made its way to the Foreign Office. The refugees from occupied Europe who had arrived in Palestine on 14 November 1942 had by now been thoroughly de-briefed. The cable contained comprehensive information regarding the Nazi extermination policy, of which the refugees had first hand knowledge. 70,000 Jews had been deported from Lublin. 7,000 had been sent to Majdanek. No trace remained of the remaining 63,000, who had presumably been murdered. In May 1942, only 6,000 Jews remained in Krakow. All other Jewish inhabitants of the city had been deported in an unknown direction and were assumed to have been killed. 10,000 Jews had been deported from Tarnow, with another 7,000 shot at the railway station. Deportations from Warsaw had commenced on 22 June 1942 (actually 22 July) at the rate of 7,000 daily. By October 1942, only 36,000 remained of the city's Jewish population. The deportees had been sent to
[Page 9]
Treblinka, where the Jews (were) taken (to a) so-called bath-house which (was) hermetically closed. (The) chamber air (was) pumped away (so that) the people suffocate. Other reports say (that the) Jews (are) killed by poison gas. The fact was that, whatever the method used, no one left the bath-house alive. Corpses were being continually cremated. Commencing in January 1942, Jews from the Wartheland had been deported to the village of Chelma (Chelmno) and murdered in gas vans. The cable went on to describe other atrocities, and concluded with a demand that the Governments of the civilized world put an end to these crimes. A copy of the cable was being sent to the heads of democratic nations. It was signed by Anselm Reiss as the representative of Polish Jewry.
By now, the Allies had an almost embarrassing amount of detailed information concerning the extermination of the Jews. Much more was to follow in 1943 and 1944, particularly concerning Auschwitz. From there, a comprehensive report was received by the London office of the United States Office of Strategic Services (OSS the forerunner of the CIA). The two-part report had been compiled on 10 and 12 August 1943 and was received in London on 28 January 1944. It contained comprehensive information on the murders committed at Auschwitz. Amongst other details, the report stated that 468,000 non-registered Jews had been gassed at the camp by September 1942. Between September 1942 and the beginning of June 1943, the camp received approximately 60,000 Jews from Greece, 50,000 from Slovakia and the Protectorate, 60,000 from the Netherlands, Belgium and France and 16,000 from Polish towns. At the beginning of August, 15,000 Jews had arrived from Sosnowiec and Bedzin. Of all of these people, about 2 percent were still alive. Of more than 14,000 Gypsies, 90% had been gassed. The report went on to describe the crematoria at Birkenau, and listed the names of the principal perpetrators: Höss, Schwarz, Aumeier, Mandel, Grabner, and Boger, amongst others. History knows no parallel of such destruction of human life, the report said.
There were other reports in the OSS files. On 25 September 1943 the International Red Cross Committee had reported on ghetto clearances in Galicia, including a massacre of the Jewish population of Rawa Ruska in December 1942. There was a statement by an escapee from Treblinka, David Milgrom, dated 30 August 1943 and a report on shootings at Majdanek dated 24 February 1944 (Aktion Erntefest).[13]
On the 11 December, 1942, the 'Times' reports the diplomatic note forwarded by the Polish Government to the governments of the allied countries, which contained information about the extermination of the Jews. It also included the German plans of the total extermination of Jews and of the liquidation of the Warsaw ghetto where 7000 people (Jews) were transported daily to the death camps. The note continues: the Polish people, though themselves suppressed, express horror and sympathy for their Jewish kinsman through its
[Page 10]
secret organisations. Many Poles help them. The Polish Government appeals to the United Nations for common protest and action to stop the Germans.[14]
On 3 February, 1943, Zygielbojm, reports in the 'International Supplement', published by the Labour Press Services, the continuing repression of the Jews in Poland: the isolation of the ghettos, the death penalty for hiding Jews, or for helping them, and about the mass murders during 1942.[15]
On 28 May, 1943, the 'Polish Jewish Observer' reports the funeral of Szmul Zygielbojm, who committed suicide to draw attention of the free world towards the extermination of the Jews in Poland. The report continues with an announcement by S. Kot made on 28 April, 1943, concerning the heroism of the Jews in the battle of the Warsaw ghetto.[16]
On 29 June, 1944, the 'Manchester Guardian' reports on the news passed by the Polish Government which it had received from Poland, that deportations from Hungary had begun. It further reports: that 100,000 Jews had been gassed at a camp in Poland since mid-May, 6 trains daily have been arriving from Hungary, and that the Germans had already begun to transport Jews out of Theresin camp in Czechoslovakia.[17]
In truth, the fate of European Jewry was sealed long before the Einsatzgruppen began their murderous passage across Poland and the Soviet Union, years before the trains began rolling towards Belzec, Sobibor and Treblinka. The Jews had been condemned by a pre-war combination of narrow self-interest, xenophobia and bigotry. If there had ever been any doubt about the likely consequence for the Jews of an Eastward thrust by Germany, the events of Reichskristallnacht in November 1938 should have dispersed all illusions. If nobody could have predicted the Shoah, a sense of common humanity should have compelled the civilized nations of the world to open their doors. Instead of which, on the whole, those doors remained firmly shut.
Perhaps the final reflection on this tragic chapter of modern history should be reserved for Szmul Zygelbojm, who had fought so desperately for some recognition of the plight of Poland's Jews. In despair on receiving news of the liquidation of the last Jews of Warsaw, including his wife, Manya, and his 16 year-old son, Tuvia, Zygelbojm committed suicide in London on 12 May 1943, aged 58. His final letters, addressed to members of the Polish Government in Exile included the following:
Responsibility for the murder of the entire Jewish population lies primarily with the murderers themselves, but indirectly humanity as a whole is responsible all of the Allied nations and their Governments, who to date have done nothing to stop the crime
.I cannot keep quiet, I cannot live while the remnants of the Jewish people in Poland, who sent me here, are being destroyed. My comrades in the Warsaw Ghetto have died a hero's death in the final battle, with a weapon in their hands. I did not have the honour to fall like them. But I belong to them and to their grave their
[Page 11]
mass grave. May my death be a resounding cry of protest against the indifference with which the world looks at the destruction of the Jewish world, looks on and does nothing to stop it.
