Zgierz, Poland

Memorial Book Zgierz
(Poland)

51°51' / 19°25'

Translation of
Sefer Zgierz, mazkeret netsach le-kehila yehudit be-Polin

Edited by: David Shtockfish (Sztokfisz), Sh Kanc, Z. Fisher

Published in Tel Aviv, 1975-86

Acknowledgments

Project Coordinator

Jerrold Jacobs

Translations

Jerrold Landau

This is a translation from: Sefer Zgierz, mazkeret netsach le-kehila yehudit be-Polin,
Memorial book Zgierz, ed David Shtockfish (Sztokfisz), Sh Kanc, Z. Fisher. Tel Aviv, Zgierz Society, 1975-86

Note: The original book can be seen online at the NY Public Library site: Zgierz

Purchase details for a printed copy of this translation can be found at http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/ybip/YBIP_Zgierz.html

This material is made available by JewishGen, Inc. and the Yizkor Book Project for the purpose of
fulfilling our mission of disseminating information about the Holocaust and destroyed Jewish communities.
This material may not be copied, sold or bartered without JewishGen, Inc.'s permission. Rights may be reserved by the copyright holder.

JewishGen, Inc. makes no representations regarding the accuracy of the translation. The reader may wish to refer to the original material for verification.
JewishGen is not responsible for inaccuracies or omissions in the original work and cannot rewrite or edit the text to correct inaccuracies and/or omissions.
Our mission is to produce a translation of the original work and we cannot verify the accuracy of statements or alter facts cited.

Note from the Translator:
I have indicated which items are in Hebrew and which are in Yiddish by including an H or Y in parenthesis after the title of the entry.
If the Yiddish was apparently a direct translation of a Hebrew section, I indicated that with an asterisk and the page number following the Y – i.e. (Y * 125), means that the item is in Yiddish, and is a translation of the Hebrew item on page 125. There were very few such overlapping items in this book.
On a few occasions, the item apparently consists of both Hebrew and Yiddish. In such cases, I indicated both.
In some cases, I was unable to identify from the title whether the article is in Hebrew or Yiddish. I indicated my most likely guess, and put a question mark following. This occurs most frequently in the biographical section, where the titles often consisted of only names. In such cases, the spelling sometimes gives an indication as to the language, however, in other cases, it was not possible to tell.
I translated this Table of Contents without the benefit of having the entire Yizkor Book in front of me, so in a few cases, I may have made a mistake in identifying the language.

Jerrold Landau

Polish Translation

Translation from English to Polish

Prepared by Zuzanna Gruszecka and the project coordinator is Mazenna Gruszecka

A. History of the City
Zgierz in Historical Sources (H)	17
Zgierz in Historical Sources (Y *17)	22
History of Jews in Zgierz until 1862 by A. Wolfe Yasni (Y)	28
The Ancient History of the City and its Development	28
When Did Jews Settle in Zgierz?	29
The First “Project” Regarding a Jewish Precinct in Zgierz	34
Liberal Rights for Immigrating Germans, and Restrictions for Jews	36
The Economic Situation of the Jews of Zgierz in the Year 1822 and the Ongoing Struggle for the Rights to Settle in the City	42
The Organized Jewish Community of Zgierz	51
The First Rabbi in Zgierz	52
The Persistent Struggle of the Jews for the Right to Live in all of the Streets of Zgierz	54
The Struggle to Expand the Jewish Quarter	59
The Living Restrictions of the Jews of Zgierz	62
The Development of the Jewish Quarter and the Situation in the City	65
The Struggle of the Zgierz committee with the Local Authorities for a Place to Erect the First Synagogue	68
The Activity of English Missionaries During that Time	70
The Ban Against Erecting “Posts With Taught Wire” in the Jewish Quarter	71
The Zgierz Civic Committee for Expanding the Jewish Quarter	71
The Supervisory Authorities Struggle Against the Jews who Settled Outside of the Quarter in Zgierz	73
The Struggle For Rights of Residency Outside (Extra) the Quarter	75
The Zgierz Civic Committee for the Rights of Jews of Means to Live Outside (Extra) the Quarter	77
The Zgierz Magistrate is in Favor of Expanding the Jewish Quarter	81
The Project of the Zgierz Magistrate to Enlarge the Jewish Quarter	93
The Ordinance of Czar Alexander II Regarding the Expansion of the Jewish Quarter	96
The Continuing Struggle of Jews for Full Rights of Residency in the City of Zgierz	99
Editor's Notes	100
Jews in Zgierz in the Latter Half of the 19^th and Beginning of the 20^th Centuries by Avraham Wein (Y)	101
Composition of the Communal Leadership (Dozor Boznicki) of Zgierz in the years 1824-1857 (Y)	121
My Hometown at the End of the 19^thCentury by Leon Lifschitz (Y)	122
A View into Zgierz and the Life of its Jews from the Community Annals From the years 1915-1930 (Edited by Y. A. Malchieli) (H)	125
A View into Zgierz and the Life of its Jews from the Community Annals From the years 1915-1930 (Edited by Y. A. Malchieli) (Y *125)	141
Members of the Chevra Kadisha (Burial Society), Trustees and Workers(H)	162
A Cantorial Committee which Sang and Recited by W. F. (Y)	164
The Yeshiva “Yagdil Torah” of Zgierz (H)	165
Documents Relate (H & Y)	167

