Re: [Cz-L] Correct number of people saved by Traian Popovici

Miriam (Mimi) Taylor <mirtaylo_at_indiana.edu>

In answer to Gary Rogovin:

The city authorities of Chernivtsi have not asked me to change
the number of Jews saved as quoted on the proposed design
of the memorial plaque. Nor do I propose to change this number
in order to please them. I was advised to change the number,
by a Jewish expert on the holocaust in Romania, in order to be
historically accurate.

I think it all depends on the interpretation of the word "saved".
quite reasonably, one could argue both, that the number should
stay 19600, or be changed to 17000.

Gary,
     I and the other members of the list, who think, that having
a memorial plaque to Traian Popovici, in a public place in Chernivtsi,
even without Romanian inscription and without his being called Mayor,
in Ukrainian, is preferable to not having a plaque at all, are not
compromising our principles. We are making a choice, which it is
our moral right to make.

Mimi
I


 
> 10-3-08,
>
> Dear Miriam, Hardy and CZ List members,
>
> I absolutely agree with Hardy Breier. The purpose of the plaque is to honor
> Mr. Popovichi's efforts, not necessarily the numerical results of those
> efforts.
>
> If I remember correctly, the plaque was originally to read in part "while
> Mayor of Czernowitz.." Mr. Popvichi was Mayor of Czernowitz in 1941. Mr.
> Popovichi had no control over what would later happen. As Hardy so correctly
> stated, Popovici did not issue life assurances (insurances). Again, that was
> beyond his control. Suppose if you will, that all of the 19,600 Jews had later
> been deported and summarily exterminated. Would that in any way diminish the
> quality of his effort to save Jews?
>
> Will reducing the number of Jews that Popovichi attempted to save make the
> City Committee happy? Would they be happy if Zero Jews had been saved? I
> would hope that the answer to these two questions is no. But if we believe
> that the answer to both is yes, then we are once again placating the City
> committee members in order to get the plaque approved by the City and thus
> shame on them and shame on us for compromising our principles yet again. Isn't
> the elimination of both the word "Mayor" (in favor of "Leader") and of the
> Rumanian text, if both should come to pass, enough?
>
> Gary Rogovin
-snip-
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Received on 2008-10-04 03:02:38