By the time the 'Relief for Jews' in Poland got organised, it was practically too late. Information given to the 'Rzeczpospolita Polska' No. 18, dated 14 October, 1942, gives us some idea of their operations to relieve the plight of the Jews... Springing up in Poland in late 1942 was the Commission for Social Assistance to the Jewish population. This organisation surfaced out the altruistic belief of small groups of dedicated humanists within Catholic and democratic cadres in Poland. This Commission later became the Council Relief for Jews, known as 'Zegota'.[18]
On 9 November, 1942, in an attempt to hold together and to co-ordinate their policies, the Jewish National Committee (ZKN) which composed of all the principle Jewish political parties (except the BUND) accepted the authority of the Polish Underground Organisation who had asked to be recognised as the representative organisation of all Jews in Poland.[19]
In December, 1943, the Commission reported on their progress between 27 September, and 4 December, 1942. During this period 'Zegota' had provided shelter, food, clothing and jobs. They had also assisted those Jews in hiding to obtain documents legalising their situation in the uncertain situation. With the best will in the world, 'Zegota' could only work within the funds and material available. There were many difficulties, none less than their relationship with the Jewish political parties from the outside. In a radio transmission from Poland to London on 8 January, 1943, 'Zegota' reported a transformation in the aid to the Jews, but there was an urgent need for further funding and support.[20]
On the 13 January, 1943, in a radio message to the World Jewish Congress, the Jewish National Committee reiterated that the Jews in Poland were facing total extermination and set out a list of demands for Congress to execute.[21]
In a further radio message on 13 January, 1943, from the Jewish organisation to Szmul Zygielbojm, details three days of fighting in the Warsaw ghetto and about the liquidation of the ghettos in Poland. It appeals for the world to be alerted and the Pope is informed of the catastrophe. A more desperate tone is used when suggesting that German prisoners held by the allies should be held as hostages. The Commission lamented that: 'only 200,000 Jews remain in Poland who are under immediate threat of extermination and it shall be you who shall be responsible'.[22]
On 22 July, 1943, a further radio message from 'Zegota' again outlined the position in Poland that there were very few Jews left, and suggested that the Polish Government urgently ask all democratic governments to organise the exchange of Jews for German Nationals residing on Allied territories. This, 'Zegota' emphasised, was the only way to save the few surviving Jews.[23]
[Page 12]
On 10 August, 1943, a radio message from the Jewish National Committee (ZKN) to dr. I. Schwarzbart[24] delivered via 'Orkan'.[25] The Committee confirmed receiving $20,000 for the Zionists and that this money had been used to save, help and to organise fighting units which are fighting in Poland. The message also confirmed that 800,000[26] Jews were still alive and that there was close co-operation with other Polish organisations.[27]
In August, 1943, the RPZ (Relief Council for Jews) published a further 25,000 copies of their newsletter which were distributed all over Poland. The content outlined the German racial theories and crimes committed in their name.[28] The information stressed the need to continue helping the Jews as requested by General Sikorski shortly before his death.[29] It asked for help and compassion be shown to those Jews trying to hide from inescapable death. It warns Polish criminals, who blackmail, denounce and rob both Jews and those willing to hide them, that they are committing horrible crimes and will be called to account soon.[30]
In September, 1943, in a further leaflet published by the RPZ and distributed all over Poland, brought to the attention of its readers, that the Germans were telling the world that Poles are killing Jews. The KWP (Underground Resistance Directorate) and Special Tribunals condemn to death traitors who blackmail and denounce Jews. Jews should continue to receive assistance, as General Sikorski said in his speech in May, 1942.[31]
On 23 October, 1943, RPZ submitted a comprehensive report to London covering their activities for the period December, 1942, and October, 1943. The report includes their activities in the provinces, their contacts, and assistance given.[32]
On 15 November, 1943, Leon Feiner[33] sent a comprehensive report to dr.E. Szerer, a member of the Polish National Council, from Poland. The report covered the period 1942-3. Feiner refers (in para V) to the military struggle of the Home Army (AK), and draws attention to their improvement of attitude and co-operation. In para V11 he refers to the work of RPZ (Relief Council for Jews) and the progress made in the legalisation of their status. He makes the point that this service is given 'free'. Also reference is made to AK relationships with other organisations (WRN and SD). Finally, an account of moneys: income via the Delegatura in the year 1943; $23,000 and 1,850,000 Polish zloty.[34]
On 29 December, 1943, a radio message to London from the Government Delegate gives a list of members of the RPZ in Poland. It also gives details of other organisations: WRN, SL, PS, and ZKN.[35] The information also included an account of financial information: in 1943 $23,000 came from England and from the Delegatura: 6,250,000 Polish zloty. On 16 May, 1944, in a further
[Page 13]
report, a receipt was enclosed signed by 'Leonka' for monthly assistance to the RPZ to a cell known as 'Felicja'.[36]
On 24 February, 1944, 'Orkan' (Wladyslaw Banaczyk) radios from Poland to London for an instant payment of 3 million Polish zloty from the government funds as an additional sum for the RPZ (Relief Council for Jews) for the purpose of helping the Jewish organisations with arms.[37]
On 24 May, 1944, a radio message for the ZKN (Jewish National Committee) to dr. Ignacy. Schwarzbart in London. It discusses the general situation of the Jews and organisational details. Reference is made to celebrations of the anniversary of the Warsaw ghetto uprising by Polish organisations and Jews hiding in Warsaw. It draws notice to nearly 10,000 Jews are bring helped by the RPZ, ZKN and the 'BUND'. The message concludes, stressing close and harmonious relations.[38]
Radio communications from ZKN, Poland to London on 28 July, 1944, and requests further funding to 'fight' for an independent Poland.[39] On the 16 August, 1944, ZOB[40] makes an appeal to the Jews, published in the 'Biuletyn Informacyjny' No. 53, calling on all those able to fight to join the Warsaw Uprising.[41]
On 17 August, 1944, in a radio message to the World Congress, Szymon Gottesman,[42] reports the rescue of several hundred Hungarian, Czech, French and Greek Jews from the camp at Gesia Street, Warsaw by the Home Army (AK).[43]
On 2 December, 1944, in another radio message to London from Leon Feiner to confirm receipt of $129,000 over the year. However, he states that $60,000 was paid by mistake to the Jewish National Committee (ZKN). The report concludes the facts concerning the liquidation of Jewish camps, the death of eminent persons, and the rescue of a group of ZOB members.[44]
On 18 March, 1943, a communiqué by the KWC published in Information Buletyn No. 11, reports that the Poles regard the murder of Jews with
[Page 14]
horror and compassion. They have provided the Jews with so much assistance, that the Germans have made it a crime punishable by death to shelter a Jew. However, some criminal elements have been blackmailing both Jews and Poles concealing Jews. The KWC issues a warning that a list of these people is being kept and they will be severely punished as soon as possible.[46]
On 9 December, 1943, a notice by the KWP (Underground Resistance Directorate) published in the Biuletyn Informacyjny, No. 49, reports that Special Civil Tribunals in the Warsaw and Krakow region have condemned: Antoni Pajor and Tadeusz Stefan Karez to death and the loss of civil rights and honour for co-operating with the German police and denouncing Polish citizens of Jewish nationality, and A. Pajor for spying on the dependence activists and denouncing Poles for sheltering Jews.
