Przemysl Memorial Book

Przemysl Memorial Book
(Poland)
49°47' / 22°47'

Translation from Sefer Przemysl

Edited by: Dr. Arie Menczer

Editorial Board:
Joseph Altbauer, Eliyahu Bloch, Matatyahu Gans, Leopold Goetz, Hanoch Hand,
Arie Menczer, Dov Nitzani (Knopf), Hanan Trau, Mordechai Schattner.

Published in Israel by Irgun Yotzei Przemysl, 1964

Acknowledgments

Project Coordinator

Lukasz Biedka

This is a translation of Sefer Przemysl (Przemysl memorial book), Editors: A. Menczer, Tel Aviv,
Former Residents of Przemysl in Israel, 1964 (H,Y, 552 pages).

Note: The original book can be seen online at the NY Public Library site: https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/collections/yizkor-book-collection#/?tab= 2529

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.

In memory of my Great Grandfather Jakub Reisner mentioned on the pages of this book.

Łukasz

Section Text Author Page

Foreword (The People of the Book ) XV

Przemysl - Our Beloved Town Dr. Y. Mann 1

PART I  JEWS OF PRZEMYSL FROM BEGINNING TO PARTITION OF POLAND

1 From the History of Przemysl Jewry Prof. M. Schor 7

2 Life of Przemysl Jews in the past (summary of historical literature) D. Nitzani 15

a) Before Polish hegemony

b) Period of Polish independence

c) On the Writers of Przemysl

3 The First Jewish Tradesmen in Przemysl Dr. E. Bloch 40

4 The Ancient Synagogue of Przemysl and its Place in Architectural History Professor Dr. N. Schneid 45

5 Sources: 52

A Section from the Responsa of Rabbi Yehuda the son of Meir of Mainz

The Scroll of Selichot of Przemysl

Four Inscriptions on Gravestones from the Old Cemetery of Przemysl

The Essence of the Pastoral Edict [10] Issued on February 28, 1753

The Hidden Tzadik Rabbi Yitzchak Izak Shochet of the village of Zurawica

6 Rabbis of Przemysl 5295 – 5653 (1535 –1893) C. Trau and D. Nitzani (Knopf) 56

PART II   PRZEMYSL JEWS DURING AUSTRIAN RULE (1772- 1918)

1 From 1772-1867 Y. Altbauer & L. Goetz 69

2 In the city and community D. N. 74

3 Political movements in the Jewish street D. N. 90

History of Zionist movements in Przemysl before W.W. I

Jehudia, Some Memories Tz. Amit 100

About Haivria Y. Altbauer 103

Poale Zion in Przemysl – Until the Outbreak of the Second World War E. Bloch 106

Dr. Herman Lieberman E. Bloch 112

History of the Jewish Assimilationist Movement in Przemysl D. N. 119

4 Religious life D. N. 122

Rabbi Gedalia (Gedalche) Schmelkes Ch. Trau and D. Nitzani 135

Religions functionaries of the community during the last half century of Austrian rule D. N. 140

Well Known Admorim Connected to Przemysl D. N. 141

Personalities from the Large Kloiz in Przemysl Y. Adif 144

5 Jewish education Y. Adif 146

The Tikvat Yisrael School D. N. 149

Religious studies E. Bloch 150

Study of Hebrew language in Przemysl D. N. 154

6 Avraham the Son of Yitzchak Sonne H. C. 157

Avraham the Son of Yitzchak Sonne Leah Goldberg 160

7 Writers and Intellectuals 164

R. Mordechai Yona Rosenfeld A. Kahana 164

Shimon Menachem Lazar Y. A. 166

Images of Intellectuals in Przemysl 168

Birech (Berechiyahu) Schafir - Humorous poet D. N. 170

8 During the Time of the First World War (1914-1918)

Przemysl During the Time of the Siege During the First World War Y. Altbauer 172

Beseiged Przemysl Y. Michelsburg 177

Yom Kippur in the fortress Dr. V.A. Fordes 178

PART III    PRZEMYSL JEWS (1918-1939)

