Salamo Arouch
Salamo Arouch | |
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Born | Salamon Arouch January 1, 1923 |
Died | April 26, 2009 | (aged 86)
Nationality | Greek and Israeli |
Other names | The Ballet Dancer |
Statistics | |
Weight(s) | Lightweight, Welterweight, Middleweight |
Height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
Stance | Southpaw |
Salamo Arouch (
Biography
Salamo Arouch was born in 1923,
Entertainment at Auschwitz-Birkenau
In 1943, Arouch and his family were transported by boxcar and interned in German Nazi Auschwitz-Birkenau
According to Arouch, he was undefeated at Auschwitz, though two matches he was forced to fight while recovering from dysentery ended in draws.[6] Lodged with the other fighters forced to participate in these matches and paid in extra food or lighter work, Salamo fought 208 matches in his estimation,[8] knowing that prisoners who lost would be sent to the gas chamber or shot.[5] Fights generally lasted until one fighter went down or the Nazis got tired of watching.[8] Arouch claimed he weighed about 135 pounds and often fought much larger men. Once, he finished off a 250-pound opponent in only 18 seconds.[8]
Release from the concentration camps
Though Arouch survived the war, being released from Auschwitz on January 17, 1945, his parents and siblings did not. In 1945, he was transferred to Bergen-Belsen, where he worked performing slave labor until the allies liberated the camp.[9][4][5] During a search for family at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in April, 1945, he met Marta Yechiel, a 17-year-old survivor from his own hometown.[4] With Yechiel, he immigrated to Israel and settled in Tel Aviv, where he managed a shipping firm.[4][10] Arouch and Yechiel wed in November 1945 and raised a family of four.[4]
After the war he gave inspirational speeches. Arouch's undefeated boxing record (1937–1955) ended on June 8, 1955, when he was knocked out in four rounds by Italy's Amleto Falcinelli in Tel Aviv.[9]
Work on the biographical film, Triumph of the Spirit
Arouch was a consultant on the movie, Triumph of the Spirit, the 1989 dramatic reenactment of his early life.[10] He accompanied filmmakers several times on an emotional return to the concentration camp where large portions of the film were actually produced.[5] The film takes some artistic liberties with the biographical details of his life, including the renaming of his wife and placing her in his story prior to internment.[5]
After the movie came out, another Jewish boxer from Salonika, Jacques "Jacko" Razon, sued Arouch and the filmmakers for more than $20 million claiming that they had stolen his story and that Arouch had exaggerated his exploits. The case was later settled for US$30,000.[8]
Arouch lived in Tel Aviv, Bat Yam and Rishon LeZion and died on April 26, 2009. He had been weakened by a stroke he suffered around 1994 and had been in declining health for six months prior to his death.[9]
Professional boxing record (career highlights)
Result | Record | Opponent | Method | Date | Round | Time | Event | Location | Notes |
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Loss | Amleto Falcinelli | KO | 1955 Jun 08 | 4 | Tel Aviv, Israel | ||||
Win | Klaus Silber [11] | KO | 1944 | 1 | occupied Poland
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Win | Unknown Pole | KO | 1943 Mar | 1 | occupied Poland
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Win | Unknown Czechoslovak | KO | 1943 Mar | 1 | 0:18 | occupied Poland
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Win | Chaim | KO | 1943 Mar | 3 | occupied Poland
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Win | Artino | KO | 1939 | 2 | Thessalonica, Greece
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Win | Papadopoulos | KO | 1939 | 1 | Thessalonica, Greece
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Win | Anagnos | KO | 1937 | 1 | Thessalonica, Greece
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Win | Christodoulou | KO | 1937 | 1 | Thessalonica, Greece
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Win | Thouvenin | KO | 1937 | 1 | Thessalonica, Greece
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See also
- List of Jewish athletes
- Sports in Israel
References
- ^ Barak, Roy (2009-04-30). "Auschwitz Inmate Who Survived by Boxing Dies Aged 86". Haaretz. Retrieved 2013-10-06.
- ^ Hevesi, Dennis (May 3, 2009). "Salamo Arouch, Who Boxed for His Life in Auschwitz, Is Dead at 86". The New York Times. Retrieved May 4, 2009.
- ISBN 0-06-054240-3.
The movie was based on the true story of Salamo Arouch, a Greek Jew who was sent to Auschwitz during World War II and literally had to fight for his life in boxing matches with other concentration camp inmates.
- ^ a b c d e f g Schindehette, Susan; Jack Kelley; Mira Avrech (1990-02-19). "Boxer Salamo Arouch's Death Camp Bouts End in a Triumph of the Spirit". People Magazine. 33 (7). Retrieved 2008-11-22.
- ^ a b c d e Taliabue, John (1989-05-14). "Fighting for life itself in a Nazi boxing ring". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
- ^ a b c Berger, Phil (1989-12-18). "Prisoner in the ring". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
- ^ Hevesi, Dennis (2009-05-04). "Salamo Arouch, Who Boxed for His Life in Auschwitz, Is Dead at 86". The New York Times.
- ^ a b c d Schudel, Matt (May 1, 2009). "Boxer Fought for His Life at Auschwitz". The Washington Post. p. B5.
- ^ a b c Transferred to Bergen Belson in "Salamo Arouch, 86; Survived Auschwitz by Boxing", The Arizona Republic, reprinted from the Los Angeles Times, Phoenix, Arizona, p. 14, May 5, 2009
- ^ a b Travers, Peter (1989). "Triumph of the Spirit". Rolling Stone. No. 570. Archived from the original on November 20, 2007. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
- ^ "Salamo Arouch Obituary". The Telegraph. 1 May 2009. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
External links
- Salamo Arouch-Daily Telegraph obituary
- Salamo Arouch biography at Box Rec
- Boxing record for Salamo Arouch from BoxRec (registration required)