THE JEWS IN CZĘSTOCHOWA BEFORE THE SECOND WORLD WAR

JEWISH POPULATION

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5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

1806 1827 1840 1857 1862 1900 1921 1939

History It’s hard to determine the beginning

of the Jewish settlement in Częstochowa, however propably the first Jews appeared here about 1700. Probably, during the reign of King Stanislaus Poniatowski, the Jews were already marking their presence in Czestochowa. There is information that in 1765 in the city there lived 51 jewish families, that worked as traders.

Before the World War II the Jews were 20% of residents(population) of Częstochowa.

Synagogue, The Wilson Street

Synagogue, The Nadrzeczna Street

Israelite Hospital

The situation of the Jews started to improve after 1793, when the city became part of the Prussian partition. In 1798 an independent Jewish community and a year later there was established the Jewish cemetery in the city. In 1806 a Jewish school was opened. In 1827, the first Jewish factories appeared. Poor Jews from the surrounding villages began arriving to the city in search of jobs. They had no legal right to live in Częstochowa and lived in fear of deportation. In 1828, David Gutenberg opened first Jewish manufacture in Czestochowa. Hertz Chairman of the kahal resisted the efforts of progressive Con Częstochowa Jews seeking to open a private Jewish school. Many of the richest Jews had high level of education, acquired in the western universities. Jews living in Czestochowa wanted to perform progressive reforms in the city. In 1841, in Czestochowa, there were many Jewish weaving workshops, which employed about 200 journeymen. In most of the foremen were German Jews. They automatically exerted a strong influence on the local culture. Richer Jews called themselves "the locals", as opposed to the poor who were called "strangers". It caused that many Jews emigrated in search of work to other cities.

The Frank’s House

The New Market

The Old Market 

The New Market– afar off is Jasna Góra Monastery

In the 50s of the nineteenth century there were built two spoons factory, a printing factory, a match factory, a metal products factory, a hosiery factory, paper mills, textile plants. Around the factories Jewish department stores, agencies, magazines mushroomed.

Czestochowa Jewish community was highly diverse. Social and financial wealth of the family could be easily identified by

their place of residence.

The Old Synagouge

During the January Uprising, September 8, 1862 in Czestochowa there was a patriotic demonstration, attended by Poles and Jews, calling together to throw off the Russian yoke. As a result, tsarist colonel gave the order to plunder and burn the Old Town.

The development of industry in Czestochowa caused the city in increasing numbers flocked Jews from surrounding towns and villages .. Most of the Jews were engaged in commerce or worked in industry or finance.

In the city there were Jewish schools. In 1912, in Czestochowa they began

to publish a newspaper in Yiddish "Reklamen Deck". The first local Jewish newspaper "Czenstochower Tageblat" was released in 1914In the years 1899-1909 the New Synagogue was built at. Wilson 16. End of World War I brought the rebirth of the Polish state. City Czestochowa entered the Polish part. The Jews of Częstochowa had a great hope in the reborn Polish state

However, in 1919, in Czestochowa there occured anti-Jewish riots .Tzaddik Yitzhak Meir Justman became the head of the Hasidic community in

Czestochowa

In 1935 in Czestochowa worked a lot of Jewish workshops - they completely dominated the textile industry, leather and foodstuffs. Also, half of the shops in the town was Jewish.Częstochowa Jews were also very active in cultural and social.

On 21 February 1937, the Polish political organization Camp of National Unity announced its declaration, which was anti-Jewish. The signs of this were, among others, the facts that the Jews were not allowed to be members of the organization and an open call for a boycott of Jewish trade.

June 19, 1937, in Czestochowa, there was a pogrom of Jews. Polish nationalist militias destructed Jewish shops, workshops and housing, pillaging and destroyed private property. State police behaved at the same passivity. As a result of the pogrom, some Jews were wounded, and a lot of Jewish families suffered damage. Vandalized shops, apartments and a synagogue was set on fire.

Jewish national minority is living among us and still continues in their culture and tradition.

The Jewish Star

Menora