Military Honours at Funeral of Jewish Veteran of Polish Independence War of 1863

Full military honours have been accorded at the funeral of Nute Silbermintz, one of the last Jewish survivors of the Polish War of Independence of 1863, who has just died at Otwock at the age of 82.

Last September it was revealed that there was a Jew of 108 years of age named Moses Rogatchewski, living in the village of Molatchi, near Grodno, who was a veteran of the Polish Independence War of 1863. He was a blacksmith and had worked at his forge until then, but finally, realising that he was no longer able to support himself, he sent an application to the war Ministry for a pension as a participant in the Polish Independence war of 1863, and producing documents in proof of his claim. I have asked for no benefit till now in return for my services, he wrote in his application, and despite my age I have been earning my own living, but now I am weak and as a veteran of the Polish Independence Wars I do not want to be subjected to the humiliation of charity, I shall not need a pension very long, he added, for death cannot be far off now.

Many Jews played a distinguished part in the Polish Independence War of 1863, as well as in the preceding Independence War of 1830, when a Jewish regiment distinguished itself in the defence of warsaw and there were also many Jews in the fighting during the Great war which resulted in the independence of Poland, serving as comrades in arms of Marshal Pilsudski. At the Congress of the Polish Legions which was held at Kielce in 1926 to celebrate the 12th. anniversary of Marshal Pilsudski’s entry into the town, which was the first step in the liberation of Poland, Marshal Pilsudski went across to one of the Jewish ex-Legionaries there who had lost both his legs in the war, and embraced and kissed him. In 1929 a Jewish carter named Yekel Boyarski, a 75 year old veteran of the Russo-Turkish War, was honoured at a big military ball given at Grodno for distinguished service during the Bolshevik invasion of Poland in 1920. He was conducted to the platform with the military band playing and salutes were fired in his honour.