Page 65 - Centrum Dialogu im. Marka Edelmana w Łodzi. Artur Szyk, Man of Dialogue.

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1 10. DEATH OF BEREK JOSELEWICZ
STATUTE OF KALISZ
Artur Szyk decorated his Statute of Kalisz with battle scenes.
Here, the scene of heroic fight of Berek Joselewicz against
overwhelming enemy forces. J O S E L E W I C Z 6 65
Virtuti militari Cross, awarded to Berek
B BEREK JOSELEWICZ (1764–1809) was a Jewish and Polish
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Joselewicz
patriot and a hero of the Kościuszko Uprising. In 1794, he
joined Tadeusz Kościuszko. Along with Józef Aronowicz, he
wrote a patriotic address in Yiddish, calling the Jews to fight.
500 people answered and a Jewish cavalry regiment was
formed. Jewish soldiers had access to kosher food, they could
observe religious customs (i.e. the Shabbat), they were also
given the right to have beards.
Joselewicz's unit took part in the defense of the Warsaw Praga
district. After the defeat, Joselewicz emigrated to Italy and,
along with other insurgents, joined the Jan Henryk Dąbrowski
legions. He led a Polish unit in many Napoleonic battles,
including at Austerlitz. He was awarded the Virtuti Militari
medal and Legion of Honour. He died in 1809 at Kock during
a skirmish with Austrian soldiers. His grave is located on a
small hill at the Kock-Białobrzegi – the legend has it that it was
there that the horse carrying the dying soldier stopped.
Polish eagle bearing an inscription in Hebrew
Inscription in Polish: "Berek Joselewicz,
lieutenant-colonel of the 5th regiment
of cavalry, died for Poland on 5 May
1809 in the battle of Kock. Glory to his
memory"
The same text in French. On the Polish
white eagle – an inscription with God's
name in Hebrew letters.
The work was dedicated to his son,
Georges (1917-1957), who was a boy
at the time, but who fought in the
French army under General de Gaulle
in World War Two.
Signature: Artur Szyk, Paris, January
1930.
Artur Szyk dedicated the drawing of Joselewicz to his son. From the collection of the Józef
Documents of Georges Szyk from WWII
Piłsudski Library (WiMBP) in Łódź.