In 1943, the Special Civil Tribunal started hearings in cases of blackmail, of denouncing to the Germans either Jews living in hiding or Poles concealing Jews. These crimes were punishable by death by shooting, and the loss of civil rights and honour. The KWP gave information about such verdicts through the Information Biuletyn. The Polish Government in Exile were kept informed by radio. These sentences began to appear on a regular basis:[47]
|No. 35
|Jan Grabiec
|No. 37
|Boguslaw Jan Pilnik
|No. 10
|Janusz Krystek
|No. 13
|Jan Lakinski & Boleslaw Szostak
|No. 27
|Antoni Pietrzak
|No. 18
|Waelaw Noworol
One German collaborator not mentioned in the 'Infomation Biuletyn' but later came to notice was, Ignacy Kulik, a nightwatchman working in the slaughterhouse in the town of Zwierszyniec. On 21 October 1942, the German security force swept into the town and rounded up all the Jews. Accompanying the SS was Kulik who pointed out the Jewish residences. All the Jews were taken to the rail station at Szczebrzeszyn where they joined other Jews for the short journey to Belzec). On 29 December 1942, Kulik and his wife were put on trial by the AK,
[Page 15]
found guilty and sentenced to death. They were both shot dead in their home under their Christmas tree.[48]
There are a number of recorded incidents where the Jews rebelled, albeit in the majority of events were mainly ineffectual. In the ghettos, concentration camps and death camps there are recorded incidents of mass rebellion with successes and failures. The most notable of course, were in the Warsaw ghetto, Sobibor, Treblinka and Auschwitz.[49] Further east in the regions of Lithuania and Byelorussia there were armed rebellions but very little detail had emerged. We know from sources that in the Vilna region, there were over 15,000 partisans active, many of which were Jews. Jewish armed resistance in the east was more widespread than at first thought
For the Jews, history had taught them in the art of evasion. In the Reich, 400,000 out of 700,000 managed to evade German retribution by leaving. For those that remained, their only defence was the well worn path of traditional Jewish resistance in acquiescing to the German demands.
There are many examples of Jewish resistance by subterfuge, and perhaps the finest example can be found in the legacy of Jewish moral resistance left behind by Emanuel Ringelblum and his 'Oneg Shabat' group. 'Oneg Shabat' recorded the moral fight in the Warsaw ghetto and elsewhere, in their carefully assembled reports, diaries and initiated research projects into medical matters, particularly how hunger effected the Human body. These papers remain an important additional source to our knowledge regarding Jewish life in Poland during the Holocaust.
Education for Jews was forbidden by German law. In a normal environment this would have been restrictive enough, but consider how this was to manifest its self in the ghettos of Poland. With the help of outside agencies, like the 'Joint' and TOZ,[50] the ghettoised Jews were able to uphold their long
[Page 16]
tradition of educating their young in religious and academic excellence to the standard of a recognized curriculum and the setting of examinations. Ringelblum records that there were over 600 minyanim groups praying when this was forbidden and fifty titles of illegal newspapers circulating Warsaw.
'Oneg Shabat' did not know about the speech in Poznan by Himmler in 1943, when he said that ' nothing would ever be known about the 'Final Solution'
He was wrong of course, and we only have to refer to the Ringelblum' legacy of which two thirds survived for historical analysis. There are many such sources which have also enlightened us, non more so that our survey of the Belzec Extermination Camp of 1997/8/9.
The KZs and the death camps presented a far more poignant defiance: In Auschwitz, Yossel Rosensaft records that in December, 1944, he and a group of inmates celebrated Hanukka by obtaining some rough wood and with spoons, carved out eight holes, placed pieces of carton in the holes. They then lit these and sang the Hanukka song. None of the group was religious, but the situation that faced them brought them together in this act of reconciliation and hope - Their Jewishness was secured in their conscience. [51] In Kosow, Galicia, on the eve of Passover 1942, in the face of immediate resettlement or execution four members of the Judenrat defied the call to flee and sat down to await their fate. While they waited one of them had second thoughts. He was told to go and hide. The other three of Kosow prepared to meet their end on Passover 1942. Was their act less than firing a gun?[52]
[Page 17]
[Page 18]
My mission commenced in the mid 1970s. I was honoring a pledge I had given some time earlier to an elderly Jew I had dealt with at the Central Criminal Court, London. He pleaded guilty to committing serious fraud offences and was sentenced to five years' imprisonment. Despite his criminal record, he was, by all accounts, a decent man who told me his story about his parents and relatives who had all perished in the Holocaust. Now he was on his own, without family, relatives, or friends, and now sought help from an unlikely quarter.
During the course of many interviews and pre trial enquiries he pleaded with me to find the Nazi criminals responsible for the demise of his family, and to expose the tragedy of Galician Jewry, particularly the Jewish residents in the Galician town of Kolomyja. It transpired that just before the German onslaught in June 1941 into east Galicia, he fled east to Kiev. After the war he returned to Kolomyja where he discovered his loss: 37 near and dear relatives had all perished, believed murdered in local forests, the Janowska camp, and the extermination camp of Belzec.
This was a tall order as, at the time, I had no real interest and had other priorities. I had no reason to respond as the names, 'Belzec', 'Galicia', 'Kolomyja' had not entered my vocabulary. However, the more I thought about it, the more I dabbled in Holocaust literature and the more I researched the more I sensed the injustice of post-war retribution for the men who had committed what appeared to me as the world's greatest crime.
Having spent many years as a major crimes investigator in the UK I was in a unique position help him: a russian speaker, trained in witness interrogation techniques and forensic discipline. This was to be an unofficial mission brought about by my dealings with a very competant fraudster who just happened to be Jewish.
Sadly, after two years of serving his sentence he died suddenly from natural causes. As it turned out, I took up the challenge and after 30 years of Holocaust research I have to admit defeat, as I never traced any record of his named family or any record of their final demise. But what followed was is, perhaps, second best: a reappraisal of historical facts focusing on Belzec as a vehicle plotting the modus operandi of the total destruction of European Jewry, particularly in east and west Galicia.
[Page 19]
I have done my best: the prosecutor had become his friend and had honored his pledge, but too late for him to know.
Poland and Her Jews is just one of several research 'papers' by the author donated to JewishGen. Others can be seen on the JewishGen website:
Belzec: The Destruction of the Jews in the District of GaliciaRobin O'Neil
Belzec: Prototype for the Final Solution
Kovno Ghetto Diary
Extermination of the Jews of Galicia
Rabka Police School
Editorial comment: For additional information on Shmuel Zygielbojm, see two chapters in the Chelm yizkor book:
Shmuel Mordekhai (Arthur) Zigelboim
Al Kiddush HaShem
JewishGen, Inc. makes no representations regarding the accuracy of
the translation. The reader may wish to refer to the original material
for verification.
