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'''Joseph Zaretzki''' (March 9, 1900 - December 20, 1981) was an American lawyer and politician from [[New York]]. He was [[Majority Leader of the New York State Senate]] in 1965, the only [[United States Democratic Party|Democrat]] in this position since the adoption of the [[New York State Constitution]] of 1938 until [[Malcolm Smith (US politician)|Malcolm Smith]] attained the position in 2009. 

==Life==
He was born on March 9, 1900, in [[New York City]]. He served in the [[United States Army]] during [[World War I]].

In November 1947, he was elected to the [[New York State Senate]], to fill the vacancy caused by the appointment of [[Alexander A. Falk]] as Civil Service Commissioner.<ref>[http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F50F12F83A5E17738DDDA10994D9415B8788F1D3 ''Senator Zaretzki Is Sworn''] in the ''[[New York Times]]'' on November 18, 1947</ref> Zaretzki represented the [[Washington Heights, Manhattan|Washington Heights]] area of [[Manhattan]] from 1948 to 1974, sitting in the [[166th New York State Legislature|166th]], [[167th New York State Legislature|167th]], [[168th New York State Legislature|168th]], [[169th New York State Legislature|169th]], [[170th New York State Legislature|170th]], [[171st New York State Legislature|171st]], [[172nd New York State Legislature|172nd]], [[173rd New York State Legislature|173rd]], [[174th New York State Legislature|174th]], [[175th New York State Legislature|175th]], [[176th New York State Legislature|176th]], [[177th New York State Legislature|177th]], [[178th New York State Legislature|178th]], [[179th New York State Legislature|179th]]  and [[180th New York State Legislature]]s. He was the Democratic Minority Leader from 1957 to 1964, and from 1966 to 1974.

In 1965, the Democratic Party achieved for the only time since 1938 a majority in the State Senate, but the Democratic senators were divided in two factions, 15 senators allied with [[Mayor of New York City]] [[Robert F. Wagner, Jr.]], and 18 senators allied with [[U.S. Senator]] [[Robert F. Kennedy]]. After a month of deadlock, Zaretzki - the long-time Minority Leader and Wagner's candidate - was elected Majority Leader on February 3 with the votes of the Wagner men and the [[United States Republican Party|Republicans]] who had voted for [[Earl W. Brydges]], but were urged by Governor [[Nelson A. Rockefeller]] to end the deadlock.<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,840524,00.html?promoid=googlep] His election to the majority leadership, in TIME Magazine on February 12, 1965</ref>

He died on December 20, 1981, in Beth Abraham Hospital in [[the Bronx]].<ref>[http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB081FFE395C0C728EDDAB0994D9484D81] Obit in NYT on December 21, 1981 (subscription required)</ref>

==Sources==
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{{succession box | title = [[New York State Senate]] <br>23rd District | before = [[Alexander A. Falk]] | years = 1948–1965 | after = [[Irwin R. Brownstein]]}}
{{succession box | title = [[New York State Senate]] <br>32nd District | before = [[Royden A. Letsen]] | years = 1966 | after = [[Abraham Bernstein (NY Senator)|Abraham Bernstein]]}}
{{succession box | title = [[New York State Senate]] <br>28th District | before = ? | years = 1967–1972 | after = [[Sidney A. von Luther]]}}
{{succession box | title = [[New York State Senate]] <br>29th District | before = [[Robert García]] | years = 1973–1974 | after = [[Franz S. Leichter]]}}
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{{succession box | title = Minority Leader in the [[New York State Senate]] | before = [[Francis J. Mahoney]] | after = [[Earl W. Brydges]] | years = 1957–1964}}
{{succession box | title = [[Majority Leader of the New York State Senate|Temporary President of the State Senate]] | before = [[Walter J. Mahoney]] | after = [[Earl W. Brydges]] | years = 1965}}
{{succession box | title = Minority Leader in the [[New York State Senate]] | before = [[Earl W. Brydges]] | after = [[Manfred Ohrenstein]] | years = 1966–1974}}
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{{MajorityLeaderNYSSenate}}

{{Persondata 
| NAME              = Zaretzki, Joseph
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = American politician
| DATE OF BIRTH     = March 9, 1900
| PLACE OF BIRTH    = [[New York City]]
| DATE OF DEATH     = December 20, 1981
| PLACE OF DEATH    = [[The Bronx]]
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zaretzki, Joseph}}
[[Category:1900 births]]
[[Category:1981 deaths]]
[[Category:New York State Senators]]
[[Category:People from Manhattan]]
[[Category:Majority Leaders of the New York State Senate]]
[[Category:New York Democrats]]