Pinchas Kolomey--Kolomyya, Ukraine

Memorial Book of Kolomey
(Kolomyya, Ukraine)

48° 32' / 25° 02'
Translation of
Pinchas Kolomey

Edited by: Shlomo Bickel

Published in New York, 1957

Acknowledgments
Project Coordinators

Claire Hisler Shefftz z”l and Dr. Ben Nachman

This is a translation of : Pinkes Kolomey (Memorial Book of Kolomey),
Editor: Shlomo Bickel, New York, Rausen Bros., 1957 (Y, 448 pages).

Note: The original book can be seen online at the NY Public Library site: Kolomyia (1957)

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

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.

Translator's Note
My parents, Aaron and Mary (Miriam Shuster) Hisler came from Kolomey and my father was on the Kolomeyer Memorial Book committee and in charge of the book's distribution. The book was copyrighted in care of his name and address. I was encouraged to read the book but never quite managed to get much beyond the first page when my parents were alive. In the years since their deaths, I have observed Yom Hashoah each year by slowly translating some of the section of the Holocaust as best I could and writing it down.
Many years ago, my father expressed the wish that the book be translated into English and published; I thought that very unlikely. But now this website has made his wish possible in a way he could never have imagined.
Claire Hisler Shefftz z”l

Shlomo Bickel Preface VII

Dr. N. M. Gelber History of the Jews of Kolomey (with notes and references) 13

Dr. Abraham Yaakov Braver Kolomey –Capital of Pokutia (Polish spelling: Pokucie) 96

Moshe Rat Rabbis, Synagogues and Jewish Life in Kolomey 112

Synagogues and study-houses in Kolomey 130

A. Yaari Books that were published in Kolomyya between the years 1880-1930 157

Israel Isser Zeidman Three Eras 159

Dr. Zvi Heller Zionism in Kolomey 176

Levi Grebler Socialist Demonstration in Kolomea on the Eve of Voting, 1907 182

David Yesha'yahu Silberbusch Vienna Rothschilds and Kolomeyer Taleysim Workers 190

I. Teitelbaum The Hechalutz in Kolomea 197

The Martyred Chalutzim from Slobodka–Leshna [1919] 205

Dr. Stanisław Vincenz At Kol Nidre in the Boyaner Kloyz 208

Shlomo Bickel The Apostate Newcomers Are Honored and the Resident Apostate is Trounced 212

Dovid Landman The Jewish Workers Movement in Kolomea 220

Leib Weitz My Little Street and My Youth Organization 223

Leizer Walder Memories of a Young Kolomeyer Tailor 231

A. Sh. Yuris My Streets 237

Shloyme Bik Two Russian Jews in the City: Yona Shamas and Motl Fonya, the News Seeker 244

Naftali Gross Yosl Klezmer Saved the City from a Fire 251

My Companions from Kolomea [from the book Yidn [Jews], New York, 1929 255

Itzik Manger Between Stopchet and Kolomea [poem] [reprinted with the author's permission] 256

Portraits [brief biographies, most with small photos]

Chaim Gross [1904] 257

The Poet Naftali Gross (1897–1956) 259

The Musical Child Prodigies: The Brothers Sigmund (1900-1952) and Emanuel Feuermann (1902-1942) 264

The Nationalist Educator of Two Generations Laibel Taubes (1863–1933) 266

The Last Kolomea Rabbi The Rabbi Joseph Lau 268

The Rebbe-Bokher (188? -1917) 271

T.M. The Zionist Veteran Dr. Shlomo Rozenhek (1862-1934) 274

M. A. Shulwas The Creator of the Religion Yirat Elohim Moshe Yakov Schwerdscharf (1858-1922) 277

Dr. Moshe Elihu Nhir (Klarman) The Teacher, Reb Wolf Rozenkranc 279

Y. D. Member of Suchnot Dr. Fishl Rotenstreich (1882-1938) 281

Shin Beis The Jewish Teacher in Vilna Dr. Yisroel Biber (1897-1942) 283

Ed. The Leader of the Bund Dr. Adolf Frisch (1891-1943) 285

Shlomo Bikel The Minister of Education of Tel Aviv Dr. Elihu Maruz-Rozenbaum (1897-1952) 287

