Michael Smuss: From Guerrilla Fighter to Painter

Michael Smuss, a Holocaust survivor and painter, passed away at 99. Born in 1926 in Poland, he fought in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, later using art to process trauma. His resistance efforts included crafting Molotov cocktails. Smuss's post-war life was marked by moving to the US, then Israel, where he shared his experiences through painting.

Michael Smuss, a resister in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and later a painter dealing with trauma, has died at the age of 99 in Israel, confirmed by his wife. His funeral is scheduled for Friday, following his death on October 21.

Born in 1926 in Danzig, now Gdansk, Poland, Smuss was among the thousands of Jews confined to the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II. He played a significant role in the Jewish resistance, helping to craft Molotov cocktails which were used against Nazi forces.

After surviving deportation and imprisonment, Smuss emigrated to the US and eventually moved to Israel. There, he turned to art to process his harrowing past, while personally sharing his story with later generations in Germany.

(With inputs from agencies.)