JewishGen is not responsible for inaccuracies or omissions in the original work and cannot rewrite or edit the text to correct inaccuracies and/or omissions.
Our mission is to produce a translation of the original work and we cannot verify the accuracy of statements or alter facts cited.
Poland and her Jews 1941 - 1945 Yizkor Book Project JewishGen Home Page
Copyright © 1999-2023 by JewishGen, Inc.
Updated 22 Mar 2006 by LA


text:
2x hankook 100ah battery - dc31mf. Total height (mm) - 242. Double terminal (standard stud and screw thread). Caravan, boats, leisure use and much more.It is a heavy-duty household battery and its purpose is to run applications with these deep cycle capabilities. Dc31mf - our range of slow-discharge batteries / marine, is equipped with lead / calcium technology which means that the internal plates have been specially reinforced, which gives exceptional starting capacities and a longevity longer than the conventional batteries. This battery is delivered fully charged and ready to use. This battery is a slow discharge, which means that compared to car batteries, they can support a larger discharge without affecting their performance. Another thing to note for. These batteries, and that's very important, is that when you charge and discharge the battery it has 550 life cycles. Built-in carrying handle - easy battery replacement. Integrated computer system and reinforced container - protection against vibrations and shocks. Special lids - prevents acid leakage and minimizes gassing.
No maintenance - no need for addition. Adapted container design and solid polypropylene. Thank you for taking into consideration the fact that we do not deliver Corsican.Delivery is made from Monday to Friday between 9h and 18h. Delivery is made in 1-3 business days if the order is placed before 15:00 in all mainland France. We do not deliver on weekends, our delays correspond to the delays of the carrier so we are not responsible for any delays.
We deliver belgium, netherlands, luxembourg and germany at no additional cost, minimum delivery time 48h. We do not deliver Corsican, Monaco and the littoral islands. At the time of delivery, please check the condition of the battery. In the unlikely event that the battery has suffered damage during transport that is irreversible, visible and obvious even on the package please refuse the package or make clear reservations about the condition of the goods. The setting up of this procedure is necessary to proceed to an exchange.The item "2x hankook 100ah battery slow discharge 4 years of marine warranty" is on sale since Friday, April 29, 2016. It is in the category "vehicles \ parts, accessories \ tools, troubleshooting, garage \ testers, chargers batteries \ chargers , starters ". The seller is "batteriemegastore2009" and is located at 14790. This item can be shipped to the following countries: france, uk, netherlands, belgium.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Nasdaq chief executive Robert Greifeld is getting a smaller bonus this year, a reduction the company says is directly linked to the bungled Facebook IPO.
The CEO's bonus for 2012 will be $1.35 million, a 62% drop from the previous year. The Facebook (FB) episode in particular cost Grefield $542,100.
Greifeld is paid a base salary of $1 million. His total compensation, including stock, totaled $8.9 million last year, an 18% increase over 2011.
Anna Ewing, an executive vice president at Nasdaq, had her bonus docked by $263,625.
"The [compensation] committee and board explicitly considered the Facebook IPO in connection with their review and determination of these reduced payouts," Nasdaq said in a regulatory filing.
Facebook's 2012 offering was hampered by delays and technical problems, leaving traders under a cloud of confusion about what orders had actually closed and at what price.
In July, Nasdaq (NDAQ) said it plans to spend $62 million to compensate trading firms for losses incurred during the botched debut.
Related story: The second coming of Facebook
But the increased size of the fund still falls far below what major trading firms claimed to have lost thanks to Nasdaq's missteps.
Nasdaq's stock regained all the ground it lost in the wake of Facebook's botched debut.
Facebook hasn't been as lucky. Despite a recent rally, Facebook's shares are still down 26% from its IPO price.


text:
Location: Paris, France
Meeting URL: https://sites.google.com/site/lccmodels/home
Meeting Description:
We are pleased to invite you to the Workshop on Language, Cognition and Computational Models, which will be held in Paris at the Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS) and at the Institut des Systèmes Complexes de Paris, on May 28 and 29, 2013.
The goal of this event is to provide a venue for the multidisciplinary discussion of theoretical and practical research for computational models of language and cognition. The event centers around recent advances on computational models for language acquisition, processing and evolution.
The first day will mainly address language evolution and some of the computational models that have been proposed to investigate possible avenues for this phenomenon. The second day will address more varied issues, ranging from the origins of language to recent trends in machine translation. All the talks will address key questions dealing with cognitive, formal and/or computational issues related to language evolution and/or language processing.
The event is open to students, researchers and anyone interested in related topics. Attendance is free but people who plan to attend are kindly requested to register preferably before May 10th to help with the planning of the event. The registration form is available at:
The workshop is funded by the cluster of labs (labex) Transfers. It is organized thanks to the support of Lattice, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Paris Sciences et Lettres, the Institut des Systèmes Complexes de Paris-Ile de France, the Institute of Informatics of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil).
Thierry Poibeau, Laboratoire Lattice ('Langues, Textes, Traitements informatiques et Cognition', UMR8094, CNRS, École Normale Supérieure & Université Paris 3 Sorbonne Nouvelle, France)
Aline Villavicencio, Institute of Informatics, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil)
Ecole Normale Supérieure (ENS): Salle Dussane, 45 rue d'Ulm 75005 Paris
Institut des Systèmes Complexes de Paris-Ile de France (ISC-PIF): 57-59 rue Lhomond F-75005, Paris
Contact Information:
For any inquiries regarding the workshop please send an email to:
More information on:
Tuesday May 28
09:00 - 09:15
Opening - ENS - salle Dussane
09:15 - 12:45
Multidisciplinary Aspects of Language Evolution
09:15 - 10:15
Dan Dediu (Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, The Netherlands)
The Interplay between Linguistic and Biological Evolution
10:15 - 11:15
Ted Briscoe (University of Cambridge, UK)
A Model of L1/L2 Language Acquisition and Its Implications for Language Change
11:15 - 11:45 - Break
11:45 - 12:45
Anne Reboul (L2C2-CNRS, France)
Social Evolution of Public Languages: Between Rousseau's Eden and Hobbes' Leviathan
12:45 - 14:30
Lunch Break
14:30 - 17:00
Modeling Language Evolution: Two case studies - ISC-PIF
14:30 - 15:30
Benjamin Fagard (Lattice-CNRS, France)
Case, Prepositions and In-Betweens: Sketching a model of grammatical evolution
15:30 - 16:30
Remi van Trijp (Sony Computer Science Laboratory Paris, France)
Linguistic Assessment Criteria for Explaining Language Change: A case study on syncretism in German definite articles
16:30 - 17:00
Wednesday May 29
09:00 - 11:00
Cognitive and Computational Approaches to Language Processing - ENS - salle Dussane
09:00 - 10:00
Robert Berwick (MIT, USA)
The Dead Tell No Tales: Known unknowns about the origin of human language
10:00 - 11:00
Massimo Poesio (University of Trento, Italy and University of Essex, UK)
Using Data about Conceptual Representations in the Brain for Computational Linguistics
11:00 - 11:30
11:30 - 12:30
Philippe Blache (LPL, CNRS, France)
Measuring Difficulty as well as Facilitation: A new perspective for human language processing
12:30 - 14:30
Lunch Break
14:30 - 15:30
From Language Variety to Machine Tanslation - ENS - salle Dussane
14:30 - 15:30
Shuly Wintner (University of Haifa, Israel)
The Features of Translationese
15:30 - 16:30
Martin Kay (Stanford University, USA)
Putting Linguistics back into Computational Linguistics
16:30 - 17:00
Discussions and Closing


text:
Bead set strand1 - set #4
9.5-10mm x 8-9mm; ~0.50-60mm hole size
These genuine, natural - very expensive - RARE Australian Gaspeite beads from Mother Earth have normal brown/beige inclusions and is just a unique shade of green & browns.- great quality (not dyed). Now you can buy just a few of these very expensive beads (a strand starts at over $500) -randomly selected from the photo showing more than one set of these size/number of beads as stated in the title. These are all hand cut with varying widths & pretty smooth as well.