1 Przemysl passes under Polish rule Y. Altbauer 185

2 Dr. M. Rosenfeld M. Henish 191

3 November 1918 Z. Luft 193

4 The nation, city and community Y. A. 199

The rabbinical court D. N. 205

5 The Jewish population – constituents and economy Y. A. 207

6 Institutions of education and culture Y. A. 214

7 Jewish health institutions Y. A. 231

8 Jewish welfare institutions in Przemysl Y. A. 239

9 Jewish sports in Przemysl Y. A. 243

10 Zionist movement in Przemysl (1918-1939) Y. A. 246

Zionist Labor movement in Przemysl K. Y. Golan 252

Revsionist movement “HaTzohar” in Przemysl Dr. Y. Schechter 258

Mizrachi in Przemysl A. Ben Pazi 261

Zionist youth movements in Przemysl Y. A. 264

The renewed “Agudath Herzl” Y. A. 264

Hashomer Hatzair Y. A. 268

“Gordonia” D. Sim 275

“Hanoar Hatzioni” (Zionist youth) Y. A. 280

Hebrew youth group “Akiva” Y. A. 282

The scouts S. Antmann 285

11 Other Jewish parties

“Agudas Yisroel” R. A. Weinberger 286

The ZPS (later “Bund”) Y.A. 288

Jewish participation in PPS and Communist Party Y. A. 290

12 Jewish newspapers Y. A. 291

13 Hechalutz and first Jewish chalutzim S. Antmann 293

Shimshon Goldstein D. N. 297

Dr. Zvi Luft M. Gans 301

Episodes from the Third Aliya S. Goldstein 304

PART IV   PERSONALITIES AND INDIVIDUALS

Rabbi Professor Dr. Moshe Schorr D. N. 311

Dr. Leib Landau Dr. B. Weintraub 315

Memories of Leib Landau M. Melman 317

The last days of Leib Landau Y. Avrahami 320

Rabbi Dr. Josef Mieses D. N. 322

Matityahu Mieses Dr. A. Menczer 324

Professor Dr. Jakob Mann (Mannen) D. N. 328

Dr. Izaak [Yitzchak] Mann Professor Josef Klausner 331

Avraham Kahana (“Avrech”) M. N. 333

Rabbi Dr. Shmuel [Samuel] Hirschfeld 335

Rabbi Itzhak [Isak] Jacob Thumim D. N. 337

Dr. Maurycy Richter Y. A. 339

Dr. Tzvi-Henryk Reichmann Y. A. 339

Dr. Efraim Schutzmann Y. A. 340

Abraham Chaim Klagsbald Y. A. 341

Words of eulogy that were not spoken A. Cohen 342

Lipa Geller Y. A. 342

Dr. Aleksander Steinhardt Dr. Binyamin Weintraub 343

Wilhelm Haspel Y. A. 344

Engineer Tzvi (Herman) Mendel Jawetz Y. A. 345

Chaim Elias Yosef the son of Eliezer 345

Mordechai Hacke Y. A. 346

Josef [Jozef] Rinde Y. A. 346

Abraham Schachter Y. A. 347

Meir Honigwachs Y. A. 347

The Mieses Family Y. A. 348

The Axer Family Y. A. 348

Dr. Josef Axer 348

Dr. Dawid Sack Y. A. 349

Dr. Nisan [Nissen] Stein-Goldstein Y. A. 349

Victor Emanuel Pordes D. N. 350

Reb Shmuel Babad Y. A. 351

Reb Shmuel [Samuel] the son of Reb Dawid Knoller D. N. 351

Mordechai Gottfried R. A. Meir 352

The Magid Rabbi Pinchas Shlomo [Salomon] Schussheim [Schusheim] M. Henish 353

Professor Dr. Manes Kartagener D. N. 354

Professor Dr. Maximilian [Maksymilian] Rose Y. A. 355

Professor Dr. Henryk Meisel Y. A. 355

Professor Ludwig Bruno Sohn Y. A. 356

Dr. Helene Rosenbach-Deutsch Y. A. 356

APPENDIX

Organization of Przemysl emigrants in Israel Y. A. 359

Przemysl Landsmanschaften in New York 361

Fallen in the establishment of State of Israel 364

