(page 159)

Translated by Shalom Bronstein

Population Figures

Table of Contents

The Jewish Community Until 1918

The growth of the Jewish population aided in the establishment of independent community institutions. Until then, the Jews of Sulejow were considered part of the Piotrkow Trybunalski community. Even though it sought to achieve its independence, it was unable to do so. Only in 1864, with the approval of the Jewish community of Piotrkow did the authorities permit the setting up of an independent community in Sulejow. The community also included the Jews of seven surrounding villages. The cemetery was now consecrated; the land had been acquired for this purpose in 1839, the Hevra Kadisha was organized and a building was purchased for a slaughterhouse. Elections for the new community council were held in November 1864. Until the independent community was established, the Piotrkow community paid the salary of the Dayan. In the 1850's, R. Meir Greenbaum served in this post. In the first stage of its activities, the local community council engaged a Dayan, a Shohet [to slaughter meat] and two teachers (Melamdim). Appointed the first Rabbi of Sulejow in the second half of the 19th century was R. Moshe Valtfried, a descendant of R. Isaiah of Przedborz. He was succeeded by R. Jacob Mendel Milstein (d. 1921). The last rabbi of Sulejow was R. Moshe Aaron Valtfried.

Several years after the establishment of the independent community, the Jews were attacked on a number of occasions by their Christian neighbors. Before Pesah in 5632 (1872) one of the local Polish girls disappeared. The priest cast suspicion on the rabbi, R. Moshe Valtfried and on the officials of the community that they had kidnapped her in order to use her blood to bake matzah. The girl, who simply lost her way in the forest, was quickly found. However, the accusation and the mood that it created took on a life of its own and led to a series of attacks on the Jews. The Jews were attacked one other time, before World War I.

On Simhat Torah 5673 (1913 sic*) [see endnote], while the Jews were at prayer in the synagogue, Polish rioters broke into a grazing field where there were 120 Jewish owned goats. They killed them and threw them into the river. After this, they broke into Jewish homes and caused a great deal of damage.

Between the Two World Wars

Families most severely affected by the deteriorating economic situation, benefited from the help of charitable institutions and mutual aid associations that had been in existence in Sulejow for a long time. One group was the "Free Loan Fund" which had been established before World War I and renewed its activity in 1915. In 1937, its balance came to 32,000 zloty. Between 1932 and 1937, it provided 853 loans. In the 1920's, a branch of the Einehkeit Bank of Piotrkow, a Bund institution, opened. It closed in 1927. Shortly afterwards, another Jewish co-operative bank opened. It developed very quickly and it even earned substantial profits. Sulejow had an active "Bikur Holim/visiting the sick" society, which also developed in 1930 into a shelter society that provided medical assistance to people in need at reduced rates.

During the inter-war period, Zionist organizations that had their starting point in Sulejow at the beginning of the century as groups supporting Hovevei Zion were active. There were active branches of Mizrahi, Poalei Zion - Right and the Hitachdut. Of the politically oriented youth groups, Freiheit, Agudat Zion and Hehalutz, which also sponsored a drama club, functioned. Poalei Zion - Right founded a sports organization, named "Kraft," whose leadership passed to Freiheit in 1929. In 1920 or in 1921, the Zionists initiated a cultural society and alongside established a soup kitchen that supplied meals to some 90 poor children. The Bund branch in Sulejow also sponsored cultural activities and it, too, started a drama group.

In 1935, an organization of religiously observant artisans was established in the town.

The activities of the community faced financial difficulties on occasion. This led to disagreements between the delegates of the various factions on the community council, to resignations and even to the intervention of government officials. In 1935, the authorities appointed a community council.

On the city council of Sulejow in 1927, there were 24 members, of whom there were seven Jewish representatives. They were divided among the following: Bund - 2, Poalei Zion - Right - 1; Merchants - 2; Artisans - 2. In 1935, the city council levied an additional property tax of 1,000 zloty on the Jewish population for permission to establish an Eruv [to permit carrying on the Sabbath] in the town. It should be noted that not only the representatives of the Andaks, but also those of the Polish Socialist Party - PPS, supported this decision.

The Holocaust

The Jewish victims of the bombardment were laid to rest on September 10, 1939 (the first day of Selihot/penitential prayers recited before Rosh Hashanah). In the Jewish cemetery only a few were buried. The rest, in two mass graves which were dug on the other side of the cemetery walls. Kreitman, the owner of the sawmill, supervised this project. He also concerned himself with the care of the many wounded, the ill and those without a roof over their heads or any means of sustenance. He created a shelter and public kitchen in his sawmill. As time went on, the care of the poor was transferred to the Judenrat that was set up by order of the German authorities. The chairman of the Judenrat was Ch. Weintraub.

The community continued to exist until October 1942. There were between 1,150 (June 1940) to 1,577 Jews (July 1942). A small stream of exiles and refugees into the town caused the population growth. In contrast, there were those who left Sulejow, mostly for Piotrkow or Warsaw [Warszawa]. The remaining Jews lived in houses that had been temporarily repaired. Their condition was relatively tolerable in that a Ghetto was not set up and they could secretly conduct business with the Polish population in the area.

The community was liquidated in October 1942. Some 1,500 Jews were expelled to the Ghetto of Piotrkow and from there, they were deported to Treblinka with all the other residents of the Ghetto between October 14 to 21, 1942. During the Aktzia of eviction, in Sulejow itself and on the way to Piotrkow, many perished, as they could not keep up with the pace. They were mostly the elderly and the weak.

Endnote

Sources

Newspapers

 Yizkor Book Project    JewishGen Home Page  

Copyright © 1999-2024 by JewishGen, Inc.
Updated 6 Sep 2005 by MGH