Újpest, Hungary

The History of Jews in Ujpest
(Újpest, Hungary)

47°34' / 19°05'

Translation of
Az Ujpesti Zsidóság Története

Editor: Dr. Laszlo Szilagy-Windt

Published in Tel Aviv 1975

Our sincere appreciation to Yad Vashem
for the submission of the necrology for placement on the JewishGen web site.

This is a translation of: Az Ujpesti Zsidóság Története (The History of Jews in Ujpest)
Editor: Dr. Laszlo Szilagy-Windt, Published: Tel Aviv 1975 (H, Hu 352 pages)

Note: The original book can be seen online at the NY Public Library site: Ujpest (1975)

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Translated by Andrew Lenard

Preface: By Professor Sándor Scheiber 9

Introductory: By Miklós Murányi, past rabbi of Ujpest 10

Introduction: By the author 11

Chapter I: History of the Jewish community, from the beginning of the settlement until the dedication of the second temple (1835 - 1886.
Master tanner Isaac Löwy from Nagysurány settles, along with his family and siblings, in the area named “Jewish Colony” where Ujpest originated, and there they built their leather factory and their residence. In 1836, members of the Neuschloss family established their carpentry business, their lumberyard enterprise, and their residence. These two families had a house of service and kept a prayer leader from 18936 onwards, for the inhabitants of the “Jewish colony” professing the Judaic faith. The Jewish Community was organized in 1838, with the first synagogue and cemetery been dedicated in 1839. The political community was founded in 1840, whose first leading officer and judge was Isaac Löwy, creator of the “Jewish colony,” the Ujpest village, respectively town. The first elementary school for Jewish pupils in the town was established the same year. In 1841, members of the Wolfner family settled there, they too built a leather processing plant in the new town. Jewish “honvéd soldiers” participated in the Hungarian War of Independence of 1848. Accomplishments of the rabbis of the original Jewish Community. Founding of the Women's Association. Founding of the autonomous Orthodox Jewish community. History of its activities. Dedication of the second synagogue.
17

Chapter II: History of the original Jewish community from the dedication of the second synagogue to the death of Rabbi Dr. Lajos Venetianer. (1886 - 1922)
From the resignation of Rabbi Albert Stern-Szerényi until 1896, the rabbinate was not occupied, instead Salomon Scheiber and Isaac-Zwi Schwartz substituted in taking care of religious duties. In 1896, Dr.Lajos Venetianer was elected rabbi for the original community. The clerical activities and works of Rabbi Dr.Lajos Venetianer. Cultural and religious institutions created by the original. community. Life and struggles of the Jewish community during World War I and as a consequence of events following it.
37

Chapter III: History of the original community from the death of Rabbi Dr.Lajos Venetianer until the deportation of Ujpest Jewry. (1924 - 1944)
Activities of Rabbi Dr.Mór Lichtmann. Activities and works of Rabbi Dr.Dénes Friedman, and his martyrdom. Era of terror.
Ujpest's martyrs of the first deportations from Hungary (KEOKH, 1941). Ujpest Jewry during the German occupation. Beginnings of the bloody reign of terror by the Fascist-Arrowross. There followed illegalities, burglaries, murders, cruelties. Jewish houses were designated, into which the Jewish population of the city were herded and compressed. Their fate was misery, suffering, illness, cruelties. Then they were dragged into the brickyards of Békésmegyer and Budakalsz, where our unfortunate brothers experienced living hell. And finally, the deportation into death. Register of our martyrs' names. Attempted actions for saving Jews.
44

Chapter IV: History of the Jewish community from Liberation to our own day.
New life over the ruins. Reorganization of religious life and community. New rabbi elected in the person of Dr.Imre Kepecs. He is followed by Rabbi Dr.Miklós Murányi who is inducted into his clerical status by his celebrated master teacher, Dr.Sándor Scheiber. the religious community functions with new personnel. Memorial is created to honor the martyrs of Ujpest. Roster of the community's present corps of officers.
224

Chapter V: Chronological summary of the institutions of the original community, as well as historical data about its social and cultural organs.
Rabbis of the original as well as the orthodox communities, cantors of the original community as well as its presidents (1838 - 1975); presidents of the Chevra Kadisha (1844 - 1944), secretaries of the original community; activities and presidents of the Women's and Girls groups from their founding until 1944; institutions of the original community in the cultural religious and administrative areas; brief history of the Jewish school; role of Jews in the economic life of Ujpest, workings of the Ujpest branch of O.M.ZS.A.; Zionist life at Upest, workings of W.I.Z.O. at Ujpest; role of Ujpest Jews in sports, history of the Jewish detachment of Boyscouts. Demographic data. Collection of personal data. Final words. Historic sources.
245

* * *

Remarks of translator.
I use the words “original community” as translation from the Hungarian “anyahitközség” (more literally “mother-faith-community”) that is intended to separate it from special, sovereign, Jewish communities branched off from the oldest one, such as the Orthodox in the case of Ujpest.
I also write plain “rabbi” where the Hungarian “förabbi” appears (literally “head-rabbi” or “rabbi-in-chief"), a universally applied honorific among Hungarian Jewry, but in English it is not customary to use a distinguishing mark for the principal religious teacher and head of a Jewish community.
The Hungarian recitative style allows, and often uses, the present tense of verbs, even for events in the past, but I chose rather to conform to English usage for the sake of more natural sound, in my opinion.

