The Book of Klobucko;
In Memory of a Martyred Community
which was Destroyed

(Kłobuck, Poland)

50°54' / 18°56'

Translation of
Sefer Klobutsk; mazkeret kavod le-kehila ha-kedosha she-ushmeda

Published in Tel Aviv, 1960


 

Acknowledgments

Project Coordinator

Ruth Wilnai (emerita)

 

This is a translation from: Sefer Klobutsk; mazkeret kavod le-kehila ha-kedosha she-ushmeda
The Book of Klobucko; in memory of a martyred community which was destroyed,
Tel Aviv, former residents of Klobucko in Israel, 1960.

Note: The original book can be seen online at the NY Public Library site: Klobuck

Purchase details for a printed copy of this translation can be found at http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/ybip/YBIP_Klobuck.html


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Dedication

The translation of Safer Klobuck is dedicated to the memory of the martyred victims of the Shtetl Klobuck, who perished during the Holocaust because they were Jews, and to the few survivors, who enabled future generations to remember. “L'dor v'dor.” Never Forget.

This translation has been made possible through the generous support of:

  Hanan Weiss & Family, Haifa, Israel;
Gabriel Weiss & Family, Tel Aviv, Israel;
Miriam Mantel Paluba & Family, New York, NY; and
Allan D. Mantel & Family, New York, NY.

 

 

 


Table of Contents translated by Gloria Berkenstat Freund

 

First pages   1
To our fellow Klobuck brethren wherever they may be   7
Preface   9
 
Jewish Klobuck
Historical Notes and Memories Baruch Szimkowicz, Moshe Wajnman 11
 
Synagogues and Houses of Prayer
The Klobuck Synagogue Adele 22
The Rise of the Synagogue Gitl Goldberg 25
The Synagogue, the Prayer House of the Klobuck Jews Borukh Szimkowicz 26
Ghosts in the Mikvah [ritual bath house] Batya Izraelewicz Zajbel 32
The Klobuck Kehile Borukh Szimkowicz 33
 
The Melamdim [Teachers] in the Shtetl [Town]
Thus We Studied Torah Avraham Goldberg 36
My Melamdim [teachers] Borukh Szimkowicz 42
Memories of My Childhood Years Fishl Fajga 45
Longing for Education and Knowledge Sura Brat 48
 
Jewish Celebrations in Klobuck
Shabbosim, Holidays and Weddings Borukh Szimkowicz 50
 
Stories from Ancient Times
A “Confusion” That (Threatened) Against Jews Nechemia Starszynski 60
Cutting Off (A Woman's) Hair at the Birth of Her Child Borukh Szimkowicz 61
 
The Economic Life
Sources of Income Moshe Wajnman 64
Jewish Artisans and Merchants Borukh Szimkowicz 65
The Market Place in Jewish Hands Batya Izraelowicz Zajbel 74
 
The First World War and its Effects on Klobucker Jews
Fear of a Pogrom During the Bellis Trial Moshe Wajnman 75
The Difficult Experiences of the First World War Moshe Wajnman 76
Memories of the First World War Borukh Szimkowicz 78
Quarrels Because of a Chazan [cantor] and Shoychet [ritual slaughterer] Moshe Wajnman 83
 
The Jewish Communal Life
The First Charity Institutions and Torah Scholar Groups Borukh Szimkowicz 84
Jewish Conflict and the First Mizrachi Organization Yakov Szperling 91
Hitachdut, Gordonia and Other Zionist Organizations Yaakov Szperling 94
Zionist Activity After the First World War Shmuel Goldberg 103
My Zionist Activities Yehuda Szperling 107
The Betar Organization Avraham Goldberg 109
The Yesodey haTorah School and the Beis-Yakov School Arya Guterman 112
 
Cultural Activities Between the Two World Wars
Dramatic Circle and Library Sura Brat 114
The Peretz Library and the Society “Bildung” (Culture) Moshe Wajnman 122
Cultural Activities in the Years on the Eve of the Second World War Yaacov Szmulewicz 129
 
