ZWOLEŃ

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The town is located on the banks of Zwolanka River, 30 km from Radom at the crossroads of two communicational route: Radom – Puławy - Lublin and Sandomierz – Lipsko – Warka - Warsaw. Several kilometers from the town centre were large timberlands, connected with Kozienicka Primeval Forest. Zwoleń was established on the area of Gotardowa Wola (a village) and obtained civic rights in 1425. In the 16^thcentury the town had an elaborate local government with Town Council at the forefront. The centre of the town consisted of built-up Main Square and several streets: Kościelna, Szewska, Krakowska, Tylna, Bartodziejska and Radomska. The borders of the town were marked with cairns. 2 Jews were registered in the town in 1554 and 3 in 1567, but the number permanently increased. The privilege for the town (December 1591) limited the tenure to 10 houses but also allowed to trade freely and to use a synagogue. “On markets and fairs in Zwoleń came numerous market traders and craftsmen from nearby villages, who could conduct transactions after paying the fee called ‘targowe’”.Craft played one of the leading roles. In 1567 there were 22 butchers (3 of them were Jews), 7 wheelwrights, 3 weavers, 2 bladesmiths, a cooper, a barber surgeon, a public bath worker, a saddler, a birch-tar seller, tailors and weavers. King Zygmunt III allowed Jews to possess 20 houses by the privilege on August 22, 1615. In 1661 in the town were 8 Jewish houses, 20 Jews without houses on their own, Jewish bakers, strong drinks producers and barterers. Jews, who lived there in 1671 complained that the town was permanently robbed by walking-by armies.

The Jewish community in Zwoleń was one of the oldest communities between Wisła River and Pilica River. Kings Stefan Batory, Zygmunt III, Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki, August III and Stanisław August Poniatowski confirmed the privileges for Jewish population allowing them to live, trade and build a synagogue, mikvehs and cheders.

The synagogue built in 1834 was: „…a one-storey building in the part of prayer room and a multi-storey in the part of women gallery, with monumental - in scale of the object - corner buttresses, covered with Polish broken roof, roofed with shingle”. Famous rabbi Chaskiel Cukier stood at the forefront of the synagogue district in the 1860’s.

A modern mikveh was built in 1895 from his initiative, a kosher slaughterhouse was also built that year. A free-standing cheder was built in 1902 and a prayer house in 1913. Abram Chaim Fliderbaum was nominated by Tsarist authorities for the rabbi in 1905.

The Jewish community was established in the 1590’s. A wooden synagogue was built after year 1591, a cemetery was situated outside the hill with dense buildings, on the left riverbank. During the November Uprising the cemetery was seriously damaged. Russian army dismantled the wooden fence and used it as a fuel, the same with wooden funeral house and wooden ohels (graves). Zwoleń was completely destroyed by the fire in 1834. The synagogue was also burnt - but was rebuilt the same year.

325 houses (93% of them wooden) and 2894 residents were registered in the town in 1864. To the active population belonged 338 residents including: 88 craftsmen, 18 hucksters, 12 publicans, 220 farmers.

7266 people lived in Zwoleń in 1907. In the town were 545 houses, 505 of them were wooden. Shops accounted for 131 in 1915 – excluding stalls and stands. The independence of Poland favoured the town development. There were 3787 Jews in 1921 – 51.2% of all residents. The number of houses increase of 30% between 1918 and 1930, however Zwoleń didn’t have cobbled streets, pavements or lightning even in 1925. The image of the town was created by trade and small craft that produced goods for the nearby villages’ needs. Loans were given by People’s Bank, Cooperative-Credit Bank and Trade-Cooperative Cash.