B. The Development of Jewish Zgierz
Zgierz Through the Perspective of Passing Years by Yaakov Cohen (brought to print by Z. F. and Y. A. M.) (H)	187
Zgierz and Kotzk by Yaakov Kirshenbaum (H)	203
Zgierz Brings Honor to the Jewish Entrepreneurial Spirit by A. Litwin (Y)	205
The Synagogue and Study Hall (Beis Midrash) of Zgierz by Rabbi Shimon Huberband (Y)	211
The Weaver (Y & H)	216
The Textile Industry in Zgierz in 1936 by David Baum (Y)	217
From the Cloth Maker's Group (and Card Makers) Prior to the Handworker's Club by Y. L. Weinstein (Y)	224
Dyers in Zgierz by Chaya Sperling Halperin (H)	227
Our Commissioners by Fabian Greenberg (Y)	228
The Struggle for Jewish Work and Jewish Manufacturing by Y. Sczaransky (Y)	229
About Jewish Employment in Zgierz by F. (Y)	233
My Ten Years in Zgierz by Menachem (Manes) Angel (H)	234
The Change of a Generation by Pinchas Bizberg (Y)	235
My Old Good Home by Grand (Y)	256
The First Charitable Fund by W. F. (Y)	257
Two Important Jewish Institutions by Yaakov Cincinatus (Y)	259
The Jewish Orphanage of Zgierz by Chana Sczaransky (Y)	262
In the Presence of my Teacher and Rabbi, Rabbi Rafael Henech Blostein of blessed memory by F. Ben-Srok (H)	264
My Teachers and Educators in Zgierz by F. Ben-Sira	267
Reb Yaakov the son of Yaakov Milichovitzki of blessed memory by Y. A. Malchieli (H)	271
Reb Wolf Leib Haltrecht (Ohev Tzedek ^[1]) by W. Fisher (H)	273
The Businessman's Synagogue of Zgierz by F. Greenberg-Green (Y)	275
In the Businessman's Synagogue of Zgierz by Dr. Jacob Eichner (Y)	276
Jewish Elementary Schools in Zgierz by Sara Katz (H)	277
A Ruined Lag Baomer by Yitzchak Sczaransky (Y)	280
The David Frischman Jewish Library by W. Fisher (Y & H)	282
The Zamir Literary and Musical Club by W. F. (Y)	289
The Dramatic Circle by Abu-Arieh (Y)	293
The Symphonia Singing Group by W. F. (Y)	294
The Zionist Federation (“Agudat Hatzionim”) in Zgierz by Yosef Katz and Yehuda Weinstein (H)	295
The Young People's Group and Young Zionists by Yosef Katz (H)	299
The Mizrachi Organization of Zgierz by Yehoshua Berliner (Baniel) (H)	301
Agudas Yisrael and its Institutions by F. S. (H)	303
“Maccabee” by Y. Weinstein and D. Berger (Y ?)	309
The “Dvora” Zionist Women's Group by Rachel Sperling Szpiro (H)	317
The Jewish Scout Organization of Zgierz by L. Rubinstein (Y)	318
The Hashomer Hatzair Youth Organization of Zgierz by Chaya Sperling-Halperin and Rafael Katz (H)	322
The Hitachdut Zionist Worker's Group by W. Fisher and David Berger(H)	326
Gordonia by Y. Sh. (H ?)	329
About Gordonia by Yisrael Chaimowitz (H)	331
The Revisionist Faction of Zgierz by Mordechai the son of Reb Yaakov Glazer (H)	331
Hechalutz by Chaya Halperin and Yaakov Lewin (H ?)	335
Borochov Kibbutz by Yitzchak Sczaransky (Y)	337
The Bund by Vove (Y)	340
The Comparty in Zgierz ^[2] by A. Y. (Y)	342

