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Weapons of the ZOB

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  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: USA
Weapons of the ZOB
Posted by Prince of Styrene II on Saturday, May 17, 2014 9:25 AM
I have a question out there & I'd like to pick your minds. My girlfriend(who is a huge history buff, especially WWII & the Holocaust) is writing a paper & was wondering what kinds of hand weapons the the ZOB (the Jewish Combat Organization, or the Żydowska Organizacja Bojowa) used during the Warsaw ghetto uprising. She's done several bits of research & has come up empty. Can anyone help out??
Tags: guns , Warsaw , WWII , ZOB

"Hold the weapons, Daddy. I'm going to go get my monkeys." The Dutchess of Styrene

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: SW Virginia
Posted by Gamera on Saturday, May 17, 2014 6:06 PM

I'm certainly no expert but I'd guess probably captured German equipment with some older Polish gear from before the war? Hard to tell here, there might be some civilian arms and even stuff from the First World War dusted off and thrown into action. You might try reposting this over in the armor section too since it gets more traffic.  

"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen

 

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: The Bluegrass State
Posted by EasyMike on Thursday, May 22, 2014 8:31 AM

Anything and everything they could get their hands on.  She could try Google > Images and possibly kick up any number of photographs.

Smile

  • Member since
    April 2013
Posted by KnightTemplar5150 on Friday, May 23, 2014 7:36 PM
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/uprising1.html

According to this source, the weapons initially used in the uprising consisted of "a handful of pistols, seventeen rifles, and Molotov cocktails" which were distributed among an estimated 750 resistance fighters. The weapons had either been hidden away before the occupation or had subsequently been smuggled into the Ghetto. It would most likely mean that the majority of weapons used early on were improvised with what was available - knives, farm implements, clubs, and stones. But, that is pure speculation on my part because of the lack of exact details.

My suggestion is this - if you and your girlfriend are serious about researching the Warsaw Ghetto uprising, go to the primary source material sources. There is a museum dedicated to this very subject in Warsaw and (at the risk of offending my peers) my best guess is that they are in a far better position to answer your questions than us armchair historians who are most interested in scale matters. An email or a phone call will probably point you towards the answers you need.
  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by Prince of Styrene II on Thursday, May 29, 2014 6:07 PM

Thanks to all of you for your thoughts & ideas. She's managed to find a few tidbits here & there, enough to fill out the blanks she needed in her report.

KnightTemplar- That's an excellent suggestion! Thanks very much for the link. I'll pass it along to her.

"Hold the weapons, Daddy. I'm going to go get my monkeys." The Dutchess of Styrene

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