Gaspeite is extremely popular in a lot of Southwest designs & we often mix this stone with other expensive beads like Turquoise, pink Rhodonite, Arizona Wild Horse Magnesite, Spiny Oyster, Lavenderite, Lapis to name a few. These are all hand-cut & pretty smooth as well.
Please pay attention to the size of beads in all my listings as photos are enlarged to show the beads better even though the expectation of bead sizes are also listed for your reference. If you are unsure of measurements, there are plenty of free online measurement converters. Picture is ENLARGED to show detail.


text:
Women's empowerment is critical to environmental sustainability, isn't it? When Friends of the Earth asked this question on Facebook half of respondents said yes and half said no, with women as likely to say no as men.
This collection of articles and interviews, from some of the leading lights of the environmental and feminist movements, demonstrates that achieving gender equality is vital if we are to protect the environment upon which we all depend. It is a rallying call to environmental campaigning groups and other environmentalists who have, on the whole, neglected women's empowerment in their work. We hope that the book will encourage the environmental movement and women's movement to join in fighting the twin evils of women's oppression and environmental degradation, because social justice and environmental sustainability are two sides of the same coin.


text:
Minnesota Teen Supports His Friend in Confirmation Controversy
Last weekend, we reported the story of a Minnesota teenager, Lennon Cihak, who is being denied confirmation because he took a stand in support of marriage equality during that state's recent ballot initiative.
An interesting development has occurred in this story: one of Cihak's confirmation class peers has refused to receive confirmation as a gesture of solidarity for his friend. What makes this development even more interesting is that the second teen, Ryne Kisch, does not share Cihak's support of marriage equality.
D-L Online.com reports:
"Jay Kisch said his 16-year-old son, Ryne, did not agree with 17-year-old Lennon Cihak's support of same-sex marriage, instead withdrawing from the confirmation process at Assumption Church here 'out of compassion and concern' for Cihak.
" 'They don't necessarily share the same viewpoint on gay marriage, but yet they're good friends and very supportive of each other,' Jay Kisch said."
Yet, the priest who denied confirmation to Cihak, Fr. Gary LaMoine, made a public statement that Kisch agreed with Cihak on marriage equality, which Kisch and his family have denied:
"In a letter to the parish made public last Friday, LaMoine said both Cihak and another 'candidate,' meaning Ryne Kisch, withdrew from the confirmation process 'because of their disagreement with the teaching of the Church concerning marriage.'
" 'My son feels like he's been maligned,' he said. 'No one even asked him why he didn't want to go through the confirmation process. I think it was just assumed that he believed in gay marriage.'
"Although Ryne, who has been a friend of Cihak's since kindergarten, says he does not support same-sex marriage, he still wanted to stand with his friend.
" 'We disagree on the views but we can still be friends,' Ryne said. 'I decided to stick up for him.' "
LaMoine–and indeed the entire church– can learn a lesson from Ryne: you don't have to agree to be able to stand in solidarity and communion with your friend. Love can transcend all differences.
–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry


text:
New 'Christian Swingers' Dating Site Offers Faithful Couples Chance to 'Hookup'
A new dating website called CHRISTIANSwingers is sending ripples throughout the Christian community for offering "faithful couples" the opportunity to "hookup" with each other. One mental health professional warns the practice will lead to nothing but "pain."
The oxymoronic website brazenly declares that it was "designed to cater to the needs of those like you: devout Christian couples who still want to have an active love life and share it with another, in good faith!"
Before it details its mission, however, the website attempts to make a connection with visitors by justifying the lifestyle.
"For Christian Swingers things are not easy – often other religious people judge you, out of ignorance or envy, telling you that your lifestyle and love practices are wrong," begins the opening paragraph of the pitch.
"But the Bible teaches us 'Judge not lest ye be judged' and there's that verse about the first stone… but if you're keen on keeping your privacy, well – yours, and don't want your friends, coworkers, other PTA members or just about anyone else to know that you don't have a problem with faith and enjoying free love with other couples, this site can help you!" it boasts.
"Skip the swingers' club and meetings where you can be seen and avoid bad reputation – your personal life is something shared between you and our partner; other couples willing to join you are probably having the same problems. Visiting this site might change your life for the better," it adds.
But Louise Nielsen, a licensed Christian counselor and mental health professional of At The Crossroads Inc., dismissed the proposal as not only indecent but unbiblical and dangerous.
"Having been to seminary as well as being trained as a licensed mental health counselor, and as a Christian, it is unbiblical, it is sinful," Nielsen told The Christian Post on Thursday.
"God doesn't stop loving anyone, but it is not a behavior that is in anyway appropriate for Christians or for anyone else. It's just not. I feel sad for the people who are involved in it. I have never seen it result in anything but pain in a marriage," she noted. "It is not something that can be endorsed in a Christian context at all."
On a Facebook page promoting the concept of Christian swingers, some Christians are also airing their disapproval of the practice.
"Whoa to you sons and daughters of Satan.....many will stand before the Lord and say Lord Lord, did we not do this and that in your name.........thou shalt burn in the fires of eternity....No adulterer and no Liar will enter the Kingdom of God," wrote Peter Clarke on the page.


