Hirschberg
General information: First Jewish presence: 14th century; peak Jewish population: 450 in 1880; Jewish population in 1933: unknown (1931: 184; 1937: 146)
Summary:
Several Jews lived in Hirschberg (present-day Jelenia Góra)
in the late 18th century, and a functioning Jewish community
was established there in the early 1800s. The emancipation
edict of 1812 (at which point 35 Jews lived in Hirschberg)
triggered the formation of an official Jewish congregation.
The community consecrated a cemetery in 1820, a
synagogue in 1853, and a new cemetery in 1880. Jews from
the villages of Agnetendorf, Krummhuebel, Schmiedeberg,
Hermsdorf, Schreiberhau, Schoenau an der Kazbach and
Hohenwiese were affiliated with the district synagogue of
Hirschberg.
A chevra kadisha, a Jewish sisterhood and a children’s
hostel, the last of which was opened in the 20th century,
served the welfare needs of the community. It was during
the 20th century, too, that the Jewish population began to
dwindle, a process that was obviously accelerated after the
Nazis’ election victories.
In 1934, three local Jews and the Christian wife of a Jew
were murdered by SS men after having been arrested, along
with others, on suspicion of opposition to the regime. On
Pogrom Night (November 1938), stormtroopers destroyed
the synagogue, desecrated the cemetery and vandalized
Jewish-owned homes and businesses. During the following
years, Hirschberg Jews were deported to Polish territories
under Nazi control, and from there to the death camps.
Hirschberg was the birthplace of the German-Jewish
philosopher and writer Karl Joel, who managed to leave for
Switzerland in time; he died in 1934.
Author / Sources: Ruth Martina Trucks
Sources EJL, LJG, FJG
www.sztetl.org.pl
Sources EJL, LJG, FJG
www.sztetl.org.pl
Located in: silesia