Thon, Albert

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THON, ALBERT

THON, ALBERT (1899–1942), Polish lawyer, author, and public worker. Born in Lemberg (Lvov), Thon was a founder of the Zionist youth movement in Austrian-ruled Galicia. After World War i, within the framework of the *American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, he worked for the rehabilitation of Polish Jews affected by the war. He also participated in the elaboration of aid programs for emigration, such as the establishment of a bank for emigration purposes. In 1922 Thon moved to Lodz, where he became a Zionist leader and was active among the Jewish intelligentsia. With the advent of Hitler, he devoted himself to the organization of the anti-Nazi *boycott, especially in industry. In his capacity as a lawyer, he defended Jews accused of political offenses and published books on law. Arrested by the Gestapo in 1939 because of anti-Nazi activities, he escaped to Lvov in 1941, but was captured a year later and sent to a death camp.

[Moshe Landau]