PART V      DESTRUCTION AND THE HOLOCAUST

1 From outbreak of WW II until the liberation Dr. M. Schattner 371

2 Reminiscences (Memoirs) Dr. L. Frim 394

Przemysl today Dr. M. Schattner 404

YIDDISH SECTION 405

Introduction 409

The City on the River San Dr. Y. Zinneman 413

History of the Jews of Przemyśl D. N. 416

Anti–Jewish Edicts of the Bishop of Przemyśl in the year 1743 421

The Austrian Period (1772–1914) D. N. 422

History of the Jews of Przemyśl (1914–1939) Y. Altbauer 428

Synagogues, Beis Midrashes, Kloizes, and Minyanim in Przemyśl D. N. 433

Rabbi Gedalia Schmelkes C. Trau, D. Nitzani 439

The Jewish Labor Movement in Przemyśl Y. Laubstein 442

Dr. Leib Landau 451

Lawyer Leib Landau – a Great Man of Israel by Abraham Morewski A. Marovsky 451

Memories of Leib Landau Ida Kaminska 456

Dr. Herman Liebermann Dr. E. Bloch 458

Michael Ostereicher D. N. 464

Dr. Ludwik Grossfeld D. N. 465

Przemysl Maskilim: Mordechai Yonah Rosenfeld (Myshu'b) A. Kahana 467

Beirech Schafir – the Jewish Troubadour of Przemyśl A. Kahana 469

Rachel Korn A. B. 471

On the Ruins Rachel H. Korn 472

Yaakov Zinneman D. N. 474

The Schwebel Brothers Chanoch Hand 475

Types from the Jewish Street by Eliahu Bloch E. Bloch 478

The Tzadik of Wolnica Professor Dr. S. H. Bergman 490

The Hidden Tzadik Rabbi Yitzchak Eizik Shochet 492

Organization of Przemyslers in Israel Y. A 494

Przemyśler Landsmanschaft in New York 497

The Destruction of Przemyśl Dr. M. Schattner 501

My Experiences During the Occupation Dr. Leon Frim 527

Index of names (Hebrew) 537

Index of names (Yiddish) 547

Notes from the original Project Coordinator

Photo Surname Index

Przemysl Slicha

Yizkor Book Project JewishGen Home Page Przemysl, at Kehilalinks

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

Section	Text	Author	Page
	Foreword (The People of the Book )		XV
	Przemysl - Our Beloved Town	Dr. Y. Mann	1

PART I JEWS OF PRZEMYSL FROM BEGINNING TO PARTITION OF POLAND

1	From the History of Przemysl Jewry	Prof. M. Schor	7
2	Life of Przemysl Jews in the past (summary of historical literature)	D. Nitzani	15
	a) Before Polish hegemony
	b) Period of Polish independence
	c) On the Writers of Przemysl
3	The First Jewish Tradesmen in Przemysl	Dr. E. Bloch	40
4	The Ancient Synagogue of Przemysl and its Place in Architectural History	Professor Dr. N. Schneid	45
5	Sources:		52
	A Section from the Responsa of Rabbi Yehuda the son of Meir of Mainz
	The Scroll of Selichot of Przemysl
	Four Inscriptions on Gravestones from the Old Cemetery of Przemysl
	The Essence of the Pastoral Edict [10] Issued on February 28, 1753
	The Hidden Tzadik Rabbi Yitzchak Izak Shochet of the village of Zurawica
6	Rabbis of Przemysl 5295 – 5653 (1535 –1893)	C. Trau and D. Nitzani (Knopf)	56

PART II PRZEMYSL JEWS DURING AUSTRIAN RULE (1772- 1918)

1	From 1772-1867	Y. Altbauer & L. Goetz	69
2	In the city and community	D. N.	74
3	Political movements in the Jewish street	D. N.	90