text:
Apartments Pelješac - TrpanjPSH Croatia offers you a list of objects in place Pelješac - Trpanj. Apartments in Trpanj (on the peninsula Pelješac). Private accommodation in Croatia you can find using search box (search accommodation) or directly navigating through the region or place. For questions about the availability of accommodation in Trpanj, you can use the contact form which you access by clicking on the link 'Contact owner' on each ad. You negotiate all conditions for booking in agreement with the owner of object, no agency fees.
Follow us on Facebook for all news and read our articles About Croatia and tourism.
Your PSH - Your easiest way to find apartments in Trpanj!


text:
~/.ssh/authorized_keys[2] contains the list of public keys.
Unfortunately, each public key does not specify the key strength ( number of bits ).
Is there a utility that can process this file line by line and output the key strength?
I checked man pages for
ssh-keygen, but it looks like it would only work with private keys.
Also, is there a tool that would output sha1 hash the same way as it is displayed in
pageant Putty tool?
The format I am looking for:
Key Algorithm Strength Hash Comment
ssh-rsa 2048 00:11:22:33:44:55:66:77:88:99:aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff user1@host1
ssh-rsa 2048 11:22:33:44:55:66:77:88:99:aa:bb:cc:dd:ee:ff:11 user2@host2


text:
Friday, October 28, 2011
50 Women Game Changers in Food - #21 Ree Drummond - Creamed Spinach
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Tinker? Tailor? Soldier? Sailor? Nope. At least not yet. Ree Drummond is, however, a writer, photographer, ranch wife and mother of four whose blog, The Pioneer Woman, is phenomenally successful and has been named Weblog of the Year for three years running. She is also an author and her cookbook, The Pioneer Women Cooks, is currently the New York Times best-selling cookbook. Her 2011 memoir, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels — A Love Story, and her children's picture book, Charlie the Ranch Dog, have also made it to the Times best seller list. This past summer she also began her own series on the Food Network. That's not bad for a woman who calls herself an "accidental country girl." At the rate she's going, she'll be able to buy that country. Her personality is such that you begrudge her none of that success and, in fact, cheer her on. She holds position 21 on the Gourmet Live list of Women Game Changers in food and she's earned it. Her focus is on family recipes and the type of food that is actually served in American kitchens. I have only recently begun to follow her blog and career and found myself wondering which of her many recipes I should use to represent her work. I usually solve that kind of dilemma by asking one of two questions. Which is her most popular recipe, or, which recipe is a personal favorite? I was able to find an answer to that last question while doing some research for this post. I came across an interview, here, where she discusses choices for her last supper and there it was. I had found my recipe. It was creamed spinach! Here's the recipe for those of you who have not yet tried it .
Creamed Spinach...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Ree Drummond
1 stick butter
8 tablespoons flour
1/2 of a medium medium onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 cups milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 pinch ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons butter
24 ounces baby spinach
1) To make sauce: Melt 1 stick of butter in a pot. Sprinkle in flour and whisk together. Cook over medium heat for five minutes or until light golden brown. Throw in onion and garlic and stir together, cooking for another minute. Pour in milk, whisking constantly, and cook for another five minutes while you cook the spinach.
2) To cook spinach: Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a separate pot. Add spinach in increments until all incorporated, and cook until wilted but not soggy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
3) To finish: Season cream sauce with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Add spinach to the cream sauce, stirring gently to combine. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.
The following bloggers are also featuring the recipes of Ree Drummond today. I hope you'll visit all of them. They are great cooks who have wonderful blogs.
Val - More Than Burnt Toast, Joanne - Eats Well With Others
Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed, Susan - The Spice Garden
Claudia - A Seasonal Cook in Turkey, Heather - girlichef
Miranda - Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette - Healthy Living
April - Abby Sweets, Katie - Making Michael Pollan Proud
Mary - One Perfect Bite, Kathleen -Bake Away with Me
Viola - The Life is Good Kitchen, Sue - The View from Great Island
Barbara - Movable Feasts, Kathleen - Gonna Want Seconds
Amy - Beloved Green,Jeanette - Healthy Living
Linda - Ciao Chow Linda, Linda A - There and Back Again
Martha - Lines from Linderhof, Nancy - Picadillo
Mireya - My Healthy Eating Habits, Veronica - My Catholic Kitchen
Next week we will highlight the career and recipes of Amanda Hesser. It will be really interesting to see what everyone comes up with. If you'd like to join us please email me for additional information no later than Monday, October 31st.
34 comments :
- Carol at Serendipity said...
I love creamed spinach and I am sure the nutmeg adds a wonderful flavor. I will be trying this recipe soon.
- October 28, 2011 at 5:54 AM
- Debbie said...
I have Ree's cookbook and her recipes are delicious and easy too! I met her at a book signing last year and she is a sweet lady.
- October 28, 2011 at 6:43 AM
- Rachana said...
I love spinach too and this creamed spinach looks so delicious. Thanks for sharing.
- October 28, 2011 at 6:43 AM
- dr.antony said...
there is something similar in indian recipes..called palak paneer.
- October 28, 2011 at 6:44 AM
- Red Nomad OZ said...
HHHMMMmmm... spinach, huh? I've clearly got an underdeveloped palate as I've never liked it - although I give it a go from time to time. It'll be interesting to see if this is my 'breakthrough' spinach recipe!!!
- October 28, 2011 at 7:17 AM
- What's next said...
that's one of her's I haven't tried. I have several of hers in my usual rotation... Her Dr Pepper pulled pork is one of my favorites...
- October 28, 2011 at 7:24 AM
- Sue/the view from great island said...
This has got to be the perfect cool weather side dish. I can see why it was her favorite, nutmeg and spinach are magical together.
- October 28, 2011 at 7:36 AM
- Kim said...
I adore creamed spinach and especially love it with eggs, either in an omelet or served under a fried egg. This version looks rich, flavorful and delicious.
- October 28, 2011 at 8:10 AM
- Rita said...
We eat spinach at least ywice a week; always on the lookout for a new way of serving it. This looks so good Mary; a must try.
- October 28, 2011 at 8:12 AM
- Big Dude said...
It's nice to see that she is being rewarded for her talent and hard work.
- October 28, 2011 at 8:14 AM
- StephenC said...
I can attest to the fact that anyone who thinks he/she doesn't like spinach will have an epiphany with this recipe.
- October 28, 2011 at 8:30 AM
- Heather S-G said...
Well, it definitely looks good. When I think about it, I don't know if I've ever really eaten creamed spinach. Seems like I must have, but it must not have been memorable. Perhaps I'll give this recipe a go. Delicious pick, Mary :D
- October 28, 2011 at 8:33 AM
- Barbara said...
Creamed spinach is an old fashioned favorite...nearly everyone loves it. A great family dish, it was one of the few veggies my kids adored. Ree's recipe is a good one, too!
- October 28, 2011 at 8:40 AM
- Unknown said...
