H eadlines
Ambassador to Share Father’s Survivor Story
a presentation about his book
“Balm in Gilead: A Story from
the War,” which he wrote about
SOPHIE PANZER | JE STAFF
his father and the survivors.

In addition, the winners of
LT. JOHN WITHERS didn’t
this year’s Mordechai Anielewicz
have many interactions with
Creative Arts Competition,
Jewish people before two young
which encourages
students in
Dachau survivors approached
grades 7-12
throughout the
his African American military
Greater Philadelphia
area unit stationed in Germany and
to respond to the Holocaust
pleaded for help.

Years later, his son would through creative expression, will
search for the full story of present their winning poems.

that fateful encounter and the
Bart Hertzbach, chair of the
remarkable friendship it forged. JCRC Holocaust and Education
On Nov. 8, Jewish Federation Committee, said “Balm in
of Greater Philadelphia and the Gilead” created a natural connec-
Jewish Community Relations tion between the lessons of
Council will host “Kristallnacht Kristallnacht and the themes of
and Veterans Day: A Story Veterans Day, since it addresses
from the War with Ambassador the Holocaust and features
Ambassador John Withers II
John L. Withers II” on Zoom. members of the armed forces.

Withers’ son, who is the former
“We tied it in with Veterans
ambassador to Albania and had Day because, obviously, the honor all veterans who served
diplomatic postings in Nigeria, U.S. Army freed Germany. But in wartime or peacetime,
Russia and Ireland, will give it was, beyond that, a way to alive or dead, who guaranteed
freedom for many,” he said.

The younger Withers said
Name: PICPA’s
that before serving in the
Width: 3.625 in
Army, his father endured the
Depth: 5.5 in
oppression of Jim Crow segre-
Color: Black plus one
gation laws in Greensboro,
Comment: JE-ROP
Ad Number: 00092211
North Carolina.

“It was a comprehensive
co-founder of Comcast Corp. and life
system that affected Black
member of the PICPA, for generously
Americans in almost every
donating $25,000 this year to fund
sphere of their life and of their
endeavor. It was a system that
CPA Exam scholarships. His incredible
subjected them to economic
gift allows 25 future CPAs to take a
hardship, impoverishment,
step closer to achieving their dreams.

lack of opportunities,” he said.

“They could not turn to the
Learn more at
legal system, they could not
www.picpa.org/CPAFoundation. turn to their congressman,
they could not turn to the
newspapers or anything. They
had no recourse.”
The elder Withers was
academically gifted enough
to attend college and earn his
master’s degree at the University
of Wisconsin. He dreamed of
establishing a life in the non-seg-
regated North, but was drafted
into the Army near the end of
World War II. He rose through
the ranks to become the compa-
ny’s acting commander.

When his unit was ordered
to bring medical supplies to a
L OCA L
Thank you to
Julian Brodsky,
8 NOVEMBER 5, 2020
JEWISH EXPONENT
Lt. John Withers
small German town, they
found themselves face to face
with the horrors of Dachau
concentration camp. Two
emaciated young survi-
vors came to their unit and
begged for shelter and work.

Mieczyslaw Wajgenszperg was
16, and Shlomo Joskowicz was
18 but looked much younger
due to malnourishment.

Housing non-military
personnel was strictly forbidden,
and the company could have faced
dishonorable discharge if found
to be sheltering the teenagers.

This would have disqualified
Withers from the educational
and economic benefits of the GI
Bill, upon which he had staked
his hopes for a better life in the
United States. His employment
prospects would have been
greatly reduced, and he would
have faced social disgrace upon
returning home.

He took them in nonetheless.

“He seemed to assume that
anyone in his position or his
men’s position would have
acted the same,” his son said.

The Black
soldiers nicknamed Joskowicz Salomon
and Wajgenszperg Pee Wee.

Despite the language barrier
and cultural differences, the
soldiers coaxed them out of their
Courtesy of Ambassador John Withers II
shells and taught them how to
drive and play baseball (they
preferred soccer.) They worked
as cooks and grew close to the
elder Withers, plying him with
questions about the U.S.

The book, which is available
at johnlwithersii.com, was a
project 20 years in the making.

The younger Withers had only
a postcard from Wajgenszperg
and an old photo album the
boys had presented to his father
to use as clues during his inten-
sive research. Eventually, he was
able to orchestrate a reunion for
his father and Wajgenszperg.

The elder Withers, who
died in 2007, was greatly influ-
enced by his friendship with
the two survivors. During a
2001 speech, he lauded their
courage and endurance. He
also marveled at their ability
to be kind and gentle after the
atrocities they endured.

“How could that be? That
was the true wonder. All the
hostility, hatred, and evil they
encountered without letting it
deform them or deflect them
from becoming the kind of
people they wanted to be,” he
said. l
spanzer@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0729
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM



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