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Preface:	By Professor Sándor Scheiber	9
Introductory:	By Miklós Murányi, past rabbi of Ujpest	10
Introduction:	By the author	11
Chapter I:	History of the Jewish community, from the beginning of the settlement until the dedication of the second temple (1835 - 1886. Master tanner Isaac Löwy from Nagysurány settles, along with his family and siblings, in the area named “Jewish Colony” where Ujpest originated, and there they built their leather factory and their residence. In 1836, members of the Neuschloss family established their carpentry business, their lumberyard enterprise, and their residence. These two families had a house of service and kept a prayer leader from 18936 onwards, for the inhabitants of the “Jewish colony” professing the Judaic faith. The Jewish Community was organized in 1838, with the first synagogue and cemetery been dedicated in 1839. The political community was founded in 1840, whose first leading officer and judge was Isaac Löwy, creator of the “Jewish colony,” the Ujpest village, respectively town. The first elementary school for Jewish pupils in the town was established the same year. In 1841, members of the Wolfner family settled there, they too built a leather processing plant in the new town. Jewish “honvéd soldiers” participated in the Hungarian War of Independence of 1848. Accomplishments of the rabbis of the original Jewish Community. Founding of the Women's Association. Founding of the autonomous Orthodox Jewish community. History of its activities. Dedication of the second synagogue.	17
Chapter II:	History of the original Jewish community from the dedication of the second synagogue to the death of Rabbi Dr. Lajos Venetianer. (1886 - 1922) From the resignation of Rabbi Albert Stern-Szerényi until 1896, the rabbinate was not occupied, instead Salomon Scheiber and Isaac-Zwi Schwartz substituted in taking care of religious duties. In 1896, Dr.Lajos Venetianer was elected rabbi for the original community. The clerical activities and works of Rabbi Dr.Lajos Venetianer. Cultural and religious institutions created by the original. community. Life and struggles of the Jewish community during World War I and as a consequence of events following it.	37
Chapter III:	History of the original community from the death of Rabbi Dr.Lajos Venetianer until the deportation of Ujpest Jewry. (1924 - 1944) Activities of Rabbi Dr.Mór Lichtmann. Activities and works of Rabbi Dr.Dénes Friedman, and his martyrdom. Era of terror. Ujpest's martyrs of the first deportations from Hungary (KEOKH, 1941). Ujpest Jewry during the German occupation. Beginnings of the bloody reign of terror by the Fascist-Arrowross. There followed illegalities, burglaries, murders, cruelties. Jewish houses were designated, into which the Jewish population of the city were herded and compressed. Their fate was misery, suffering, illness, cruelties. Then they were dragged into the brickyards of Békésmegyer and Budakalsz, where our unfortunate brothers experienced living hell. And finally, the deportation into death. Register of our martyrs' names. Attempted actions for saving Jews.	44
Chapter IV:	History of the Jewish community from Liberation to our own day. New life over the ruins. Reorganization of religious life and community. New rabbi elected in the person of Dr.Imre Kepecs. He is followed by Rabbi Dr.Miklós Murányi who is inducted into his clerical status by his celebrated master teacher, Dr.Sándor Scheiber. the religious community functions with new personnel. Memorial is created to honor the martyrs of Ujpest. Roster of the community's present corps of officers.	224
Chapter V:	Chronological summary of the institutions of the original community, as well as historical data about its social and cultural organs. Rabbis of the original as well as the orthodox communities, cantors of the original community as well as its presidents (1838 - 1975); presidents of the Chevra Kadisha (1844 - 1944), secretaries of the original community; activities and presidents of the Women's and Girls groups from their founding until 1944; institutions of the original community in the cultural religious and administrative areas; brief history of the Jewish school; role of Jews in the economic life of Ujpest, workings of the Ujpest branch of O.M.ZS.A.; Zionist life at Upest, workings of W.I.Z.O. at Ujpest; role of Ujpest Jews in sports, history of the Jewish detachment of Boyscouts. Demographic data. Collection of personal data. Final words. Historic sources.	245
* * *
Remarks of translator. I use the words “original community” as translation from the Hungarian “anyahitközség” (more literally “mother-faith-community”) that is intended to separate it from special, sovereign, Jewish communities branched off from the oldest one, such as the Orthodox in the case of Ujpest. I also write plain “rabbi” where the Hungarian “förabbi” appears (literally “head-rabbi” or “rabbi-in-chief"), a universally applied honorific among Hungarian Jewry, but in English it is not customary to use a distinguishing mark for the principal religious teacher and head of a Jewish community. The Hungarian recitative style allows, and often uses, the present tense of verbs, even for events in the past, but I chose rather to conform to English usage for the sake of more natural sound, in my opinion.