China honours Jewish doctor who served as minister of health under Mao
A Jewish hero forgotten in Israel was posthumously awarded from China
Jacob Rosenfeld, a Jewish doctor from Vienna who found refuge in Shanghai and became a national hero of China for his victory in World War II and the Civil War, was posthumously awarded a medal. Chinese Ambassador Xiao Junzheng emphasized deep historical ties and promised to "strengthen them from generation to generation".
On August 27, the Chinese Embassy in Israel held a special ceremony in honor of Dr. Jacob Rosenfeld, a Jewish refugee, whose contribution to the fight against the Japanese occupiers in World War II, and then in the civil war, made him a national hero in the PRC.
The event, organized by the Museum of the Jewish Soldier of World War II named after Haim Herzog, ended with a solemn ceremony at which Rosenfeld's nephew, Menashe Rosenfeld, accepted the medal on his behalf 73 years after his uncle's death.
Jacob Rosenfeld became Minister of Health under Mao Zedong and even received the rank of general for saving thousands of Chinese during the troubled years of the war, after he himself fled Vienna, escaping from Nazi persecution. The legendary doctor died in Israel in 1952.
The Director General of the Museum, retired Major General Zvika Kan-Tor, welcomed the guests by organizing a ceremony as part of the solemn 80th anniversary of the victory over the Axis powers in World War II, which is called the World Anti-Fascist War in China.
"Today we honor the memory of Dr. Jacob Rosenfeld, a courageous doctor and soldier," he said in a statement. "His unique and significant story is one of one and a half million stories of Jewish men and women that continue to inspire us to this day. Every visit to the museum reminds us that the history of the Jews in World War II is not only historical dates, but also personal stories of courage and sacrifice. Our mission is to shed light on the history of these Jewish fighters and introduce future generations to the heritage of Jewish heroism."
He added that one of the reasons for the importance of this event was to honor Rosenfeld outside of China - here in Israel, where he remained an unsung hero.
"We strive to tell a wonderful story that is carefully kept by millions of people in China, but here, in the state of the Jewish people, almost no one knows about it," he said, stressing the museum's mission - to shed light on the forgotten history of 1.5 million Jewish servicemen who fought against the Axis powers.
The same idea was reflected in the heartfelt letter of Israeli President Yitzhak Herzog, transmitted by Aviv Ezra, Deputy Director General for Asia and the Pacific of the Israeli Foreign Ministry. In it, the Duke calls Dr. Rosenfeld a person who "left his mark on the history of China" and notes "a deep mutual respect shared by people of all ranks", calling Rosenfeld "a symbol of what can be achieved when openness and goodwill reign".
Having climbed the podium, Chinese Ambassador Xiao Junzheng delivered a detailed speech, which became the central point of the evening. In it, he emphasized the unique relationship between Beijing and Jerusalem not only at the level of leaders, but also on the basis of common values, history and memory.
He started with a bright image of the awardee.
"Jakob Rosenfeld was not only a doctor, but also a fighter," the ambassador said, in 1939 he fled from Vienna to China, escaping from Nazi persecution. Driven by a sense of justice, he abandoned a comfortable life in Shanghai and joined the anti-Japanese resistance. For ten years he fought as a military doctor, and then a general of the People's Liberation Army of China, saving the lives of Chinese soldiers and civilians. He devoted himself to the cause of the liberation of the Chinese people."
The choice of the venue of the ceremony was deeply symbolic: the museum presents exhibits dedicated to the deeds of Rosenfeld, one of one and a half million Jews who fought for freedom in World War II. According to the ambassador, it was a manifestation of the connection between two ancient peoples - the Chinese and the Jews. "Our destinies are intertwined," he said.
Ambassador Xiao drew parallels between the suffering and resilience of the two peoples in that era. "80 years ago, the Chinese people, along with the countries of the whole world, won the war of resistance to Japanese aggression," he said. "This great victory serves as a solemn reminder that we must never forget history and must always defend its truth. The war of resistance of the Chinese people to Japanese aggression became the main eastern battlefield of the world anti-fascist war. It started first and lasted the longest. During these 14 years of struggle, the Chinese people fought courageously, paying a huge price, losing more than 35 million people."
Then he honored the memory of the history kept within the walls of the museum: "We also remember 1.5 million Jewish fighters who fought the Nazis during World War II. About 250,000 of them gave their lives. We and history will remember them forever."
Directly responding to President Herzog's call in his letter, Ambassador Xiao reiterated that Beijing "sincerely hopes for an immediate cessation of the ongoing hostilities", and then stressed: "In confirmation of China's consistent position, I once again call for the immediate release of all Israeli hostages."
At the end of his speech, he noted the deep friendship between the two peoples.
"When Jewish communities in Europe suffered from cruel persecution, China gave asylum to Jews, and Shanghai alone gave shelter to at least 25,000 Jewish refugees," he said. "A friend is known in trouble. This common story lays a solid foundation for friendship between China and Israel. There is no ground for anti-Semitism in China. The Chinese government will never allow the existence and rooting of anti-Semitism."
The ambassador recalled that Huo Fengshan, the consul general in Vienna during World War II, demonstrated this willingness to help Jews in the 1930s, risking his life to issue Rosenfeld a saving Chinese visa that allowed him to flee to Shanghai. In turn, Rosenfeld gave the host country "hope and opportunity to survive", as did many other Jews who fled to China. "This great victory inspires us to preserve the traditional friendship between the Chinese and Jewish peoples and pass it on to future generations."
After his impressive speech, Ambassador Xiao officially announced the award given to the Jewish doctor by the Chinese authorities: "The Government of the People's Republic of China has decided to award Dr. Jacob Rosenfeld a commemorative medal for his outstanding contribution." Then he presented the medal to Dr. Menashe Rosenfeld, the hero's nephew, to the applause of more than 200 people present.
Noticeably touched, Dr. Rosenfeld said in response about the deep respect that his family has for China, and about the respect for heroes, which traditionally turns out in the PRC.
"China is a nation that is more than 5000 years old... We are only 3700 years old. China, you may be our older brother, and I would like to note: let's learn from the older brother how to respect and honor the heroes," he ended his speech with such an appeal.
Rosenfeld repeated the words of Ambassador Xiao about the need to bring the story of Rosenfeld to the general public.
"Although Dr. Rosenfeld died 73 years ago, his legacy continues to be honored throughout China," the ambassador said in his speech, mentioning hospitals, museums and monuments bearing his name, including a four-meter statue. In an interview with the Israel Hayom newspaper, he later added that he hoped that this event would raise awareness of Rosenfeld's activities in Israel, just as he became a national hero in the country where he found refuge.
"In China, many people know the story of Dr. Rosenfeld. But few people in Israel know about it. And we hope that more Israelis will learn about it in the coming years."
The recently opened Museum of the Jewish Soldier of World War II named after Haim Herzog, where the event was held, was founded as part of an effort to shed light on the history of one and a half million Jewish men and women who fought on different fronts.
"So far, these stories have not been properly told," the museum said in a statement. "Many of them subsequently made a significant contribution to the creation of the State of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces," said the director of the museum, whose visitors will be able to see "works of art, original military documents and fascinating stories about Jewish soldiers, stories that until today were not part of the Jewish collective memory of the Second World War."
