Quick Facts
Biography
Sigmund A. Rolat or Zygmunt Rolat (born July 1, 1930) is a philanthropist, art collector and businessman. He is a founding donor of Polin, The Museum of the History of Polish Jews and a key supporter of numerous charitable endeavors.
Early life
Sigmund A. Rolat (originally Zygmunt Rozenblat) was born on July 1, 1930 in Częstochowa, Poland. His grandfather Abram Rozenblat was the founder of the first Jewish elementary school where all subjects were taught exclusively in Polish. Rolat's happy childhood in pre-war Częstochowa left unforgettable memories. In numerous memoirs and in interviews given to the media around the world, Rolat always refers to Częstochowa as his "little homeland".
World War II
Rolat survived the Holocaust in the Częstochowa Ghetto, in hiding and as a forced laborer in the Hasag Pelcery labor camp. His parents and older brother lost their lives during the German occupation of Poland. Rolat's father Henryk participated in the uprising in Treblinka. His mother Mariane was murdered in the Jewish cemetery and buried in a mass grave there. His brother Jerzyk, the youngest member of the Częstochowa Jewish resistance, was executed by the Nazis at the Jewish cemetery along with five older friends in March 1943. Rolat's Polish nanny Elka also perished choosing to remain in the ghetto because she did not want to abandon the young Sigmund.
After the war
Rolat was liberated from the Hasag Pelcery camp in January 1945. He decided to leave Częstochowa with the pain and grief of losing the entire immediate family, close and distant relatives, friends from the neighborhood, schoolmates and acquaintances. He went to France and then moved to Germany where he received his high school diploma. In February 1948, Rolat arrived in the United States with just eight dollars in his pocket. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati and New York University and eventually built a sizable international finance company. Business opportunities in Poland after the fall of communism gave Rolat the chance to reconnect with his birthplace, inspiring him to work towards preserving Poland's rich Jewish history.
Philanthropy
Sigmund Rolat is one of the prime financial supporters and ambassadors for the restoration of Polish Jewry's place in Polish and world history. Currently, Rolat's chief philanthropic endeavor is Polin, The Museum of the History of Polish Jews. He is a founding donor of this important museum built on the site of the Warsaw Ghetto, and serves as the Chairman of the North American Council of the museum. He is a longtime supporter of Yad Vashem and the American Society for Yad Vashem. He has achieved the status of Builder at Yad Vashem, Jerusalem by donating generously and often. He has also been recognized for the generous donation of the works of Private Tolkatchev as well as other artwork to Yad Vashem's collection. A lover of the arts, Rolat is a key supporter of the annual Jewish Culture Festival in Kraków, a patron of Warsaw's Singer Jewish Culture Festival, the honorary Chairman of the Friends of the Jewish Culture Festival Association, the sponsor of the 8th Edition of the Bronislaw Huberman Violin Festival in Częstochowa, and a supporter of both the Bronislaw Huberman Częstochowa Philharmonic and the Grand Theater - National Opera in Warsaw.
Associations
Over the years Sigmund Rolat has been a member of various prestigious institutions including the David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies, the Taube Council and Taube Foundation for Jewish Life and Culture and the American Association for Jewish Heritage in Poland. Rolat has also served on the supervisory boards of both Beersheva's Ben Gurion University and the Kosciuszko Foundation and on the presidential council of the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California.
Rolat is the sponsor and co-organizer of The Jews of Częstochowa exhibition, in cooperation with the Jan Dlugosz University and the Museum of Częstochowa and Częstochowa Archives. The exhibition was shown in Częstochowa, New York City, Washington DC, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Toronto and Cincinnati. Through his involvement in this and other initiatives, he established himself as an activist for the promotion of the culture and history of Częstochowa, patron of historical research, editor of history books and folios, and organizer and founder of cultural events, including concerts.
Awards and honors
Sigmund Rolat has received numerous awards, including the title Patron of the Arts, Patron of Culture and the title Honorary Citizen of the City by officials in Częstochowa.
The Jan Karski Humanitarian Award, 2016
On May 9, 2016 Rolat received The Jan Karski Humanitarian Award at the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in New York City. The Award was established by The Polish-Jewish Dialogue Committee.
Yad Vashem Society "Remembrance Award", 2014
In December 2014, in New York, he received “Remembrance Award” from Yad Vashem Society’s chair Leonard Wilf.
