Tibor Rosenbaum | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 2, 1923 |
| Died | October 23, 1980 (aged 56) |
| Burial place | Har HaMenuchot |
| Occupation(s) | rabbi, businessman |
| Spouse | Stephanie Stern |
Pinchas Tibor Rosenbaum (Yiddish: פנחס סג"ל ליטש ראזענבוים; 1923–1980) was a Hungarian-born Swiss Jewish rabbi and businessman and one of the heads of the Jewish community in Switzerland[1] who saved hundreds of Jews during The Holocaust.[2] After the war, he was involved in extensive businesses relating to the economy of Israel.[1] He was also instrumental in helping the new State of Israel with security issues and worked for the Mossad on intelligence matters.[2]
Rosenbaum was born November 2, 1923 in Kisvárda.[3] He was the son of Rabbi Shmuel Shmelke Rosenbaum, Chief Rabbi of Kisvárda, son of Rabbi Moshe Chaim Rosenbaum who was also the Rabbi of Kisvárda and author of Lechem Rav (Hebrew: לחם רב). Their lineage went back to Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel.[2]
At age 18, he received semikhah (rabbinical ordination) from Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog.[3]
During The Holocaust, Rosenbaum saved hundreds of Jews while being disguised as a German SS officer, a soldier in the Hungarian Arrow Cross, or as a member of the Hungarian Levente, depending on the situation.[2]
After the war, he returned to Kisvárda, where there were now only 400 Jews instead of the 5,000 who lived there before the war. He was installed as the city's rabbi, replacing his late father. He married Stephanie Stern, who survived on the Kastner train that brought Jews from Budapest to Bergen-Belsen and then to Switzerland. The couple lived in Geneva. He earned a doctorate in economics and published two books.[2]
Rosenbaum died from a heart attack in Geneva on October 23, 1980, leaving behind his wife, two sons and a daughter.[1] He was buried on Har HaMenuchot.[2]
Soon after the establishment of Israel, Mr. Rosenbaum started an organization called "Helvis Company" to actively promote Israeli‐Swiss trade. A decade later, Helvis was alleged to have given kickbacks into a special fund of the National Religious party to obtain contracts from the Ministry of Health in connection with two hospitals near Tel Aviv.
Together with his friend Bernard Cornfeld, Rosenbaum founded the Banque De Credit International Genève in Geneva in 1959, which went bankrupt in 1976, combined with a considerable loss of prestige for the Hessische Landesbank, which was most recently closely associated with it. Rosenbaum originally financed arms purchases for Israel through the bank. For the major organized crime figure Meyer Lansky, who first met Rosenbaum in 1965, the bank also opened a connection to Israel.
In 1963, its board of directors was composed of Pierre Audéoud (Chair), Samuel Scheps (Deputy Chair), Jacques Leimbacher (Assistant Director), Chaim Haller (Deputy) and Tibor Rosenbaum. Sylvain Ferdman, who was BCI's office manager in Geneva, acted as "money courier" for Meyer Lansky and other U.S. customers of the bank.
In 1973, it had two branches in Luxembourg and London. During its active time, it had deposits from 8,000 people of the Jewish community living in France.
According to Richard Gilbride's book "Matrix for Assassination: The JFK Conspiracy," the bank was responsible for handling up to 90% of the Israeli Defense Ministry's arms purchases.
The bank is also notable for Avner Less, the Adolf Eichmann interrogator, having worked there from 1968 to 1973.
It went into liquidation and was deleted from the Swiss commercial register in 2011.