I have still not found my love for creamed spinach yet.. bad experience with it when I was a kid...but.. I do adore Ree :) She definitely is a game changer.
- October 28, 2011 at 8:47 AM
- Susan Lindquist said...
I adore creamed spinach! Spinach is my favorite dark leafy green ... the nutmeg is the secret ingredient that takes it to a new level! Great post, Mary!
- October 28, 2011 at 9:11 AM
- Sanjeeta kk said...
What a lovely creation of spinach, Mary! Totally new and healthy dish.
- October 28, 2011 at 10:45 AM
- Joanne said...
That creamed spinach looks truly delicious. Leave it to Ree to produce some great comfort food!
- October 28, 2011 at 11:57 AM
- nanny said...
I've been a fan of PW for several years. Not many weeks go by that I don't make at least one of her recipes. Last night it was chicken spaghetti and the night before cowboy nachos made from leftover brisket (very good)
- October 28, 2011 at 1:47 PM
- Kathy said...
The creamed spinach looks so yummy! Enjoyed your tribute to Ree.
- October 28, 2011 at 2:02 PM
- Angie's Recipes said...
I have never made creamed spinach....it looks really tasty!
- October 28, 2011 at 2:08 PM
- Mireya @MyHealthyEatingHabits said...
Thanks for the link to the interview. It was an interesting read. A stick of butter, wow! I love creamed spinach, but a stick of Butter?
- October 28, 2011 at 2:16 PM
- Mary Bergfeld said...
Some thoughts for folks who are new to the blog. The recipes I select for these challenges are posted just as they were written by the game-changer of the week. For reasons I don't fully understand, the committee overlooked me when they put the list together :-). So, if you'll feel the recipe is too fat or calorie laden, please remember that I'm merely a reporter and was not involved in the creation of the dish. Have a great weekend. Blessings...Mary
- October 28, 2011 at 2:51 PM
- Priya Suresh said...
Wat a healthy and super tempting dish,love it..
- October 28, 2011 at 3:02 PM
- Glennis said...
Simple and delicious! It's a comfort food for me!
- October 28, 2011 at 3:18 PM
- Ginny Hartzler said...
I have a couple recipes for creamed spinach, and you can thin it out so they become spinach soup. But they all use frozen spinach, guess that's the lazy way!!! I know this would be better, and probably easier now that I think of it. It's no fun squeezing all of that water out of the frozen!!
- October 28, 2011 at 3:36 PM
- Jeanette said...
As I looked through Pioneer Woman's recipe file, I found lots of recipes with butter and cream, so this Creamed Spinach is so representative of what Ree would eat for her last supper! Thanks so much again for hosting this weekly event.
- October 28, 2011 at 5:34 PM
- Bubbe Bites said...
Gosh Mary you picked a great recipe. I was thinking about making this for Thanksgiving. Thanks for sharing with us.
- October 28, 2011 at 7:41 PM
- Claudia said...
I have only once cooked from Ree's blog - and it was a delightful truly "American" experience. I need to look at her again - she is indeed multi-faceted and probably doesn't give herself enough credit. The creamed spinach took me back to my youth - I haven't had it in decades and don't believe I ever introduced my children to it - and now I feel like the "bad mom."
- October 28, 2011 at 8:35 PM
- Miranda | Mangoes and Chutney said...
Maybe I'll try this version to hit the Thanksgiving table this year. Great recipe to share!
- October 28, 2011 at 9:58 PM
- France@beyondthepeel said...
I've been meaning to get on the creamed spinach band wagon, since I've NEVER made it. My sister swears that it is sooo amazing yet I have yet to try it. I love that this recipe is so simple. I was surprised that it took flour (I'm not gluten intolerant or anything, it just surprised me). The photos you took make it look especially good.
- October 29, 2011 at 12:32 AM
- Katarina said...
This is something I really like! Have a great day!
- October 29, 2011 at 5:44 AM
- Foodiewife said...
I think that Ree has been such an inspiration to aspiring food bloggers. I'm one of them. She's one of the first blogs I ever stumbled across, and I fell in-love with her wit in the way that she writes. I also admired her photography. Sadly, she gets a lot of flack from people who aren't impressed with her comfort food dishes. Her recipes are simple, and many are familiar classic recipes. Every recipe of hers that I've made has turned out to be delicious. I'm a fan of hers, and it's nice to see her featured. Creamed spinach is part of our Thanksgiving fare, each year. Well done.
- October 29, 2011 at 12:06 PM
- Taryn said...
Honestly, the thought of creamed spinach is mildly terrifying to me, but this might change my mind.
- October 30, 2011 at 12:03 AM
- Angela said...
I adore creamed spinach!
Thank you for your explanation of how to properly prepare.
- October 20, 2015 at 11:33 AM


text:
Taking a career break to explore the world is a tremendously freeing experience, during which you'll have the chance to learn much about other cultures – and yourself! However, planning a long-term trip can be a daunting process. Solo travel is rewarding, but also nerve-wracking, and while on your travels you may find yourself needing to take a break (from taking a break!). This is where a group tour can provide some relief. Guided tours provide an opportunity to let someone else take care of all those pesky logistics: like accommodation, transportation, and daily itineraries.
You may be wondering "but group tours are so limiting! Will I get to see everything I want?"
The short answer is: "yes!" Group tours are often different than people expect. Particularly those who tend to travel independently. You may be surprised by how much independence you actually have during your tour! Sherry Ott, who took a solo career break in 2006 notes of her own experience: "If you choose the right companies, small group tours can be some of the most rewarding travel you do on your career break – it was for me. The group tours I did arranged all of the logistics (transportation and hotels), but the rest was really up to me. I could eat with the group or go alone, do the tour or explore on my own. But the best part was that you always had a local guide with your group that traveled with you, ready to answer questions. It was a way to get much closer to the culture of the country than I could have on my own."
Here's 5 reasons to consider a group tour during your extended travels:
1. Easily Socialize with Others
You've been on the road for a while. You've met people along the way, but everyone is transient, on their own adventures around the world. It starts to wear on you a bit. Though it's still exciting, you begin to wish you had more than a few hours here and there with new friends, to really get to know your fellow traveler.
On a group tour, you'll have a lot of time to meet and get to know like-minded travelers. And some tour companies even provide ways to pre-meet each other in forums or local city meet-ups! While you might not be life-long friends with everyone on your trip, you will likely find a few people that you automatically click with.
2. Cultural Immersion
Though some may argue that true cultural immersion only comes from striking out on your own, many tour operators give you the opportunity to venture deeper into local life. This is especially true of more dangerous destinations, where solo tourists are advised to stay in very specific areas.
