Pinkas Hakehillot Latvia v'Estonia:

“Nirza” - Encyclopedia of Jewish
Communities in Latvia and Estonia
(Nirza, Latvia)
56°24' / 27°56'

Translation of “Nirza” chapter
from Pinkas Hakehillot Latvia v'Estonia

Written by: Dov Levin

Published in Jerusalem, 1988

Acknowledgments

Our sincere appreciation to Yad Vashem
for permission to put this material on the JewishGen web site.

This is a translation from: Pinkas Hakehillot Latvia and Estonia:
Encyclopedia of Jewish Communities, Latvia and Estonia,
Edited by Dov Levin, published by Yad Vashem, Jerusalem (page 170).

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[Page 170]

Nirza

Translated by Jerrold Landau

It is a settlement in the Ludza district of Latgale

In 1925, 45 Jews lived in the rural district of Nirza, and 33 in 1930. In 1935, six Jews lived in the settlement itself, comprising approximately 4% of the 166 residents of the place. They earned their livelihoods from commerce.

In August 1940, when Latvia became a Soviet republic, communal and economic changes began in Nirza, affecting the Jews as well. Nirza was conquered by the occupying army in July 1941, a short time after the German invasion of Latvia. At least one family from among the Jews of the rural district of Nirza escaped to the interior of the Soviet Union. The rest of the Jews remained in place. On August 18, 1941, the occupying authorities, with the assistance of local Latvians, murdered the Jews of Nizra, along with the Jews of the nearby village of Mortiņi (see entry).

The Red Army returned and conquered Nirza at the end of July 1944.

Sources:

Testimony of Ponrov, Herzl, Al'a 10 kuf II.
Blackbook of Localities.
M. Skujenieka, Otra Tautas skaitisana Latvija (1925–1928).
Valsts…, Tresa Tautas skaitisana Latvija (1930)
Valsts…, Ceturta tautas skaitisana Latvija (1935).

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