Michael Smuss, a Holocaust survivor who fought in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising against the Nazis, has died at the age of 99 in Israel. His death, reported by multiple reliable news outlets within the last 24 hours, marks the loss of one of the last direct witnesses to this historic act of Jewish resistance during World War II.
Smuss passed away recently, prompting tributes from the German and Polish embassies in Israel, which highlighted his lifelong commitment to Holocaust education. Just last month, he was awarded the German Federal Cross of Merit for fostering dialogue between nations, with the German ambassador noting that thousands of young people had learned from his testimonies. His death underscores the fading generation of Holocaust survivors and the enduring need for remembrance.
Born in 1926 in Danzig, now Gdańsk, Poland, Smuss and his family faced escalating anti-Semitism in the 1930s, leading them to flee to Łódź. After the German invasion of Poland in 1939, he and his father were forced into the Warsaw Ghetto, where hundreds of thousands of Jews endured brutal conditions, including starvation, disease, and overcrowding, under Nazi oppression.
As a teenager, Smuss was compelled to work outside the ghetto repairing Nazi helmets due to his German language skills. He used this position to steal paint thinner, which he and other resistance fighters converted into Molotov cocktails. These weapons were strategically placed on rooftops to target Nazi forces during the uprising, which began on April 19, 1943, and lasted 28 days.
The uprising was a fierce act of defiance, with Smuss describing scenes of smoke, fire, and countless bodies as the Nazis systematically burned buildings. He was captured on April 29, 1943, and initially sent to Treblinka extermination camp, but narrowly escaped deportation by volunteering for labor details during transport. He endured multiple concentration camps and a death march to Dachau before being liberated by American troops in 1945.
After the war, Smuss reunited with his mother and sister, who had survived, but his father was killed during an escape attempt. He briefly returned to Poland before immigrating to the United States in 1950, where he worked, studied, and started a family. Struggling with trauma, he moved to Israel alone in 1979 to seek healing and began using art to process his experiences.
In Israel, Smuss became a dedicated Holocaust educator, sharing his story with thousands, particularly youth in Germany, and expressing his memories through paintings. His efforts were widely recognized, including the recent Federal Cross of Merit, and he is survived by his wife. The Polish embassy noted that his legacy endures through his art and educational work.
The death of Michael Smuss highlights the critical importance of preserving firsthand accounts of the Holocaust as survivors age. His life as a resistance fighter and educator continues to inspire global efforts against hatred and for human dignity, ensuring that the lessons of this dark chapter in history remain relevant for future generations.