Honorary Professor at Jan Długosz University, 2014
In October 2014 Rolat was appointed the Honorary Professor at Jan Długosz University in his native Częstochowa.
Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland, 2013
On September 19, 2013 Rolat was awarded Poland’s highest honor for citizens who live abroad, the Commander’s Cross with Star of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland for achievements in Polish-Jewish dialogue presented personally in New York City by President Bronislaw Komorowski.
Spirit of Jan Karski Award, 2013
In November 2013 he received the Spirit of Jan Karski Award at David S. Wyman Institute for Holocaust Studies 10th Anniversary Dinner.
Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland, 2008
In recognition of his efforts at Polin, The Museum of the History of Polish Jews, President Lech Kaczynski honored him with the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland during the commemoration of the 65th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising on April 19, 2008.
Recent public appearances
Museum of Jewish Heritage, New York, 2015
On June 11, 2015, at an event at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio honored Rolat, by proclaiming it “Sigmund Rolat Day” in the City of New York.
University of Warsaw, Honoring the Righteous, 2015
On April 18, 2015, Rolat spoke at a March of the Living event at the University of Warsaw honoring Survivors, Liberators, and Righteous Among the Nations. In his speech to students from around the world, he advocated for the building of a monument to the Righteous Among the Nations in Warsaw. He said: “We will say thank you properly and in years long from now your children will come here and they will also see that monument to thank those who saved us..”
International March of the Living, 2015
On April 16, 2015, Sigmund Rolat was the guest of honor at the International March of the Living memorial ceremony in Auschwitz-Birkenau on Holocaust Remembrance Day. His eloquent speech delivered to approx 10,000 young people and survivors appeared in both Polish and English media and was reprinted in more than 50 newspapers all over the world.
In his speech, Sigmund Rolat stated that he had no choice but to remember the Holocaust, but challenged the young people - who do have a choice - to also remember, giving them four reasons to do so: solidarity with those who survived, the simple decency of keeping alive the memory of the victims by mourning their loss, and fear that this might happen again to others unless we learn from history. He concluded his remarks with a fourth reason to remember: gratitude “to those Poles who – like my Elka – risked their lives to save Jews from the chimneys of Auschwitz. From the ghetto walls of Czestochowa. From the abyss. And our gratitude toward them is the fourth reason to remember.”
Read the full speech at: http://www.cjnews.com/international/comment-why-we-must-choose-remember
92 Street Y, New York City, 2014
On December 3, 2014, Sigmund Rolat, Joshua Bell and Budd Mishkin took part in a discussion following the screening of "The Return of the Violin". The documentary film, sponsored by Rolat, chronicles the journey of the Gibson ex-Huberman Stradivarius now owned and played by Bell.
Watch the discussion here: The Return of the Violin with Sigmund Rolat, Joshua Bell and Budd Mishkin - 92Y On Demand
Toronto's Holocaust Education Week, 2014
On November 8, 2014, Sigmund Rolat spoke at the Toronto premiere of the "Return of the Violin", as part of Toronto’s Holocaust Education Week.
"We opened the Museum on the 28th (of October, 2014) 10 days ago. It was a wonderful, wonderful opening. I certainly am now so happy that really the most important task of my life which was Polin, The Museum of the History of Polish Jews [is completed] and that young people on the March of the Living who are coming to Poland will no longer see only the Auschwitz and Treblinka camps - they will also find out about [our] glorious, glorious thousand years in Poland and how much we accomplished in those days."
Musical Piece Composed in Honour of Sigmund Rolat
After the premiere of the “Return of the Violin”, 14 year old Tali Katz, a granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, composed “Six”, inspired by the bravery of Sigmund Rolat, as the only member of his immediate family to survive the Holocaust.
Family and personal
Sigmund Rolat has three children: Geoffrey, Samantha and Amanda. He is a proud grandfather of Sara, Henry, Maya and David. On March 2, 2013, Sigmund Rolat and his grandson Henry celebrated their joined Bnai-Mitzvah in New York City.
Rolat lives in New York City and spends time in Bal Harbour, Florida. He travels the world, often visiting Poland, other European countries and Israel. He is an avid reader and a movie enthusiast. His favorite movie quote is "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship" from Casablanca (1942). He collects art, mostly Impressionist works.