The German “Cyganeria” Retirement LOCAL IN THE COUNTRY
22 DECEMBER 1942
The attack on the café “Cyganeria” (then mur für Deutsche) at Szpitalna Street in Krakow was carried out by a group “Iskra” commanded by Idek Liber. They put grenades in the place. 11 Germans were killed as a consequence of the attack and 13 were injured – including 9 badly.
At the same time, another group of militants threw grenades at the Bisanz cafe, however, the grenades did no harm due to the fact that they bounced distant from the entrance door. As part of the same action on the place of Tadeusz Kościuszko's oath, a wreath was placed with the inscription “On something he swore, we will perform” and Polish flags were hung on the bridges.
The German repressions, the arrest of the organization's leadership, led to the full breakdown of the judaic Combat Organization (ŻOB). Among others, the Gestapo shot Adolf Liebeskind ps. “Dolek” the head of the ŻOB participating in preparations for the attack on “Cyganeria”.
ŻOB troops were formed in the summertime of 1942 in the Warsaw Ghetto. They were politically subject to the judaic National Committee and indirectly to the Government Delegate. In time, the messengers from Warsaw organized local troops ŻOB besides in Kraków, Częstochowa, Bedzin and Sosnowiec.
In the Krakow ghetto ŻOB based organizationally on Akiba and Haszomer Hacair conspiracy groups. Akiba (a pre-war Zionist youth movement) was led by Adolf Liebeskind and Szymszon and Gusta Dränger. The letter “Hechaluc Haloch” was published preparing to fight Germany.
The group “Haszomer Hacair” was formed by Hersz Bauminger “Hesiek”. His organization made contact with the Aryan side through cooperation with the cells of the People's Guard-PPR. Within the judaic Combat Organization, despite the common command, both groups retained organisational separation.
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