Dr Michał Trębacz

January - June 2021
Mail: michal.trebacz(at)uni.lodz(dot)pl

Dr. Michał Trebacz is head of the research department at the Museum of the History of Polish Jews and an Associate Professor at the Center for the Jewish Studies University of Łódź. He holds an MA and a Ph.D. degree from the Department of Philosophy and History of the University of Łódź. His main area of research specializes in twentieth-century socio-political history with a special focus on Jewish history and biographical studies. He is a recipient of international scholarships for research on interwar history and the history of the Holocaust. He wrote Izrael Lichtenstein (1883–1933). Biografia żydowskiego socjalisty (2016) and co-edited Zagłada Żydów na polskiej prowincji (2012) and Józef Zelkowicz. Notatki z getta łódzkiego (2017).

Research project at the Kolleg

My research project Shmuel Zygielbojm. Wartime biography aims not simply to reconstruct the biography of one of the Jewish political leaders during the Second World War, but to place him within the broader context of the history of the Jews and of the history of Poland. I believe that Zygielbojm’s biography can serve as an excellent pretext for considering these relations on several levels. First of all, it showcases the connections which existed between the Bund and the Polish Socialist Party, both in Poland and abroad. Zygielbojm’s wartime biography also highlights the changes taking place within the socialist movement across Europe. During the war Bundist called for deep theoretical reflection on the future political tactics of Europe’s socialist parties and spoke of a need to overcome the dichotomy between reformism and revolutionism.

Secondly, Zygielbojm’s biography will serve to analyse the relations between the Polish government-in-exile and the Bund. One can see clearly how the attitudes of Poles towards this socialist party – present in the political arena for many years, but treated with hostility and seen as a potential threat to the integrity of the state – evolved. When analysing Zygielbojm’s public statements as well as the topics of behind-the-scenes conversations, one gets the impression that anti-Semitism (in the Polish armed forces and in society at large in occupied Poland) had become the main problem he had to contend with. Zygielbojm’s statements, never analysed from this angle before, are important and alter our image of him.

Thirdly, I will try to present as comprehensively as possible the Bund’s efforts to inform the world about the ongoing extermination of the Jews. The steps taken by Zygielbojm from the time of his arrival in London until his suicidal death will be particularly important. Of all the politicians of the Bund, he had by and large the greatest opportunities to carry out such information activities. I believe, however, that this issue should be considered not only within the context of Polish-Jewish relations or of Poland’s diplomatic relations with its allies, but also in the context of Zygielbojm’s personal relations with family and friends. It is true that the subject has already been examined by historians, but it seems that not all sources have been used.

Main areas of research

• Holocaust Studies
• Polish-Jewish relations in 20th century
• Biographical studies

Positions and memberships

• Member, European Association for Jewish Studies (EAJS)
• Member, Association for Slavic, East European and Eurasian Studies (ASEEES)