C. Personalities and Characters
Rabbi Shalom Tzvi Hakohen of blessed memory by Rabbi A. Y. Brumberg and other sources (H)	345
The Second Rabbi of Zgierz, Rabbi Tzvi Hakohen of blessed memory by Rabbi A. Y. Brumberg and other sources (H)	355
Rabbi Shlomo Yehuda Leib Hakoen of blessed memory by Rabbi A. Y. Brumberg and other sources (H)	357
The First Rabbi, Rabbi Shalom Tzvi Hakohen of blessed memory by Rabbi A. Y. Brumberg and other sources (Y *345)	363
The Last Rabbi, Reb Shlomo Yehuda Leib HaKohen of blessed memory	365
The Rabbi and Teacher Rabbi Yechiel Michel Elberg of blessed memory and His Son Rabbi Avraham Natan of blessed memory by Yehuda Elberg (H)	367
Rabbi Yitzchak Mendel Hakohen of blessed memory by F. S. (H)	371
The House of the Admor Rabbi Shmuel Bornstein of Sochaczew of blessed memory (from the Book of Sochaczew) (H)^[3]	374
The House of the Admor Rabbi Menachem Mendel Landau of Strikow of blessed memory by F. Sirkes (H)	377
Rabbi Avraham Yaakov Weisenfeld of blessed memory by Y. A. M. (H)	379
Reb Tovia Lifschitz of blessed memory by W. F. (H)	383
Reb Tovia Lifschitz by Aryeh Lifschitz (H)	387
The Writer and Poet David Frischman by Y. A. M. (H)	388
My Father Yissachar Moshe Schwartz by Shmuel Schwartz (Y)	392
Reb Yissachar Moshe Schwartz of blessed memory by Y. A. M. (H)	402
Someone in a City by W. F.(Y)	406
The Poem of my Grandfather Yisachar Schwartz “Tshaika”) by Yeshayahu Spiegel(Y)	412
Shmuel Schwartz by A. Y. Brzezinski and other sources (H)	415
The House of Szpiro by A. Y. Sh. Hakohen (H)	418
The Eiger Family by Engineer Avraham Eiger (Y)	421
The Industrialist – the Poet by Z. Fisher and Y. A. Malchieli (H)	428
Akiva (Karol) Eiger by Y. L. Weinstein and W. Fisher (Y ?)	432
Reb Yaakov Binyamin and his Son Yitzchak Katznelson by Tzipora Katznelson Nachumov (Y)	436
The Poet and Writer Yaakov Cohen by Y. A. M. (H)	439
The Poet Yaakov Cohen by Y. Avishuv (Y)	445
Reb Mordechai Shmuel Cudkowicz by Yaakov Cohen (H ?)	448
The Sirkes Family by F. Abba (H)	449
The Boaz Family by Avraham Boaz (H)	456
The Greenberg Family by Fabian Greenberg (H)	459
Fabian Greenberg-Green by Z. Fisher (Y ?)	461
The Reichert Family by Tamar Itinson-Reichert (H)	464
My Grandfather Reb Fishel Bunim Hollander by David Wechsler (Y)	473
Rabbi Mendel Wechsler may his blood be avenged by David Wechsler and other sources (H)	476
Reb Aharon Yosef Berger by Z. Ben Shimon (H)	479
Reb Fishel Russ by Yitzchak Sczaransky (Y ?)	481
Reb Avraham Klorfeld by Yoav Katz (H)	482
Zalman Feldscher by Yitzchak Sczaransky (Y)	483
Yaakov Berliner-Baniel by Y. D. Beit-Halevi and other sources (H)	484
Menachem Berliner by Yehoshua Manoach (H)	486
Reb Henech Ehrzan by P. S. (Y)	494
Reb Yosef Bialystoczki by P. S. (Y)	494
Avraham Chaim Michelson by P. S. (Y)	495
Avraham Morganstern by Fabian Greenberg-Green (Y)	495
Reb Yehuda Leib Sczaransky by Hillel Zeidman (from the book “Eileh Ezkera”) (H)	497
Rabbi Meir Sczaransky from the Newspapers (H)	500
Rabbi Yitzchak Menachem Bornstein by David Eisenberg and Elimelech Hakohen Schwartz (H)	502
Rabbi Moshe Goldberg of blessed memory by A. Bornstein (H)	504
Chaya Bornstein Goldberg by Y. Lavie (H ?)	505
Aharon Cincinatus of blessed memory by Shmuel Shachar (H ?)	506
My Brother Aharon by Tala Cincinatus (Y)	506
Reb Yoshke Lewin by Y. Sh. (Y)	508
Machla Wransky (The Sky Gazer) by Vove (Y)	509
Chava-Itta by Yitzchak Sczaransky (Y)	510
Yisrael Veinik from the Lexicon of the New Yiddish Literature and the Lerer Yizkor Book (Y)	511
Pinchas Bizberg from the Lexicon of the New Yiddish Literature and other sources (Y)	512
Pinchas Bizberg – a Writer and a Mentsch by Yaakov Piloyovski (Y)	513
“Riches is not the Main Thing” by Pinchas Bizberg (Y)	515
Lazo Waszasz-Sczaransky by Ch. L. Fuchs (Y)	517
Shia Zaklikovski by Y. A. (Y ?)	518
Yaakov Aharon the Water Carrier (Y)	519
Yoav Katz of blessed memory (H ?)	522
Menachem Mendel Zakon of blessed memory (H ?)	524
Leon Rubinstein by Mordechai Shtrigler and Dr. Sh. Margoshes (Y)	528
Rabbi Yechiel Zeltzer by F. Zeev (H)	529
Pinchas A. Sirkes from the Lexicon of the New Yiddish Literature and other sources (Y)	530
Yehuda Elberg from the Lexicon of the New Yiddish Literature and other sources (Y)	530

