Abstract
Objective: The aim of this article is to describe the circumstances surrounding the suicide of Adam Czerniakow during the Holocaust.
Method: Examination of Czerniakow's (translated) diary and other Holocaust literature.
Results: Head of the “Judenrat” (Jewish Council) in the Warsaw ghetto, Czerniakow had the impossible task of obeying oppressive German orders, while trying to serve and protect his people. Following instruction to have ready for deportation from the ghetto several thousand Jews each day, Czerniakow took his life. Although Czerniakow may not have known the precise destination of those deported (they were sent to death camps), he is believed to have held grave fears for their fate.
Conclusions: Suicide in the context of avoiding having to perform an unacceptable task is not commonly recorded, but may have applied in Czerniakow's case and was not infrequent among Judenrat members.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We thank Konrad Kwiet, Robert Kaplan, George Foster and Nerissa Soh for their assistance. We are also grateful to the Holocaust Education and Archive Research Team for permission to publish the second photograph.
DISCLOSURE
The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.