RUMKOWSKI, CHAIM MORDECHAI

RUMKOWSKI, CHAIM MORDECHAI (1877–1944), "Elder of the Jews" in Lodz ghetto. Born in Ilino, Russia, Rumkowski settled in Lodz at the turn of the century. In the period between the two world wars, he was engaged in social and welfare activities, running several Jewish orphanages. He was a member of the general zionist Party and represented it on the council, and later on the committee, of the Jewish community in Lodz. Before World War II, when the Zionists left the committee, Rumkowski, contrary to his party's decision, remained in his position. After the Germans captured Lodz they nominated him (in October 1939) to the position of "Elder of the Jews" (Judenaeltester), a position he held for nearly five years, until the liquidation of the Lodz ghetto in August 1944. At the same time, he was ordered to create a Council of   Elders (Beirat) and organize the machinery of the Jewish "self-administration." In August 1944 the ghetto was liquidated, and Rumkowski and his family voluntarily joined the last transport of Jews to Auschwitz and were murdered there. -BIBLIOGRAPHY: A.W. Jasni, Die Geshikhte fun Yidn in Lodz…, 1 (1960), 359–75; J. Trunk, Lodzer Geto… (1962); A. Rudnicki, Kupieclódzki (1963); F. Kafka, Krúta léta (1963), passim; D. Dabrowska and L. Dobroszycki (eds.), Kronika getta lodzkiego…, 2 vols. (1965–66), passim; D. Dąbrowska, in: BZIH, no. 45–46 (1963), passim; no. 51–52 (1964), passim; L. Tushnet, in: The Chicago Jewish Forum, 22, no. 1 (1963), 2–10, incl. bibl.; S.F. Bloom, in: Commentary, 7 (1949), 111–22. (Danuta Dombrowska)