Politicsאברהם ברמן

Adolf Berman

Adolf Berman was a Polish-Israeli activist and communist politician who helped lead rescue efforts for Jews in Warsaw during the Holocaust and served in the second Knesset.

1906 to 1978Leading Żegota rescue effortsWarsaw Ghetto Jewish undergroundMember of the second Knesset

Born: 17 October 1906, Warsaw
Died: 3 February 1978, Tel Aviv
Occupation: politician
Party: United Workers Party
Education: Faculty of Philosophy and Sociology, University of Warsaw, University of Warsaw

Adolf Berman was born in 1906 in Warsaw

Berman was born in Warsaw in 1906. His father, Isser Berman, was a Zionist activist. His older brother Jakub became a communist politician in postwar Poland.

He studied at the University of Warsaw and earned a doctorate in psychology. As a student he joined Left Poale Zion and edited its Polish and Yiddish papers. He later worked as a teacher and researcher in psychology.

During World War II he was among the leaders of the Jewish underground in the Warsaw Ghetto. He headed the children's aid group CENTOS and was general secretary of Żegota, the council to aid Jews. In 1942 he and his wife moved to the Aryan side of the city, where he worked to rescue Jews and save hidden records.

After the war he was elected to the Polish parliament and in 1947 became chairman of the Central Committee of Polish Jews. He was removed from that post in 1949 because of his support for Zionism.

In 1950 he moved to Israel, joined Mapam and served in the Knesset from 1951 to 1955, later moving to Maki. In 1961 he testified at the Eichmann trial. He served on the board of Yad Vashem and wrote two memoirs before his death in 1978.