World Jewish Congress

Kalman Sultanik was born in Miechow in 1917. He studied at the Cracow University, at the University of Economics in Tel Aviv, and at the Columbia University In New York. Later he took up the study of law and graduated from LaSalle University in Chicago.

Before World War II he was active in Jewish communal and Zionist activities. During the war he participated in the underground activities against the Nazi oppresors. He was deported to a concentration camp in Plaszow, Poland. He was subsequently transferred to a camp in Dresden, Germany, and then sent on a death march to Therezinstadt, from where he was liberated in 1945.

In 1946 he organized the General Zionist movement in Germany. He was elected Zionist delegate to the 22nd World Zionist Congress held in Basle in 1946 representing the D.P. camps in Germany. He initiated an aid program for support of the Jewish survivors. Through it he helped a number of Jews to get to Israel.

In 1947 he was elected to serve on the Central Committee of Liberated Jews in Munich, Germany. He was active in numerous Zionist organizations: General Zionist Constructive Funde - as Secretary General (appointed in 1948), World Confederation of General Zionists in Israel - as Secretary General (appointed in 1949) and Executive Director (in 1952), the World Confederation of United Zionists - co-President (elected in 1972), the Zionist General Council, the ruling body of the World Zionist Organization - member (elected in 1956), the Presidium of the Zionist General Council member (elected in 1961), the World Zionist Organization - member (elected in 1972, re-elected in 1978 and 1982). Since 1973 he has been a member of the Board of Directors of the United Israel Appeal. He is also Chairman of the Theodor Herzl Foundation.

In 1977 he was elected Vice President of the World Jewish Congress. In 1980 he was elected President of the Federation of Polish Jews in the US. In the years 1981-1991 he served as a member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council. There he chaired the Committee on Anti-Semitism. He was appointed a member of the Executive Committee of Holocaust Council under Elie Wiesel, and nominated by Professor Wiesel to the Holocaust Museum committee. In 1988 he was appointed member of the International Council of the Auschwitz Museum by the Polish government, and served as its Vice Chairman. As a Chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee of the Auschwitz Museum he managed to raise approximately $30 million from European governments for the preservation of Auschwitz. In 1995 he was awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of the Rebirth of Poland.

Nowadays Sultanik is a lecturer and contributor to numerous publications both in the United States and abroad. Presently he performs three functions: the Chairman of the WZO American Section, Vice Chairman of the United Israel Appeal and Vice President of the World Jewish Congress.

About the World Jewish Congress

Kalman Sultanik