Types and Images
Reb Josef Buchwicz and his Melody Borukh Szimkowicz 130
My Grandfather - the Pious, Beliving Tailor Moshe Goldberg 132
The Child Prodigy of Klobuck Moshe Goldberg 139
Reb Israel Eliyahu Dudek Moshe Dudek 142
Yaakov Moshe Weichman and his Tragic Death Avraham Goldberg 145
Reb Moshe Zander, Shochet , Prayer Leader and Mohel [ritual circumcisor] Yitzhak Zander 146
Reb Zelikl Gitl Goldberg 149
Reb Meir Sofer [Scribe] Baruch Szimkowicz 151
Reb Shmuel Friedman Yakov Frydman 152
Reb Shlomo Rosenthal (Oleyaj) Batya Izraelewicz Zajbel 155
Reb Borukh Szperling Yakov Szperling 156
Reb Hershl Szperling Yakov Szperling 157
Reb Moshe Szperling Dora Wajs 164
The Last Community Leader of Klobuck Dora Wajs 170
Jewish Doctors Fishl Fajga 177
Jewish Women Community Workers Borukh Szimkowicz 178
 
Klobucker Righteous Gentiles
Dr. Brzozowski, a Pole Who Saved Jews During a Pogrom Borukh Szimkowicz 184
The Libidzer Estate Owner Who Saved Jews from Danger During the First World War Fishl Fajga 187
The Jewish Mill That Provided Klobuck with Electricity Chaim Kurland 189
 
Anti-Semitism in Klobuck
Murderous Attacks on Jews Fishel Feige 193
Endekes [Polish National Party] Terror and Boycott of the Jews Yaacov Szperling 196
Memories Shlomo Birnbaum 198
Fear of a Pogrom in Klobuck Yakuv Szperling 199
A Summary of the Jewish Life in Klobuck between the Two World Wars Moshe Wajnman 203
 
The German Extermination of Jewish Klobuck
The First Months under the German Occupation Berl Yakubowicz 209
In the Chase with Death and the German Torture Yitzhak Szperling 217
Moniek Merin, the Organizer of the Judenrat [Jewish council] in Klobuck Yakov Szmulewicz 220
The Activities of the Judenrat and the Battle for Existence Moshe Fajga 223
Pain and Self-Sacrifice of the Pious JewsFishl Fajga 226
Forced Labor and Beastly Deeds Pesa Chorzewski Zlatnik 234
The Last Jewish Kindergarten in Klobuck Adele Unglik 238
The Klobuck Ghetto: “Selections,” and the Torture Camps Tsile Witelzon-Zambek 240
Final Liquidation of the Ghetto Karala Benszkowska 244
The Christian “Help” for the Klobucker Jews Pesa Chorzewski Zlatnik 247
 
Klobucker Jews in Extermination Camps
The Zagórz Concentration Camp Dora Wajs 250
Out of Hiding and Away to the Zagórz Concentration Camp Avraham Enzel 253
The Struggle for Life and Existence Moshe Fajga 254
Hunger and Hard Labor Berl Yakubowicz 264
 
Attempts at Resistance in the Camps
The Work of the Tailors Workshop Moshe Fajga 285
In a German Camp with Members of the Klobuck Judenrat [Jewish council] Fishl Fajga 290
With Klobuckers in the Torture Camps Yitzhak Szperling 294
Savage Exploitation and Final Liquidation Yakov Szmulewicz 298
Liquidation of the concentration camps and the German intention to exterminate the Jews who remained alive Yakov Szmulewicz 300
We Wanted to Fight Against the Murderers, But We Did Not Have Any Weapons Avraham Wajs 303
The Heroic Death of the Old Man Hershl Fajga Moshe Fajga 307
Liberation and Still Between Life and Death Berl Yakubowicz 310
 
Episodes from the Time of Extermination
In German Captivity Mordekhai Wajsfelner 316
The Last Jews in the Klobucker Ghetto Yehuda Szperling 319
In the Cleanup Command in Germany Mordekhai Wajsfelner 322
How I Caught the German Jew-murderer – Halschuld Moshe Fajga 326
Committee to Aid the Hungry in Zagórz Camp Avraham Enzel 328
 
Experiences of Klobuckers in France During the German Exterminations
Among the French Partisans Moshe Wajnman 329
My Experiences in France Noakh Rybsztajn 333
Extermination of the Jewish Communities of Miedzno and its Surroundings   336
 
German Exterminations
Photographs from Dachau Torture Camp   337
Klobucker Jewish Families Tortured by the Germans   345
El Male Rakhamin [God full of Mercy]   347
Photographs, Family Descriptions, Incomplete List by Name   349
 
Necrology   394
Klobucker Refugees in Israel, France and in Australia   408
Klobucker in France Moshe Wajnman 417
Klobucker in Australia   424
Map of Klobuck Drawn By Adele   428
Final Remarks A. Wolf Jasni 429


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