The main Jewish factories at the turn of 1929 and 1930 were as follows: tinsmithing workshops of M. Diament, N. Feldberg, M. Frydman, hairdresser’s of: J. Breslauer, G. Szlaferman, photographic workshops of: K. Rapaport, G. Szlaferman, tanneries of: M. Goldfarb, K. Kuperberg, Ch. Wajngrot, pottery factories of S. Fuks, P. Goldman, B. Bojmalgrin, groats factories of: I. Altman, A. Bojmalgrin, J. Bursztyn, M. Cukier, A. Felsztajn, Sz. Manela, Ch. Keszenblat, A. Szlufman, tailor’s workshops of: J. Altman, Sz. Bartmanowicz, J. Bielman, M. Flumenbaum, N. B. Grinberg, N. Grinsztajn, Z. Grojsman, A. Kerszencwajg, Ch. Mandelman, M. Pelcman, H. Trajman, M. Wajcman, mill of J. Goldfarb, soap factory of Sz. Łuczkower, oil mills of: L. Flumenbaum, L. Fuks, Sz. Małach, P. Mandelbaum, bakeries of: J. Apel, M. Bersztel, F. Białas, M. Feldman, F. Gotfarb, N, Goldman, J. Groman, N. Kasperman, R. Kuperman, N. Zalcman, rope producing factory of I. Szmeterling, shoemaker’s workshops of: Sz. Branfan, B. Finkielsztajn, I. Hochman, M. Liberman, M. Likower, N. Mandelbaum, Najchauz, Tokarski I. Sztern, watchmaker’s workshop of: Ch. Wajnburg, S. Wolman.

In blawat (expensive silk fabric usually celeste) traded: H. Ajchenbaum, J. Dyment, D. Szarferc, M. Szarferc, L. Liberman, J. Miler, in cattle K. Kuperman, in confectionery I. Szyldkrot, in wood: L. Fuchs, T. Grynberg, L. Zylbergield, in paints: O. Bremer, Sz. Zajdenwerm, in gallantry: J. Hofman, K. Korman, L. Kuperman, Ch. Wajngrot, in horses: A. Frydman, L. Kestenberg, D. Waserman, in books M. Goldberg, in footwear: M. Akierman, M. Lukower, in skins: M. Flumen, A. Lindenbaum, in alcohol Ch. R. Tenenbaum, in food: Ch. Bojmal, A. Bojmalgrin, H. Boruchman, J. Edelsztajn, P. Mandelbaum, J. Rozenblat, P. Rozenperel, B. Sztajnhorn, S. Zyzman, in tobacco: Ch. Szwarcberg, P. Taub-Zyzman, in clothes: Z. Grojsman, F. Flumenbaum, in grain L. Baumalgrin, P. Mandelbaum, in crops F. Zylberrajch, in iron: M. Ajzenman, A. Engiel, Ch. Feldsztajn, M. Wanela, Sz. Rotblat.

Breweries were run by: Ch. Bichman, R. Herszenbaum, M. Szwarcberg, Zelik Wiśnia, Josek Feldsztajn, restaurant by Ch. R. Tenenbaum, inn by S. Wajsbrot. The intelligentsia comprised feldshers Jakób Breslauer, Kofman Rapoport, bookseller Moszek Bencjan Goldberg.

That is how Zbigniew Lesisz remember the interwar period: “… despite many inconveniences of everyday life and living conditions, Jews from Zwoleń – both old and young – were always cheerful. They liked to joke and smile during meetings with friends. They were also skilful musicians. On violin they played beautifully and emotionally. They had their own band on the area of Zwoleń that had been organized and functioned with the support of Poles. This band played at weddings, name-day parties and other commemorative events organized by friends and richer townspeople”.

The correspondence between the Voivode of Kielce and the Starost of Kozienice that comes from the turn of 1928 and 1929 explains the situation of the community during the interwar period. According to it the first elections to the local government took place in 1924. The community in Zwoleń was treated as big, despite the fact that less than 5000 people belonged to it. The elections were won by: Rabbi A. Ch. Fiderbaum, Tobiasz Grynberg, Froim Flomenbaum, Moszek Bersztel, Abram Engiel, Tobiasz Rozenblat, Pejsach Kochen, Herszl Boruchman, Mendel Szerman, Symcha Wolman. Tobiasz Grynberg became the chairman of the Management. The community comprised not only Jews from Zwoleń but also those, who lived in: Celestynów, Janów, Bartodzieje, Szczęście, Kamyk, Grabów at Wisła River, Laski, Pachty, Zielonka Nowa. The Starost stated, disarmingly honest, that the population haven’t been counted and number 4500 was a rough guess. In that situation the Voivode in Kielce addressed a letter to the Ministry of Religious Affairs on September 22, 1928 asking to change the status of the community to “small”. The Ministry agreed on November 21, 1929.

