Pinkas Hakehillot Hungary: Ofeherto

“Ófehértó” - Encyclopedia of Jewish
Communities in Hungary
(Hungary)
47°56' 22°03'

Translation of the “Ófehértó” chapter from
Pinkas Hakehillot Hungary

Edited by: Theodore Lavi

Published in Jerusalem, 1975

Acknowledgments

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for permission to put this material on the JewishGen web site.

This is a translation from: Pinkas Hakehillot Hungary: Encyclopedia of Jewish Communities, Hungary,
Edited by Theodore Lavi, published by Yad Vashem, Jerusalem. Pages 144-145.

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[Pages 144-145]

Ófehértó

Translated by Jerrold Landau

It is a town in the district of Szabolcs, region of Nyirbakta. Its population in 1941 was 2.927.

Jewish Population

Year Population

1784/85 15

1800 82

1940 120

Until the Second World War

The first Jews settled in Ófehértó in the second half of the 18^th century, on the estate of Count Csáki

[Page 145]

and Count Pálfi. Their main sources of livelihood were commerce and agriculture. Their relations with the residents were generally proper.

Until 1885, the community of Ófehértó was dependent on Nagykálló. From that year, it was dependent on Nyirbátor. With the division of the communities, it defined itself as orthodox. It had a Chevra Kadisha [burial society], a Talmud Torah, and a cheder. Its synagogue was built at the beginning of the 20^th century.

Emanuel Sichermann was born in Ófehértó in 1811. He was known for his inventions for the improvement of agriculture, and he worked for the increase of modern agricultural machinery, also among the Jews.

With the proclamation of the separation laws in 1938, several Jews were displaced from their livelihoods.

The Holocaust

Fifteen Jews were drafted to forced labor in 1941.

After the entry of the Germans immediately after Passover 1944, the Jews of Ófehértó were transferred to the Kisvárda Ghetto, where approximately 7,000 Jews from the entire area were concentrated under conditions of great crowding, hunger, and torture. Before Shavuot, they were loaded on wagons and deported to Auschwitz. Approximately 80 Jews of Ófehértó were murdered in Auschwitz and labor camps.

After the war, approximately 10 Jews returned to Ófehértó, some from Auschwitz and others from forced labor camps, but they quickly left.

Y. K.

Bibliography:

Yad Vashem Archives E-7-4/307

Encyclopaedia of Jewish Communities. Hungary Yizkor Book Project JewishGen Home Page

Yizkor Book Director, Lance Ackerfeld
This web page created by Max G. Heffler