RADOSZYCE

RADOSZYCE - Photo Gallery at the bottom of this page

Radoszyce are located 18 kilometers South-West from Końskie. 144 people lived there during the reigns of Kazimierz Wielki. Radoszyce were established in 1370. In 1428 King Władysław Jagiełło gave the permission for a fair and two markets. Their number grew to 12 in time. The town was a well-known center of iron smelting and glass production since the 16^th century and then – of cannon substructure and barouche production. King Zygmunt III allowed Jews to possess 12 houses in Radoszyce (1615).

Radoszyce had the population of 1425 residents and 252 houses (mainly one-storey) in 1827. In the second half of the 19^th century the horse-drawn carriages and barouche were produced in mass and they were exported to larger centers. The town was sityated far from the railway and road network, what caused the collapse of the settlement – only 3344 residents lived in Radoszyce in 1930.

At the end of the 1920’s the most popular Jewish companies comprised: sheet metal workshop of M. Cyna, cap maker’s workshops of S. Aleksandrowicz, M. Cukier, gaiter producer workshops of A. Birenbaum, S. Majerowicz, L. Wajnrych, blacksmith’s of F. Szenberg, tailor’s workshops of C. Fajerwerk, I. Lewenberg, J. Rozenberg, A. Spigielman, S. Tenenbaum, Z. Tenenbaum, mill of M. Rojtman, carpenter’s workshop of S. Birenbaum, F. Cukier, shoemaker’s of M. Gold, factory of carbonated water of A. Lewin.

In blawat (expensive silk material, usually celeste) traded: M. Garncarski, B. Ginsberg, R. Kirszencwajg, C. Manelewicz, in poultry: F. Gincberg, S. Szlamowicz, in paints P. Szajnfarber, in gallantry H. Liberman, in bakery articles M. Birenbaum, F. Choiński, I. Najfeld, in saddler’s production S. Orenbuch, in meat F. Choiński, I. Glajt, in skins I. Hercygier, S. Hercygier, S. Rozen, in alcohol W. Finkler, in food Ch. Baron, Ch. Garfinkiel, D. Lewenberg, B. Szlamowicz, B. Waks, S. Woldfogel, M. Zylberzog, in grain: M. Zylberberg, in iron: C. Garncarski, S. Lejzer, U. Mepen, J. Szejer, M. Szejer.

Breweries were run by: M. Kaufman, F. Landau, M. Osełka, shops with tobacco: S. Chmielnicki, E. Liberman, D. Rozenblit, inns by: S. Przytycki and A. Tenenbaum.

The right of PKO (Polish bank) checks transactions had Sz. J. Finkler. Credits were granted by Craftsmen and Merchants Bank.

Many people dealt with transport by carts – people and articles were transported in masse by the road from Radoszyce to Końskie: “There was a Jew, who had two horses and a cart (…) he took 16 people at once. He didn’t sit – he was walking or running by the cart”. Markets took place every Wednesday, attracting merchants from Kielce, Łopuszno, Końskie.

Radoszyce occurred in “Wyzwolenie” (a newspaper) in 1921 thanks to petition to Post Offices Ministry, signed by parish priest, rabbi, Polish and Jewish merchants, against allowing a PSL “Wyzwolenie” follower to work at the post office. The article was called: “Touching harmony among priests, landowners and Jews”.

Natan Rozenberg, Chaim’s son, was born in Radoszyce in 1925 – he became famous in Izrael after the II World War as a sculptor and painter.

The beginnings of Jewish colonization is Radoszyce are dated back to the beginning of the 16^th century. Jews were allowed to live, possess 12 houses and trade freely in 1615. However, in 1640 the Mayor and councillors established a ban on selling lands (for buildings construction) to Jews. That is why only two Jews owned houses on the lands that belonged to the king and 14 ‘farmers’ paying national taxes in 1789. 476 Jews lived in the town in 1827, i.e. 29.3% of the total population.

In 1910 the community owned a synagogue placed in the centre of the settlement, two prayer houses and a cemetery (2hectares) situated by the road to Grodzisko village.

During the first census in reborn Poland, the population of 1278 Jews was registered in Radoszyce – i.e. 38.2% of all residents. The community possessed also a cheder and a mikvah in the interwar period. Jisochar Dow Ber, a student of Święty Żyd (Holy Jew) from Przysucha, enjoyed his popularity.

After the elections, which were conducted in 1924, the Management comprised only Non-aligned, mainly merchants: Kasryl Kirszencwajg, Izrael Hercygier, Szaja Machorowski, Szlama Chmielnicki, deputies: Juer Szustak, Izrael Osełka, Abram Kosztuch, Szaja Waldfogel. Sz. Chmielnicki belonged to the former Management too. Any protests weren’t registered during the elections.