According to the Voivodeship Office in Kielce the community wasn’t led correctly. Even the community authorities agreed with that stating that they didn’t have experience in planning. The budget for year 1925 contained overstated incomes, especially from contribution, and that is why this position in the budget for year 1926 must been reduced by several thousand zloty.

In 1927 the Management had arrears in fees for the lightness in synagogue, many official hadn’t received full salaries, the national taxes and the mortgage haven’t been regulated too.

The incomes of the community were predicted at 49,959 zloty including 28,000 zloty from slaughter. The rest was to be collected from contribution, cemetery fees, permissions for tombstones constructions, sits in the synagogue and voluntary payments. It is hard to call the planned budget “precise” since it was assumed to receive 1200 zloty from funerals and 1500 zloty from voluntary subscriptions. Rabbi A. Ch. Fliderbaum earned 5500 zloty annually, Deputy Rabbi Abram Pinkus Kirszenbaum – 2160 zloy, kosher butchers Szloma Rajsa and Mendel Gotowizna – 3600 zloty each, kosher butcher Chaim Wajntraub – 2200 zloty, personal assistant Chil Huberman – 1200 zloty, cantor Szmul Eli Apel – 400 zloty, gravedigger Abram Obstbaum – 200 zloty. We can find out from the budget that the synagogue school was run by Icek Szmul Wajntraub, Talmud Torah by Majer Bojmalgryn, Yeshiva by Jeszua Nusyn Zebludowicz. 1500 zloty was to be spent on poor people and 2000 zloty on education. Mordka Blajchman stood at the forefront of the community.

The assumptions of the budget for year 1928 haven’t been realized, the contributions of 10,520.45 zloty haven’t been collected. Officials in the community didn’t receive full salaries. Arrears toward them accounted for 1375 zloty. The renovation of the synagogue and the bath house, which was planned, haven’t been done too, the mortgage wasn’t regulated.

In general, 25,531 zloty was spent – not the predicted 37,397.45 zloty. Despite that the County Office wrote they haven’t seen “serious insufficiency” in the community functioning. Recommendations on 1929 included: raise of rabbi’s salary, 1416 zloty to be spent on poor people care, 3.70 zloty should be given back to collector I. Fajntuch.

The situation was complicated by the fact that they didn’t know how to collect the assumed contributions. The indebtedness from 1927 was accounted for 1500 zloty, from 1928 – 1000 zloty, from 1929 – 2614 zloty; one year later the arrears reached 5411 zloty.

The assets of the community contained in 1929: the synagogue that required the roof renovation (just like the school), Talmud Torah that required the interior renovation, the bath house, which was in good condition – after capital renovation.

During census in 1931, 3787 Jews were registered in the community in Zwoleń, which was 51.2% of all residents. Another elections to the Management took place that year. It’s legality was challenged by Moszek Szperling. The investigation conducted with the support of policy showed that commission was in a polling station all the time and it was peaceful there. The appeal was rejected. Zionists objected because Orthodox Jews won.

The community had the population of 3800 Jews in 1932, the budget predicted the income of 30,000 zloty including 14,832 zloty from slaughter. The slaughter fees were as follows: 7 zloty per cow, 2.50 zloty per calf, ram or sheep, 35-70 grosz per poultry. It was planned to collect 3400 zloty from contributions, 3000 zloty in general from bath house and from the Passover bread for Pesach. According to the County Office the budget should have been higher on the incomes side by 20,000 zloty. The main positions of expenditures: the annual salary of Rabbi A. Ch. Fliderbaum – 4800 zloty, of Deputy Rabbi A. P. Kirszenbaum – 2100 zloty, of kosher butchers Sz. Rajs and M. Gotowizna – 3120 zloty each, Ch. Wajtraub – 2100 zloty. Personal assistant of the community Ch. Huberman earned 2100 zloty annually, the manager of synagogue school Icek Wajntraub – 1920 zloty, two teachers in Talmud Torah – 1300 zloty each, cantors Szmul Eli Apel and Lejbuś Chelemar – 240 zloty each. It is easy to notice the differentiation among the salaries. Beniamin Ajzerman and Dawid Icek Ajderman worked in the bath house.