	History of Zionist movements in Przemysl before W.W. I
	Jehudia, Some Memories	Tz. Amit	100
	About Haivria	Y. Altbauer	103
	Poale Zion in Przemysl – Until the Outbreak of the Second World War	E. Bloch	106
	Dr. Herman Lieberman	E. Bloch	112
	History of the Jewish Assimilationist Movement in Przemysl	D. N.	119
4	Religious life	D. N.	122
	Rabbi Gedalia (Gedalche) Schmelkes	Ch. Trau and D. Nitzani	135
	Religions functionaries of the community during the last half century of Austrian rule	D. N.	140
	Well Known Admorim Connected to Przemysl	D. N.	141
	Personalities from the Large Kloiz in Przemysl	Y. Adif	144
5	Jewish education	Y. Adif	146
	The Tikvat Yisrael School	D. N.	149
	Religious studies	E. Bloch	150
	Study of Hebrew language in Przemysl	D. N.	154
6	Avraham the Son of Yitzchak Sonne	H. C.	157
	Avraham the Son of Yitzchak Sonne	Leah Goldberg	160

7	Writers and Intellectuals		164
	R. Mordechai Yona Rosenfeld	A. Kahana	164
	Shimon Menachem Lazar	Y. A.	166
	Images of Intellectuals in Przemysl		168
	Birech (Berechiyahu) Schafir - Humorous poet	D. N.	170

8	During the Time of the First World War (1914-1918)
	Przemysl During the Time of the Siege During the First World War	Y. Altbauer	172
	Beseiged Przemysl	Y. Michelsburg	177
	Yom Kippur in the fortress	Dr. V.A. Fordes	178

PART III PRZEMYSL JEWS (1918-1939)

1	Przemysl passes under Polish rule	Y. Altbauer	185
2	Dr. M. Rosenfeld	M. Henish	191
3	November 1918	Z. Luft	193
4	The nation, city and community	Y. A.	199
	The rabbinical court	D. N.	205
5	The Jewish population – constituents and economy	Y. A.	207
6	Institutions of education and culture	Y. A.	214
7	Jewish health institutions	Y. A.	231
8	Jewish welfare institutions in Przemysl	Y. A.	239
9	Jewish sports in Przemysl	Y. A.	243
10	Zionist movement in Przemysl (1918-1939)	Y. A.	246
	Zionist Labor movement in Przemysl	K. Y. Golan	252
	Revsionist movement “HaTzohar” in Przemysl	Dr. Y. Schechter	258
	Mizrachi in Przemysl	A. Ben Pazi	261
	Zionist youth movements in Przemysl	Y. A.	264
	The renewed “Agudath Herzl”	Y. A.	264
	Hashomer Hatzair	Y. A.	268
	“Gordonia”	D. Sim	275
	“Hanoar Hatzioni” (Zionist youth)	Y. A.	280
	Hebrew youth group “Akiva”	Y. A.	282
	The scouts	S. Antmann	285

11	Other Jewish parties
	“Agudas Yisroel”	R. A. Weinberger	286
	The ZPS (later “Bund”)	Y.A.	288
	Jewish participation in PPS and Communist Party	Y. A.	290
12	Jewish newspapers	Y. A.	291
13	Hechalutz and first Jewish chalutzim	S. Antmann	293
	Shimshon Goldstein	D. N.	297
	Dr. Zvi Luft	M. Gans	301
	Episodes from the Third Aliya	S. Goldstein	304