According to the preserved data, the incomes of 18,391 zloty were assumed in 1927, they included: 15,300 zloty – slaughter, 1519 zloty – contribution, 50 zloty – cemetery fees, 1522.80 zloty – outstanding contributions. The expenditures were predicted as follows: annual salary of Rabbi Icek Finkler – 6000 zloty, of kosher butchers Jankiel Tajtelbaum and Herszel Rozenblum – 4800 zloty each, of personal assistant Bronisław Hofman – 500 zloty, of religious watcher – 1000 zloty, of collector Szmul Gincberg – 500 zloty, of cantors Haskiel Rozenblum and Herszel Zalcberg – 75 zloty each, of teachers Juda Kleper – 150 zloty and Smul Zylbneryng – 75 zloty, Talmud Torah (subsidies) – 750 zloty, fuel and light in the synagogue – 200 zloty, the mikveh renovation – 1000 zloty, stationery – 200 zloty, building taxes – 200 zloty, crab apple – 100 zloty, stamps and post office fees – 95 zloty, unpredicted expenses – 1000 zloty.

In 1928 the Management comprised: chairman Izrael Hercygier and members Szaja Machorowski, Icek Finkler, Szlama Chmielnicki. The Management assumed the income of 20,882 zloty, including: 15,000 zloty from a slaughter, 3331 zloty from contributions. The approved slaughter fees were also quite high: 10 zloty – ox or big cow, 3.50 zloty – small cow or calf, 0.80 zloty – goose, 0.40 zloty – hen.

The incomes in 1930 were planned at 26,126 zloty, including 14,998 zloty from slaughter and 3150 zloty from contributions. The arrears in contributions were registered at 7978 zloty at the same time. The contribution was paid also by Jews from Radoszyce, who temporarily lived in Ruda Maleniecka, Miedzierz, Końskie, Janów, Łopuszno – in general 222 families. Only 27 families were exempted from paying donations, which varied from 3 to 50 zloty – for example kosher butcher Icek Glait paid 10 zloty, doctor Abram Goldman – 15 zloty, baker Jankiel Lisoprawski – 20 zloty. The salary of Rabbi I. Finkler was determined at 4530 zloty, of kosher butchers J. Tajtelbaum – 2062 zloty, H. Rozenblum – 2062 zloty, of personal assistant K. Truszkowski – 450 zloty, of collector S. Gincberg – 498 zloty, of watcher A. Garncarski – 279 zloty, of cantor H. Zalcberg – 297 zloty, of shkolnik Sz. Zylberyng – 275 zloty and of J. Klaper – 180 zloty.

The outstanding contributions accounted for 6157.60 zloty in 1931, which was a serious amount especially since the income from contributions was planned at 1372 zloty, 50 zloty from cemetery fees, 50 zloty from monuments, 13,211.60 zloty from cattle and poultry slaughter. The Management with Abram Kosztuch at the forefront, had also financial obligations toward rabbi (3600 zloty), personal assistant Truszkowski (450 zloty), kosher butchers (2062 zloty), collector Gincberg (279 zloty), cantor Zalcberg (269 zloty), shkolnik Zylberyng (275 zloty) and shkolnik Klaper (180 zloty).

Slaughter inspection conducted by County Office stated that 503 cows, 2855 geese, 4812 hens, 1495 chickens and 892 geese for export were slaughtered in 1931. The fact that Jewish kitchen used not only goose meat but also goose lard in everyday life should be mentioned.

Radoszyce had the population of 1845 Jews in 1933. The predicted incomes were as follows: 8244 zloty – contributions, 18,000 zloty – slaughter, 100 zloty - other sources (26,344 zloty in general). The expenditures included: rabbi’s salary – 7500 zloty, officials’ salaries – 11,306 zloty, other expenses – 1320 zloty, investments – 2174 zloty, unpredicted expenses – 4040 zloty. The inspection of slaughter showed that 199 cows, 470 calves, 271 geese, 1346 hens and 164 geese for export were slaughtered since January to May 1932.

1642 Jews lived in Radoszyce in 1938 and 208 families were appointed to pay contributions. The movables were estimated at 902 zloty, the realties at 15,000 zloty. There was a high indebtedness – 8083.21 zloty.

After Rabbi Izrael Finkler’s death in 1936 his son Kałma Finkler took his duties. In the Management 100% of shares belonged to Aguda followers. One association was registered in the interwar period – Gemiłus Chesed was officially established on May 10, 1927.

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Today:

1. Synagogues – none of two synagogues survived.
2. Jewish cemetery – cleaned, several dozen tombstones remained there.
3. Mikveh – nowadays houses police department.