The community devoted 1500 zloty annually to help for poor people, 500 zloty to Bejs Jakow school. It had also bought the Passover bread for poor people on Pesach, which cost 3000 zloty. Association Linas Hacedek was subsidized with the amount of 500 zloty per year. The arrears in contributions for year 1931 accounted for 3837 zloty. The slaughter fees were as follows: 7 zloty – ox or cow, 2.50 zloty – calf, sheep or ram, 35-70 grosz – poultry. The cemetery fees and payments for permission on tombstones construction were also preserved. They were divided into 7 classes: from 10 zloty to 500 zloty.

In 1933, 477 families were appointed to pay the contribution, 205 were exempted in result of poverty. The contribution oscillated from 5 to 250 zloty. 343 families were obligated the contribution of 5 zloty. The highest one was paid by one person – feldsher Kofman Rapaport, the contribution of 225 zloty – teacher Chaim Szmul Kuperberg. It is interesting that the owner of a saw mill, Kopel Ajchenbaum paid only 10 zloty, just like kosher butchers M. Gotowizna and Sz. Rajsa.

The County Office believed that the income of 1933 should be 59,313 zloty including 34,000 zloty from slaughter, 18,062 zloty from contribution, 7250 zloty from other sources. The Management proposed the budget of 49,959 zloty including 28,000 zloty from slaughter, 3378 zloty from contribution, 20 zloty from the Seter Torah reading, 1200 zloty from cemetery fees, 2500 zloty from tombstones and 3837 zloty from the outstanding contributions. The predicted expenditures contained: 5430 zloty – the salary of rabbi, 2150 zloty – of deputy rabbi, 14,500 zloty – of officials in the community, 1715 zloty – other costs, 7500 zloty investments, 10,000 zloty subsidies for institutions, 4500 zloty – charity, 22,338 zloty – other expenditures.

From the budget we can also find out that Moszek Jakób Goldnadel was the supervisor of the cemetery, Abram Obstblum was the gravedigger. Both earned 200 zloty annually. 300 zloty was devoted to canvas and boards needed for burials. It was planned to spend 2500 zloty on the Passover bread for poor people, 1500 zloty on poor people care, 500 zloty on Linas Chacedek, 200 zloty on unemployed. The decisions to build a separate office for the Management and to create a power line in the synagogue were made. 3000 zloty was reserved for that purpose. 100 zloty was to be spend on lavatories construction because of bad hygienic conditions.

The synagogue school manager – Icek Szmul Wajntraub – was to receive 1500 zloty, the Talmud Torah teacher – Majer Bojmalgryn – 1200 zloty, the Yeshiva teacher – Nusyn Zebludowicz – 600 zloty. The assets of the community was estimated at 63,000 zloty at the end of 1920’s. Zionists predominated in the local government.

5000 Jews lived in Zwoleń in 1937. 517 families were appointed to pay the contribution. The movables were estimated at 3000 zloty, the realties at 35,000 zloty. The indebtedness reached 61,000 zloty.

Several associations connected with the community were registered during the interwar period: Linas Hacedek registered on July 18, 1925; Gemiłus Chesed established from the initiative of collector Dawid Mandelbaum on August 31, 1935 and Hachmesas Orchim registered on August 16, 1937. The Jewish Library of I. L. Perec was registered in March 1926.

In the last Management before the war, Zionists had 62.5% of shares, Orthodox Jews – 37.5%.

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Today:

1. Synagogue – doesn’t exist
2. Jewish cemetery – ‘A few matzevot survived WWII and they were subsequently stolen. In 1975 (according to other sources – in 1964), Zwoleń took part in a TV show ‘Turniej miast’ [Competition of Towns]. In efforts to prepare Zwoleń for the visit of TV crew, the local governemtn decided to transform the abandoned cemetery into a park. Alleys were paved and benches, concrete flowerbeds and lanterns set. Matzevot – buried. After some years the park fell into oblivion. Wild plants grow there now”.