Search and Research 41

Jan Gadomski (1876–1943) served as mayor of Otwock, a beautiful town and spa near Warsaw, from May 1937 until March 1943. During World War II he was subordinate to the Kreishauptmann (county governor) of Warsaw County, Hermann Rupprecht. Gadomski took Rupprecht’s directives very seriously and implemented them arbitrarily. Furthermore, he played an important role in the persecution and deportation of the Jews of Otwock. Indeed, both Rupprecht’s antisemitic expectations and Gadomski’s own antisemitic outlook shaped the conduct of the local administration, affecting the everyday lives of the Jewish residents of his town during the German occupation. This paper explores Gadomski’s administrative activities, analyzing his correspondence with the county governor, Jewish council, German and Polish police, and other relevant institutions.