But with a tour, oftentimes your guide will have connections in the area. And you are granted the unforgettable experience of dining in a small local restaurant, meeting local families, and getting a true glimpse into a new culture. This is especially true if you join a small-group tour, where group sizes are usually 10-16 travelers maximum.
3. Some destinations require you to be on a tour
Then of course, there are some places where you simply cannot visit on your own. Interested in seeing the diverse wildlife of Africa? A safari will get you up close and personal with the animal residents of the Savannah.
Although tourism regulations to Cuba have been greatly relaxed, a tour is still a good idea – it will help guarantee accommodation, and you'll be able to explore the farther reaches of the island.
Want to check that 7th continent off your list? Antarctica is only accessible by tour (unless you're a scientist!).
4. Local Expertise
Getting to know a destination through the eyes of an expert is an incredible way to have a deeper travel experience. They bring the boring plaque next to the landmark to life, provide context to a famous building, and introduce a new way to think about cultures and customs. Many tour companies employ only local guides, so it's sort of like traveling with a friend who knows the best places to eat and find that perfect gift for a loved one back home.
5. Maximum bang for your buck
Busy days, covering long distances, checking off famous sites. On a guided tour, you will have the opportunity to see a lot more in a condensed period of time. This can be helpful for those wanting to take a break from the "slow wander" and pick up the pace, participate in activities, watch demonstrations, and get special access to landmarks and attractions. Often times, tours will save you money over solo travel since operators get deep discounts on things like accommodation.
When considering group tours, there are so many options you're sure to find the perfect one suited to your personality. Let your sabbatical be enhanced and made easier by incorporating a fun guided trip into the experience!
About Samantha Scott
Samantha Scott is the Content Manager for Stride Travel, a marketplace where you can search among thousands of trips, read reviews, and find the perfect guided travel experience for you.


text:
No one has been particularly pleased about how the iPhone 5 is going to need adapters for old peripherals, or about how those adapters are so damned expensive. If it's got you pissed, have no fear; the knock-offs have arrived.
On Amazon, Nanotch is offering a 7-inch cable adapter for $18, compared to Apple's $39, and iTronz is offering the stub for $10 to Apple's $29. Both companies have generally positive ratings—94 and 96 percent positive reviews, respectively—but the iPhone 5 isn't even out in the wild yet, so cool your jets. While these will probably work, you're going to need something with a Lighting port before you (or anyone else) can really test them.
That said, the ship dates for these knock-offs (September 26th for the stub, and 30th for the cable) are earlier than Apple's nebulous October date for its official adapter. And if you're really hankering to get your grubby little paws on an adapter you can't use yet, they're showing up on eBay as well. If you can't bear the thought of going even one day without using your peripherals, it might be worth the gamble, but if you have the slightest idea what "patience" is, it's probably wise to wait for a few reviews to come in. [CNET]


text:
Fable III: Then and Now
Two years and a whole lot of work made Fable III considerably better looking than its predecessor.
A two-year gap separates Fable II from Fable III. In that time, Lionhead Studios put in a good bit of work to make the sequel look substantially better. The game still takes place in the land of Albion. And while the setting remains the same, the looks have definitely changed. On an artistic level, the world evolved, cities grew bleaker, and the inhabitants look quite a bit more downtrodden. From a technical standpoint, Lionhead Studios updated the game with higher resolution textures, better water reflections, normal mapping, and considerably more.
We'll go through some of the changes and point out specific areas of interest with zoomed-in versions of the screenshots.
Soft Focus
Fable III ditched the soft focus filter that made Fable II so cuddly. The bleak outlook that starts off Fable III wouldn't be quite as believable if it were warm and fuzzy.
High Resolution Textures
Stepping into a tavern in Fable II treated us to some rather drab interiors. Fable III remedies the issue with considerably higher resolution textures and much more detail. Get a better look at the differences with the second set of comparison images.
Furry Dogs and Better Clothes
Lionhead ditched the wet-dog look from Fable II and gave your furry friend, well, fur. In keeping with the higher resolution textures, your character also looks considerably better and the clothes much more detailed.
Normal Mapping
Normal mapping, also called bump mapping, adds depth to textures. An example of this is readily visible on the tree bark. Fable II's tree trunks were relatively featureless, while the bark on the trees in Fable III have deep crags. You can see more examples of this on the bricks in the images further down the page.
Water Reflections
Fable III's water and water reflections are head and shoulders above those in Fable II.
Character Screen
More of a stylistic change, full-character representations are available at the outset of the game, rather than the cards that Lionhead used in Fable II.
The main city of Bowerstone changed considerably from Fable II to Fable III. Take a gander at some of the differences.
The products discussed here were independently chosen by our editors. GameSpot may get a share of the revenue if you buy anything featured on our site.
Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
- EX-L Sedan AT with Navigation and XM Radio
- White
- Leather
- Gray
- Automatic
- 210,856
RT Motorsports Auto Sales
Sales Department
1104 N Nellis Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89110
Vehicle Description
RT MOTORSPORTS- Where Low Prices and High Quality are our specialties. Our inventory is a collection of hand picked, 1 owner, lease returns, or trade ins. We work hard for you and committed to delivering exceptional service. We have a strong finance team and lovable sales staff waiting to earn your business. Financing available at 0%. Bad Credit, Repo's, 1st Time Buyers, Bankruptcies, Divorce, and Foreclosures **OK**Call us now!! Or stop by and let us help you. Advertise price is (all cash) prices. Finance price varies. Price excludes sales tax, any finance charges, dealer document preparation charge, and any emission testing charge. It is the customer's sole responsibility to verify the existence and condition of any equipment listed. The dealership is not responsible for misprints on prices or equipment. It is the customer's sole responsibility to verify the accuracy of the prices with the dealer. Pricing subject to change without notice. See dealer for details.
Vehicle Options
- ABS Brakes
- Air Conditioning
- Alloy Wheels
- AM/FM Radio
- Automatic Headlights
- CD Changer
- CD Player
- Child Safety Door Locks
- Cruise Control
- Daytime Running Lights
- Driver Airbag
- Driver Multi-Adjustable Power Seat
- Front Air Dam
- Front Heated Seat
- Front Side Airbag
- Heated Exterior Mirror
- Interval Wipers
- Keyless Entry
- Leather Seat
- Leather Steering Wheel
- Manual Sunroof
- Navigation Aid
- Passenger Airbag
- Power Adjustable Exterior Mirror
- Power Door Locks
- Power Sunroof
- Power Windows
- Rear Window Defogger
- Second Row Folding Seat
- Separate Driver/Front Passenger Climate Controls
- Side Head Curtain Airbag
- Steering Wheel Mounted Controls
- Tachometer
- Telescopic Steering Column
- Tilt Steering
- Tilt Steering Column
- Trunk Anti-Trap Device
- Vehicle Anti-Theft