Bidspirit auction | ”THIS WAS NEVER MEANT TO

”THIS WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE GERMANY” Jewish Services Held in Former Nazi Stronghold.  Original Press Photo of Jewish American Soldiers praying in the home of Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Paul Goebbels. March 1945. Rabbi Manuel (Menachem Mendel) Poliakoff conducts the service, Corporal Martin Willen serves as cantor. Holding the sefer Torah is Private First Class Abraham Mirmelstein. As decribed in the book ”Full Harvest”, this was a belated Purim service. The Aron Kodesh belonged to Rabbi Poliakoff, which he plante atop an enormous swastika banner. and covered the militant table with a velvet cloth and two lit candles.  This photo was distributed by the Jewish Welfare Board. 20x15 cm Caption on reverse side of the picture: Abraham Mirmelstein, Newport News, VA., holds the Holy Scroll as Capt. Manuel M.Poliakoff, Baltimore, MD., and CPL. Martin Willen, cantor, of Baltimore, MD., conduct services in Rheydt Castle, former residence of Dr. Joseph Paul Goebbels, Nazi propaganda minister, in Muenchen-Gladbach, Germany. The Jewish services held against a backdrop of a swastika-covered wall, were the first conducted east of the Roer River and were offered in memory of boys of the faith who lost their lives in the drive. The castle is now occupied by troops of the 29th division, U.S. Ninth Army. Rabbi Manuel M. Poliakoff was born in Baltimore, MD. As a young man, he studied at the Talmudical Academy and Baltimore City College. He received Rabbincal training at the Yeshiva of Telshe in Lithuania. Poliakoff served as a Chaplain in the 29th Infantry Division of the United States Army during World War II. His service during war saw him earn a Bronze Star. Rabbi Poliakoff notably conducted a service at Joseph Goebbel's castle, Schloss Rheydt, on the Rhine while serving with the 9th Army in Brittany, France. He was recalled to military service in 1951 and served as a Chaplain at Indiantown Gap Military Reservation near Annville, Pennsylvania. ”Upon Rabbi Poliakoff's return to the United States, he assumed the role of Rabbi for the Orthodox Beth Isaac Adath Israel Congregation. He held this position between 1946 and 1986. Poliakoff oversaw the merger of the Beth Isaac and Adath Israel Congregations in 1948. He also supervised his congregation through four moves in location. Throughout his term, Rabbi Poliakoff sat on the Board of Bais Yaakov School for Girls and the Hebrew Education Association. He also served on the Executive Committee of the Talmudical Academy. After his retirement, Rabbi Poliakoff was given the title of Rabbi Emeritus. Rabbi Poliakoff later worked as an advisor for Schleider Caterers.”