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Zelkowicz (b. 1897) was the scion of a wealthy Hassidic family, and had been ordained as a rabbi by age 18, but he soon left the study hall, and became teacher, bookkeeper and writer. He wrote short stories, folk tales, humorous pieces, plays, literary studies, reportage and articles. His pieces on Jewish folklore and history were published in newspapers and literary supplements in Poland and America. He became a member of the executive board of YIVO, the Institute for Jewish Research, and joined the staff in Lodz.When he was deported to Auschwitz in August 1944, the rich amount of research and copious notes that he took with him disappeared with him, but 27 notebooks remained behind in the Lodz Ghetto. His personal diary and the variety of articles that he wrote reflect the diversity and richness of his writings even under conditions of extreme physical deprivation and present a moving document of the nightmarish days with great precision and vivid details.