Yakov Mendl Marksheid Khaver Shmoys (1887-1942) 291

The Silken Jew Chaim Ringelblum (1894-1942?) 296

The Hebraist [Yakov Biter (1894-1941)] 301

Nun Beis The Pious Maskil [Efroim Klarman (1874-1928)] 302

Shin The Chortkover Hasid [Hanokh Shekhter (1878-1955)] 304

L.G. The Socialist [Mikhal Herer (1885-1942?)] 306

Lamed Giml The P.P.S. Bookbinder [Moshe Sak (18?-19?)] 307

G.B. The Leader of the Merchants [Yehuda Borukh Feierstein] 308

Sh. B. The Financier [Emanuel Luft (1893-1941)] 310

Z. R. Lek The Writer [Dr. Anselm Kleinmann, (1882-1942?)] 312

Shin Surgeon and Philosopher [Dr. Eliezer Bickel (1902-1951)] 313

Sh. A. The Talmud Professor [Dr. Yisroel Osterzetser (1904-1942?)] 315

Shin Beis The Editor of Di Rote Fahne [Heinrich Ziskind (1895-1934?)] 316

Lawyer and Orator [Dr. Feywl Shternberg (1887–1948)] 318

The Actor [Alexander Granach (1891–1945)] 320

Khurbn [Holocaust]

Chana Weinheber– Hacker: The Annihilation of the Jews of Kolomey [June 1941– February 1943] 325

[Testimony from Sally Tager] 357

[Testimony from Sigmund Tager] 359

[Sally and Sigmund Tager Speak] 360

[Testimony from Andi Lederfeind:] [–about the action of September 17] 366

[–about the Sunday action in early October, 1942] 368

[The Escape– testimony from Chana Weinheber– Hacker] 370

Yeshia Feder and Shoshana Hecht–Feder We Survived 376

Lusia Borten In Kolomey Between 1944–1946 414

The Judenrat and Its Chairman, Markus Horowitz 420

The Murderers of the Martyred Kehilla of Kolomey (names, trials, and sentences) 425

In Memory of Our People

List of Kolomayers who, together with millions of other martyrs, perished in the great khurbn (holocaust) 5700–5705 (only about 80 families list the names of family members who were killed – there were thousands more) 431

(The following section is not listed in the table of contents):

[Those who were killed in the Soviet–Nazi war] (They enlisted in the Soviet army in summer 1941 after the Nazis invaded Russia – only 12 names known are listed out of over a hundred Jewish Kolomeyers who fell on the battlefields.) 442

Kolomear Organizations in New York 443

(these are described as below in the text but not listed in the table of contents)

[The Joint Kolomear Relief by A. Hisler 444

The Kolomear Jewish Center 445

Kolomeyer Branch 528 of the Arbeiter Ring 445

Kolomear Friends Association] 447

Illustrations

The City Hall, Kolomea 16–17

Proclamation (copy of 1891 appeal to Jews to elect Dr. Joseph Shmuel Block to his third term in the Austrian Parliament in Vienna representing the district which included Kolomey, Buczacz, and Sniatyn– in Yiddish) 83

The Tall Shul, Boyaner House of Study, Azipolyer Shul (drawings) 129

The wooden shul in Yablonov, the wooden shul in Peczenizhin (photos), the Talmud Torah (drawing) 141

Literary Evening (copy of program for Feb.22, 1919) 169

Histadrut Mizrachi [1929] 175

“Hitahadut Ze'irei Zion” [local committee] 181

Hechalutz Groups [3: Hechalutz 1924–25,” Dror 1933”, Histadrut “Gordonia” 1933] 198

Hachshara Collective [1935], “Hanoar Hazioni” [1934], Farewell Banquet [before Kutner and Rosenbaum left for Israel] 202

Hachshara Group [Hashomer HaTsair] in Slobodka–Leshna in the year 1919 206

Evening Class from the organization “Evening Courses” 230

Map of the Three Ghettos in Kolomey [in Yiddish] 336–337

Translator's notes:
Square brackets, [ ], contain information from the text to help explain the items in the table of contents.
The words in parentheses, ( ), are explanations added by the translator.
The group photos in the “Illustrations” section do not list the names of the group members.

