[A.
Destruction of the Jewish existence in Poland
1929-1939]
[5.11. JDC work in Galicia]
One of these struggles was the fight against centralization waged by
regional interests, especially in Galicia, which was very poor but had
a very proud tradition of culture and independence. Galicia was
traditionally under strong Zionist influence, and a group of leaders
emerged among whom Alfred Silberschein occupied a place of special
importance. Silberschein, a Zionist leader, favored decentralization,
and he gained the support of most of the influential circles in Jewish
economic life in Galicia. In early 1937, 25 % of the total Jewish
population in Poland lived in Galicia . Yet the Galician Jews were
underrepresented in all the economic activities undertaken by JDC. This
charge in itself would have remained ineffective had not an
organization been founded called the American Committee for Aid of Jews
in Galicia, which threatened to solicit funds in competition with JDC.
Early in 1937 JDC asked its Warsaw office for an explanation and
proposals, and in April and May 1937 these came. They revealed a
difference of opinion between the head of the Warsaw office, Isaac
Giterman, and his two chief lieutenants, David Guzik and Leib Neustadt.
Neustadt and Guzik were for maximum centralization and were prepared to
fight Silberschein's demand that JDC set up special regional
organizations for its free loan institutions there.
Giterman, on the other hand, acknowledged the fact that Galicia had
separate institutions in many areas; a separate CEKABE committee was
thereupon established by JDC for Galicia, though only in early 1939.
More important, it emerged that a number of local enterprises (probably
more than Galicia's proper share) were established there by CEKABE: a
chain factory in Stanislawow, a carpenter cooperative in Stryi, two
locksmiths' (p.203)
shops in Czortkow, an export furniture shop in Lwów, and so on.
(End note 63: 14-39)
