The romantic story of a Polish Jew, who gained high honors in the struggle for independence of Poland and Hungary in the 19th century, was recalled here, when representatives of Poland and Hungary began preparations to honor his memory.
The remains of General Joseph Bem. who fought for the independence of Poland and Hungary, and later became a Marshal in the Turkish army, when he adopted the Moslem faith, are to be exhumed from his grave in Aleppo, where he was buried, and transferred with honors for reburial at Tarnow, Poland, where a mausoleum is to be erected at the expense of the government. His remains will be transported via Turkey and Hungary.
Joseph Bem was born in Poland in 1794, and was one of the leaders of the Polish insurrections against Russia during the period of 1812-1830. When the last Polish insurrection failed, he emigrated to France, where he joined the forces of Kossuth, fighting for Hungary’s independence. Later he found refuge in Turkey, where he adopted the Moslem faith and was appointed by the Sultan as commander of the Arab division in Syria. Subsequently he was appointed governor of a large Syrian district. During his checkered career, whether as Joseph Bem, or Murad Pasha, the 19th century Polish Jew never forgot his parents in Poland, though he was no longer of their faith, supporting them generously, and brought over a number of his relatives and appointed them to governmental posts. He died in Aleppo in 1850.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