Yizkor Book Project JewishGen Home Page Kolomea, at Kehilalinks

Yizkor Book Director, Lance Ackerfeld
Emerita Yizkor Book Project Manager, Joyce Field z”l
This web page created by Carol Monosson Edan

Shlomo Bickel	Preface	VII
Dr. N. M. Gelber	History of the Jews of Kolomey (with notes and references)	13
Dr. Abraham Yaakov Braver	Kolomey –Capital of Pokutia (Polish spelling: Pokucie)	96
Moshe Rat	Rabbis, Synagogues and Jewish Life in Kolomey	112
	Synagogues and study-houses in Kolomey	130
A. Yaari	Books that were published in Kolomyya between the years 1880-1930	157
Israel Isser Zeidman	Three Eras	159
Dr. Zvi Heller	Zionism in Kolomey	176
Levi Grebler	Socialist Demonstration in Kolomea on the Eve of Voting, 1907	182
David Yesha'yahu Silberbusch	Vienna Rothschilds and Kolomeyer Taleysim Workers	190
I. Teitelbaum	The Hechalutz in Kolomea	197
	The Martyred Chalutzim from Slobodka–Leshna [1919]	205
Dr. Stanisław Vincenz	At Kol Nidre in the Boyaner Kloyz	208
Shlomo Bickel	The Apostate Newcomers Are Honored and the Resident Apostate is Trounced	212
Dovid Landman	The Jewish Workers Movement in Kolomea	220
Leib Weitz	My Little Street and My Youth Organization	223
Leizer Walder	Memories of a Young Kolomeyer Tailor	231
A. Sh. Yuris	My Streets	237
Shloyme Bik	Two Russian Jews in the City: Yona Shamas and Motl Fonya, the News Seeker	244
Naftali Gross	Yosl Klezmer Saved the City from a Fire	251
	My Companions from Kolomea [from the book Yidn [Jews], New York, 1929	255
Itzik Manger	Between Stopchet and Kolomea [poem] [reprinted with the author's permission]	256

Portraits [brief biographies, most with small photos]
	Chaim Gross [1904]	257
	The Poet Naftali Gross (1897–1956)	259
	The Musical Child Prodigies: The Brothers Sigmund (1900-1952) and Emanuel Feuermann (1902-1942)	264
	The Nationalist Educator of Two Generations Laibel Taubes (1863–1933)	266
	The Last Kolomea Rabbi The Rabbi Joseph Lau	268
	The Rebbe-Bokher (188? -1917)	271
T.M.	The Zionist Veteran Dr. Shlomo Rozenhek (1862-1934)	274
M. A. Shulwas	The Creator of the Religion Yirat Elohim Moshe Yakov Schwerdscharf (1858-1922)	277
Dr. Moshe Elihu Nhir (Klarman)	The Teacher, Reb Wolf Rozenkranc	279
Y. D.	Member of Suchnot Dr. Fishl Rotenstreich (1882-1938)	281
Shin Beis	The Jewish Teacher in Vilna Dr. Yisroel Biber (1897-1942)	283
Ed.	The Leader of the Bund Dr. Adolf Frisch (1891-1943)	285
Shlomo Bikel	The Minister of Education of Tel Aviv Dr. Elihu Maruz-Rozenbaum (1897-1952)	287
Yakov Mendl Marksheid	Khaver Shmoys (1887-1942)	291
	The Silken Jew Chaim Ringelblum (1894-1942?)	296
	The Hebraist [Yakov Biter (1894-1941)]	301
Nun Beis	The Pious Maskil [Efroim Klarman (1874-1928)]	302
Shin	The Chortkover Hasid [Hanokh Shekhter (1878-1955)]	304
L.G.	The Socialist [Mikhal Herer (1885-1942?)]	306
Lamed Giml	The P.P.S. Bookbinder [Moshe Sak (18?-19?)]	307
G.B.	The Leader of the Merchants [Yehuda Borukh Feierstein]	308
Sh. B.	The Financier [Emanuel Luft (1893-1941)]	310
Z. R. Lek	The Writer [Dr. Anselm Kleinmann, (1882-1942?)]	312
Shin	Surgeon and Philosopher [Dr. Eliezer Bickel (1902-1951)]	313
Sh. A.	The Talmud Professor [Dr. Yisroel Osterzetser (1904-1942?)]	315
Shin Beis	The Editor of Di Rote Fahne [Heinrich Ziskind (1895-1934?)]	316
	Lawyer and Orator [Dr. Feywl Shternberg (1887–1948)]	318
	The Actor [Alexander Granach (1891–1945)]	320

