[Pages 122-123]

Year	Total Population	Jewish Population	Percentage
1847	---	194	---
1897	959	668	70
1914	1,200	~850	~70
1920	832	567	68
1925	757	510	67
1930	770	530	68
1935	750	425	56

The settlement began its existence in the 17^th century. Empress/Tsarina Catherine I was born in Viski. During World War I, the town changed hands several times and a portion of it was destroyed.

The Jewish community was founded at the end of the 18^th or the beginning of the 19^th century. The Jews were always a majority of the town's population. They were occupied, as expected, in petty trade and crafts, and their earnings were usually confined and difficult. Nevertheless, they independently created a series of important public institutions, among them, Bikkur Cholim [society to visit the sick], established in 1890. Also under communal control was a public bath-house and more. From the second half of the 19^th century onward until the end of its existence, a period of 90 years, the Pluchinsky family served as rabbis. The first of this family, Rabbi Moshe (Mischel) Pluchinsky, who was known in his youth as the “genius from Suwalki”, served as rabbi for more than 40 years. After his death in 1907, he was succeeded by his son, Rabbi Judah Leib Solomon Pluchinsky, who served for approximately 25 years as rabbi, until the middle 1930's. After him, his son, Rabbi Jacob Meir Pluchinsky served as rabbi. (His torah novellae were published in the monthly Knesses Israel, Tammuz 1939).

In the first years of World War I, a portion of Viski's Jews departed to the Russian interior. As a result of the outbreak of battle in the town during 1917-1919, most Jewish houses were destroyed or damaged. The Jews especially suffered from deprivation and hardship during the Bolshevik occupation (1919).

In the beginning of 1920, accompanying the establishment of a Latvian regime after the travails of war, the great majority of Jews in the Viski community were living in a state of poverty and the lack of vocational opportunities. Whatever relief there was, came thanks to the Jewish medical staff (physician, paramedic and midwife) who mightily labored here through the financial support of the Joint Distribution Committee, in the areas of hygiene and health of the Jewish community, as well as the overall town. The Joint rushed assistance with additional benefits, and granted welfare allotments to tens of needy families. Loans for economic development were distributed to retailers and entrepreneurs from a mutual credit fund that was created in 1921 through the Joint's aid. This important institution lasted until shortly before World War II.

From a statistical survey conducted in 1935, it is apparent that 50 of the 58 shops and retailers in the town were under Jewish ownership. In regard to stores of clothing, shoes, metalwork, knitwear and groceries, all but one were Jewish. 78 of the 158 housing units in the town belonged to Jews. The structures were almost always one-story, wooden, with a yard or attached garden area.

In the course of the 1930s, the number of persons within the Jewish community decreased by at least 20% (from 530 persons in 1930 to 423 persons in 1935). The reasons for this were related to the town's economic stagnation and the lack of trading outlets. Many young people left for studies in the larger towns, or to find work or for [Zionist] pioneer training in preparation for emigration to Palestine. Many families emigrated abroad [to the West].

From 1921, there was a local school that had only 4 classes. The language of instruction was in Yiddish. In the early years, about 60 students attended there.

The first political parties that established chapters in Viski were the Ze'irei Zion [moderate socialist Zionist youth movement] and the [Jewish socialist] Bund. The Bund also opened a youth club. From the 1930's, there were also chapters of the Ha-Shomer ha-Tza'ir” [radical socialist Zionist youth] and Betar [Revisionist Zionist youth] movements.

In the elections for the Latvian Sejm [Parliament] in 1925, 200 votes were cast for the Ze'irei Zion party list and 100 votes for the Bund. In the elections for the 1933 Zionist Congress, the Labor list got 7 votes and the Revisionists got 29 votes.

Under the Soviet occupation (1940-1941), there began noticeable changes within the Jewish community. As a consequence of the new regime's policies, a significant portion of the stores and workshops were nationalized, and the Jewish public life was liquidated from its previous role. Among others, the local Chevrah Kaddisha [burial society] was shut down due to a governmental edict that was issued on December 12, 1940.

With the outbreak of war between the Soviet Union and Germany in June 1941, a portion of the young Jews of the town, especially the leftist elements, escaped to the Soviet Union's interior. At the end of June 1941, Viski was captured by the Germans. During the night of July 28, the local Jews were expelled to the Dvinsk {Daugavpils] ghetto. On their way there, they joined streams of Jews from other towns who were being transported there. As they were passing near the Eglona monastery, the Jews were attacked by Latvians who flanked both sides of the road, and suffered some casualties. After staying several days in the crowded Dvinsk ghetto, the Jews of Viski were told, as were other Jews who arrived from non-urban locations, that [authorities] were apparently ready to transport them to another ghetto. They were taken to the Fogelanka Forest outside town and murdered by gunshot, as part of the infamous terrible massacre of the Dvinsk ghetto known as the Aktion Provinze. Among the victims was the last rabbi of Viski, Rabbi Jacob Meir Pluchinsky. Two Ozdin brothers from Viski, who toiled in a [slave labor] camp near Eisfota digging ditches, escaped. Together with two other Jews, they hid for a long period in the ruins of an abandoned ancient fortress in the area. In 1944, they were discovered and murdered.

In July 1944, the Red Army recaptured Viski.

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