Berek Lajcher
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Berek Lajcher (24 October 1893 – 2 August 1943)[1] was a Jewish physician and social activist from Wyszków before the Holocaust in Poland, remembered for his leadership in the prisoner uprising at Treblinka extermination camp. More than 800,000 Jews, as well as unknown numbers of Romani people, were murdered at Treblinka in the course of Operation Reinhard in World War II.[2]
Dr. Berek Lajcher | |
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Born | (1893-10-24)24 October 1893 |
Died | 2 August 1943(1943-08-02) (aged 49) Treblinka extermination camp, Poland |
Occupation | Medical doctor |
Known for | Holocaust resistance |
Lajcher was a graduate of the Warsaw University Faculty of Medicine in 1924, and a retired officer of the Polish Army from the Polish–Soviet War. After the German invasion of Poland during World War II, Lajcher was expelled by the Nazis along with all Polish Jews from Wyszków, and relocated to Węgrów, from where he was deported to Treblinka, the secret forest camp where Jewish men, women and children were being murdered in gas chambers.[1]
Lajcher became the leader and clandestine organizer of the Treblinka revolt. On 2 August 1943, after a long period of preparation, the prisoners stole some weapons from the arsenal and made an attempt at an armed escape from the Totenlager.[3] Lajcher was killed in the fighting. Several Trawniki guards were killed and some 150 Jewish prisoners escaped.[4] Gassing operations at the camp ended soon after the revolt. Lajcher was remembered by survivors incorrectly as either Dr. Lecher (sic),[4] or Dr. Leichert from Wegrów.[1][5]