Khurbn [Holocaust]
Chana Weinheber– Hacker:	The Annihilation of the Jews of Kolomey [June 1941– February 1943]	325
	[Testimony from Sally Tager]	357
	[Testimony from Sigmund Tager]	359
	[Sally and Sigmund Tager Speak]	360
	[Testimony from Andi Lederfeind:] [–about the action of September 17]	366
	[–about the Sunday action in early October, 1942]	368
	[The Escape– testimony from Chana Weinheber– Hacker]	370
Yeshia Feder and Shoshana Hecht–Feder	We Survived	376
Lusia Borten	In Kolomey Between 1944–1946	414
	The Judenrat and Its Chairman, Markus Horowitz	420
	The Murderers of the Martyred Kehilla of Kolomey (names, trials, and sentences)	425

In Memory of Our People
List of Kolomayers who, together with millions of other martyrs, perished in the great khurbn (holocaust) 5700–5705 (only about 80 families list the names of family members who were killed – there were thousands more)		431
(The following section is not listed in the table of contents):
[Those who were killed in the Soviet–Nazi war] (They enlisted in the Soviet army in summer 1941 after the Nazis invaded Russia – only 12 names known are listed out of over a hundred Jewish Kolomeyers who fell on the battlefields.)		442
Kolomear Organizations in New York		443
(these are described as below in the text but not listed in the table of contents)
[The Joint Kolomear Relief by A. Hisler		444
The Kolomear Jewish Center		445
Kolomeyer Branch 528 of the Arbeiter Ring		445
Kolomear Friends Association]		447

Illustrations
The City Hall, Kolomea		16–17
Proclamation (copy of 1891 appeal to Jews to elect Dr. Joseph Shmuel Block to his third term in the Austrian Parliament in Vienna representing the district which included Kolomey, Buczacz, and Sniatyn– in Yiddish)		83
The Tall Shul, Boyaner House of Study, Azipolyer Shul (drawings)		129
The wooden shul in Yablonov, the wooden shul in Peczenizhin (photos), the Talmud Torah (drawing)		141
Literary Evening (copy of program for Feb.22, 1919)		169
Histadrut Mizrachi [1929]		175
“Hitahadut Ze'irei Zion” [local committee]		181
Hechalutz Groups [3: Hechalutz 1924–25,” Dror 1933”, Histadrut “Gordonia” 1933]		198
Hachshara Collective [1935], “Hanoar Hazioni” [1934], Farewell Banquet [before Kutner and Rosenbaum left for Israel]		202
Hachshara Group [Hashomer HaTsair] in Slobodka–Leshna in the year 1919		206
Evening Class from the organization “Evening Courses”		230
Map of the Three Ghettos in Kolomey [in Yiddish]		336–337

Translator's notes: Square brackets, [ ], contain information from the text to help explain the items in the table of contents. The words in parentheses, ( ), are explanations added by the translator. The group photos in the “Illustrations” section do not list the names of the group members.