D. The Holocaust
A Dirge for my Nation! by Yoav Katz of blessed memory (H)	535
In One Day by W. F. (Y)	536
Jews of Zgierz Under the German Occupation by Danuta Dąbrwoska and Abraham Wein (Y)	537
The Synagogue is Burning! by Chaim-Zalman Russ (Y)	551
Jews of Zgierz in the Warsaw Ghetto by Mary Fisher-Fishman (Y)	553
This Must Also Be Written… by W. Ben Shimon (Y)	555
The Way of Martyrdom for a Jew of Zgierz by Arash Rozenstrauch of blessed memory (Y)	560
From Skiernewice to Monte Casino by Moshe Yaakov Grand (Y)	577
A Few Words About Yaakov Grand of blessed memory by W. Fisher (Y)	584
Herschel – One of the First Victims of the Nazi Murder by Abu Aryeh (Y)	585
Drops of Agony from the Sea of Destruction by Hela Goldberg-Finkelstein (H)	586
The Destruction of Zgierz by Rabbi Szymon Huberband (H)	588
The Germans of Zgierz Made Themselves Known by Yaakov (Y)	591
Jumping from the Death Wagon which was Travelling to Treblinka by Mordechai Grand (Y)	593
My Child… My Child… by W. Ben Shimon (Y)	600
The Miracle With My Child by Tamar (Tala) Cincinatus (Y)	601
My Two Friends from Zgierz in the Warsaw Ghetto by Hirsch Wasser (Y)	603
Our Family and Other Jews Were Saved by Shalom Tzvi Lasker (Y)	605
With The Germans and Russians in Postwar Poland by Dov Grand (Y)	609
Encounters With Zgierzers in Russia by Yitzchak Gotthelf (Y)	616
Sad Memories by Esther Gotthelf (Y)	617
In My Destroyed Home by Fabian Greenberg (Y)	618
For My Hometown Zgierz by Y. A. Malchieli (H)	631

E. Eternal Lights
A Memorial for the Souls – Of Our Neighbors and Those we Remember	641

F. The Survivors of Zgierz
Our Fellow Townsmen after the Holocaust by W. Fisher (Y)	769
Zgierz Natives in Israel by Zeev Fisher (H)	787

Errata (H & Y)	798

List of photographs
Index to the English translation of the Zgierz Yizkor Book

Translator's Footnotes
1. Certain well known rabbis are known by a pseudonym taken from their magnum opus. In this case, the book 'Ohev Tzedek' (literally 'Lover of Righteousness') would have given its name to the rabbi. Back
2. I am not sure what this refers to. Perhaps it is a short for the Communist Party. Back
3. This translation is posted on the Jewishgen Yizkor Book website as part of the Sochaczew project. It was translated by myself. Back

Yizkor Book Project JewishGen Home Page

Yizkor Book Director, Lance Ackerfeld
Emerita Yizkor Book Project Manager, Joyce Field z”l
Contact person for this translation Jerrold Jacobs
This web page created by Lance Ackerfeld