Bialystok most famous son. Albert Sabin or Ludwig Zamenhof

Some on this forum have suggested Zamenhof to be Bialystoks most famous son, I would disagree as Esperanto died before it could succeed, although a great idea in principle, in reality it did not reach the finish line. On the other hand Albert Sabin the co creator of the oral Polio vaccine, created a product which is still being used today and has saved many lives the world over. Before the anti-Semitic rhetoric begins both Sabin and Zamenhof are of Jewish heritage.

Sabin +1

Indeed, plainfacts. Numerous Poles of Jewish heritage have made stellar contributions to world culture, among them those you mention above, also Josef Hofmann (whom experts consider superior even to Horowitz and Rubinstein, on a par with Liszt or Dinu Lipatti, the latter among recording artists), Casimir Funk, Stanislaw Bem, Selman Waxman etc....

Nice thread post, thanks!

Zamenhof is the city's most famous son, but Sabin most probably deserves to be more famous than Zamenhof.


As was the city's other best known son, the painter Max Webber.

Believe "Weber" has only one "b" in the US, although the name could easily be confused with that of the eminent German sociologist, and most assuredly NOT Jewish:-)

Yes, you're right. But Max Weber is certainly one of Bialystok's most famous son and was also certainly born a Polish Jew.

Well, obviously!! Whom did you think I meant? Not only BORN a Jew, but remained an identifiable Jew throughout his life, rather unlike Hofmann, Funk or many others.

:-)

Typical Jewish names - not.
How is your Hebrew?

"Typical(-ly) Jewish names, [aren't they]?" - Nooo, they're not!

Ahemm, the great Viennese archictect and designer "Josef Hoffmann" was an Austrian gentile, "Funk" as a family name is pure German (means "iskra" or "spark" in English:)), and "Bem" is Polish, if I'm not mistaken:-)

My Hebrew stinks. How about your Latin?
lol