The last participant of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising has died. He was a symbol of resistance against the Nazis.

Michael Smus’s Passing

At the age of 100, Michael Smus, a participant in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, artist, and educator dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust, passed away in Israel.

In 1943, as a teenager, Smus joined the uprising by making incendiary bombs. After being captured by the Nazis, he survived concentration camps and a death march, awaiting liberation in 1945.

After the war, he became an artist and dedicated his life to Holocaust education, giving lectures and telling young people about the history of Polish Jews. The embassies of Germany and Poland honored his memory.

Legacy and Recognition

Smus repeatedly risked his life to help other prisoners of the Warsaw Ghetto. His legacy through art and education remains alive.

Last month, the German ambassador to Israel awarded Smus the Cross of Merit for his contribution to Holocaust education and promoting dialogue between countries.

Born in 1926 in Gdansk, Smus was deported to the Warsaw Ghetto with his father. He survived hunger, cold, and disease, working in a factory thanks to his knowledge of the German language.

On April 29, he and other uprising participants were captured and sent to forced labor. Smus’s father perished, but his mother and sister survived.

Memory of the Warsaw Ghetto

After the war, Smus returned to Poland, later moved to the USA, and in 1979 settled in Israel. His activities left a significant mark on preserving the historical memory of the Warsaw Ghetto tragedy.

The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising began on April 19, 1943, and was the last attempt by Jewish underground organizations to resist the Nazi liquidation of the ghetto. About 1,000–1,500 insurgents participated in the battles.

German troops used smoke bombs, tear gas, and flamethrowers. About 62–63 thousand Jews were killed, and more than 50 thousand were deported to Treblinka. The uprising became a symbol of Jewish resistance.

Michael Smus will be remembered as the last surviving participant of the uprising, whose life and work continue to inspire and educate.