PART IV PERSONALITIES AND INDIVIDUALS

	Rabbi Professor Dr. Moshe Schorr	D. N.	311
	Dr. Leib Landau	Dr. B. Weintraub	315
	Memories of Leib Landau	M. Melman	317
	The last days of Leib Landau	Y. Avrahami	320
	Rabbi Dr. Josef Mieses	D. N.	322
	Matityahu Mieses	Dr. A. Menczer	324
	Professor Dr. Jakob Mann (Mannen)	D. N.	328
	Dr. Izaak [Yitzchak] Mann	Professor Josef Klausner	331
	Avraham Kahana (“Avrech”)	M. N.	333
	Rabbi Dr. Shmuel [Samuel] Hirschfeld		335
	Rabbi Itzhak [Isak] Jacob Thumim	D. N.	337
	Dr. Maurycy Richter	Y. A.	339
	Dr. Tzvi-Henryk Reichmann	Y. A.	339
	Dr. Efraim Schutzmann	Y. A.	340
	Abraham Chaim Klagsbald	Y. A.	341
	Words of eulogy that were not spoken	A. Cohen	342
	Lipa Geller	Y. A.	342
	Dr. Aleksander Steinhardt	Dr. Binyamin Weintraub	343
	Wilhelm Haspel	Y. A.	344
	Engineer Tzvi (Herman) Mendel Jawetz	Y. A.	345
	Chaim Elias	Yosef the son of Eliezer	345
	Mordechai Hacke	Y. A.	346
	Josef [Jozef] Rinde	Y. A.	346
	Abraham Schachter	Y. A.	347
	Meir Honigwachs	Y. A.	347
	The Mieses Family	Y. A.	348
	The Axer Family	Y. A.	348
	Dr. Josef Axer		348
	Dr. Dawid Sack	Y. A.	349
	Dr. Nisan [Nissen] Stein-Goldstein	Y. A.	349
	Victor Emanuel Pordes	D. N.	350
	Reb Shmuel Babad	Y. A.	351
	Reb Shmuel [Samuel] the son of Reb Dawid Knoller	D. N.	351
	Mordechai Gottfried	R. A. Meir	352
	The Magid Rabbi Pinchas Shlomo [Salomon] Schussheim [Schusheim]	M. Henish	353
	Professor Dr. Manes Kartagener	D. N.	354
	Professor Dr. Maximilian [Maksymilian] Rose	Y. A.	355
	Professor Dr. Henryk Meisel	Y. A.	355
	Professor Ludwig Bruno Sohn	Y. A.	356
	Dr. Helene Rosenbach-Deutsch	Y. A.	356

APPENDIX

	Organization of Przemysl emigrants in Israel	Y. A.	359
	Przemysl Landsmanschaften in New York		361
	Fallen in the establishment of State of Israel		364

PART V DESTRUCTION AND THE HOLOCAUST

1	From outbreak of WW II until the liberation	Dr. M. Schattner	371
2	Reminiscences (Memoirs)	Dr. L. Frim	394
	Przemysl today	Dr. M. Schattner	404

YIDDISH SECTION			405

	Introduction		409
	The City on the River San	Dr. Y. Zinneman	413
	History of the Jews of Przemyśl	D. N.	416
	Anti–Jewish Edicts of the Bishop of Przemyśl in the year 1743		421
	The Austrian Period (1772–1914)	D. N.	422
	History of the Jews of Przemyśl (1914–1939)	Y. Altbauer	428
	Synagogues, Beis Midrashes, Kloizes, and Minyanim in Przemyśl	D. N.	433
	Rabbi Gedalia Schmelkes	C. Trau, D. Nitzani	439
	The Jewish Labor Movement in Przemyśl	Y. Laubstein	442
	Dr. Leib Landau		451
	Lawyer Leib Landau – a Great Man of Israel by Abraham Morewski	A. Marovsky	451
	Memories of Leib Landau	Ida Kaminska	456
	Dr. Herman Liebermann	Dr. E. Bloch	458
	Michael Ostereicher	D. N.	464
	Dr. Ludwik Grossfeld	D. N.	465
	Przemysl Maskilim: Mordechai Yonah Rosenfeld (Myshu'b)	A. Kahana	467
	Beirech Schafir – the Jewish Troubadour of Przemyśl	A. Kahana	469
	Rachel Korn	A. B.	471
	On the Ruins	Rachel H. Korn	472
	Yaakov Zinneman	D. N.	474
	The Schwebel Brothers	Chanoch Hand	475
	Types from the Jewish Street by Eliahu Bloch	E. Bloch	478
	The Tzadik of Wolnica	Professor Dr. S. H. Bergman	490
	The Hidden Tzadik Rabbi Yitzchak Eizik Shochet		492
	Organization of Przemyslers in Israel	Y. A	494
	Przemyśler Landsmanschaft in New York		497
	The Destruction of Przemyśl	Dr. M. Schattner	501
	My Experiences During the Occupation	Dr. Leon Frim	527
	Index of names (Hebrew)		537
	Index of names (Yiddish)		547

	Notes from the original Project Coordinator
	Photo Surname Index
	Przemysl Slicha