The Jewish Cemetery of Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland

Transcription

The Jewish Cemetery of Grodzisk
Mazowiecki, Poland
Copyright 1999 Custom Enterprises, Ltd.
Custom Enterprises, Ltd.
2700 Claridge Court
Atlanta, GA USA 30360
Phone (770) 458-6664
Email: [email protected]
First Edition
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 99-072452
Includes index.
Manufactured in the United States of America
Please forward any updates or corrections to the above address.
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Contents
Contents......................................................................................................................................3
Documents and Photographs.......................................................................................................4
Introduction .................................................................................................................................5
Victims of the Holocaust ..............................................................................................................8
The Town of Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland ..................................................................................9
Pages for the Youth Missions Who Visit Poland .........................................................................17
The Mission Report ...................................................................................................................22
The Dossier of the Jewish Cemetery of Grodzisk Mazowiecki ....................................................24
The Trip In Poland .....................................................................................................................29
My Heart Breaks with These Broken Stones ..............................................................................30
"Forget-Me-Not..."......................................................................................................................35
Photographs From The Cemetery..............................................................................................36
Restoration/Maintenance Recommendations .............................................................................39
Recording the Remnants of the Tombstones .............................................................................41
The Data: Inscriptions from the Remnants of Tombstones .........................................................47
Terms and Abbreviations used in the Cemeteries in Poland.....................................................164
Contacts..................................................................................................................................167
Bibliography ............................................................................................................................169
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Documents and Photographs
The World: Map.......................................................................................................................... 9
Europe: Map..............................................................................................................................10
The Three Partitions of Poland - 1793: Map ...............................................................................11
The Country of Poland: Map ......................................................................................................12
Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland: Map............................................................................................13
Grodzisk Mazowiecki Building....................................................................................................14
Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland: Arial Photograph ........................................................................15
Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland: Plan Map....................................................................................16
Grodzisk Mazowiecki Crest........................................................................................................16
Cemetery Gate: 1994 ................................................................................................................36
Cemetery Gate Headstone ........................................................................................................36
Anti-semetic Swastika on Cemetery Gate - 1997 .......................................................................36
Sign Soliciting For Investors In Cemetery Restoration ................................................................38
Cemetery Restoration Planning Meeting Attendees - 1997.........................................................40
Tombstones In The Jewish Cemetery ........................................................................................47
Introduction
I Ask Pardon...
I ask for pardon and forgiveness if, God forbid, the memory or honor of the deceased or
their families was blemished during the field work or the recording of the headstones, or during
the work of transcribing the inscriptions from the remnants o tombstones. All was done in an
attempt to preserve the memory of the Jewish community of Grodzisk Mazowiecki and its last
tangible trace, the Jewish cemetery.
I thank...
I wish to thank Benjamin Yaari, for his support in this project. Without his incredible help
and enthusiasm, physical work and tireless efforts, nothing of this venture would have been
possible.
I thank Serge Rosenblum and Gary Palgon who financed this project and assisted us.
And finally I wish to thank the old man in Grodzisk who has been maintaining this
cemetery for no money, without recognition or acknowledgment by any institution for many years.
He should be commended! He helped me and Yaari a lot, gave documents and a giant map to
be xeroxed without waiting for any return. He was very kind to Serge and all descendants who
visited the site. An anonymous Pole who understood and knew how important it is to preserve
the Jewish Cemetery of Grodzisk. He is Edward Polaszek from Grodzisk and God bless him!
Ada Holtzman
November 1998
Israel
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See the sections entitled Pages for the Youth Missions Who Visit Poland, The Mission
Report, and The Dossier of the Jewish Cemetery of Grodzisk Mazowiecki for the retrospectives
by Yaari Benyamin.
Yaari Benyamin
November 1998
Israel
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I wish to thank all of those who have helped to make the start of this project a success.
Ada Holtzman; Yaari Benyamin; Gary Palgon; Giegroz Benedykcinski, the Mayor of Grodzisk
Mazowiecki, Poland; Jan Jagnielski from the Jewish Institute in Warsaw, Poland; my friend
Dorota Copeland and all of my relatives who contributed financially:
Marianne Amram, Marie Jose and Paul Benichou, Sylvie and
Joseph Emmerich, Albert and Suzanne Fogiel, Marianne Fogiel,
Jean David and Veronique Fogiel, Jean Michel and Janine
Fogel, Marc Olivier Fogiel, Zysla Fogiel, Harry Fogiel, Michel and
Celine Fogel, Pascal Rajade, Catherine Rajade, Robert and
Myriam Rozenblum, Henry Michel & Pascale Rozenblum and an
extra special thanks to Alain Fogel
I dedicate this to the memory of the Jewish inhabitants of Grodzisk Mazowiecki that were
transferred to the Warsaw Ghetto and in most cases subsequently killed in Treblinka
along with my own ancestors from Grodzisk Mazowiecki
Hersh-Shwolf & Myriam Fogiel: Hersh-Shwolf probably died in Warsaw in the 1940's
Chile & Rosa Fogiel
Pinié & Dora Fogiel
David & Louise Fogiel
Barouh & Binélé Fogiel: Died in Grodzisk Mazowiecki in 1942 with their young daughter
Sarah Fogiel : Probably died in Treblinka in the 1940's
Itzrak Fogiel: Probably died in Treblinka in the 1940's with his son born in 1940, Hersh-Shwolf
Sarah Fogiel: Probably died in Treblinka in the 1941/1942
Moishé Fogiel: Probably died in Treblinka in the 1941/1942
Avroum Fogiel
Chaim Fogiel
Rav Henok d'Alexander of whom Hersh-Shwolf Fogiel was a disciple of this very famous Rabbi
The project continues on to maintain the cemetery as a simple objective and improve
upon it as financially able. Any assistance is always welcomed and appreciated.
Sincerely
Serge Rozenblum
January 18, 1999
France
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Having visited Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland during the Spring of 1994, I knew the
horrible condition that the Jewish Cemetery exists in first-hand. Subsequent to my trip, I followed
up unsuccessfully in contacting several people who were supposed to be knowledgeable about
the cemetery and then stored away the idea of cleaning up the cemetery in the back of my mind.
In 1997, Serge Rozenblum contacted me regarding Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland, having
found me on the internet as interested in this town because of my genealogical research I was
doing. He quickly decided we needed to act quickly to preserve and restore the Jewish Cemetery
and we formulated a plan. Without being too discouraged from my previous attempts to obtain
information in 1994, we solicited for donations and Serge visited Grodzisk Mazowiecki, meeting
with the Mayor and several other officials.
The plans began to move along, however, we would have never gotten to where we are
today without the help of Ada Holtzman and Yaari Benyamin among others. They have been the
cornerstones in cleaning, recording and translating the tombstones as well as assembling all of
the information from them in a very methodical way. I cannot thank you enough.
In addition, I wish to thank Serge Rozenblum for who coordinated the European donation
and organizing effort; Giegroz Benedykcinski, the Mayor of Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland for
being receptive to our plan; Jan Jagnielski from the Jewish Institute in Warsaw, Poland for
assisting first-hand as well in the on-site restoration efforts; Dorota Copeland, Serge's friend who
assisted with establishing contacts in Grodzisk Mazowiecki at the beginning of the project to allow
us to get it started; and to all of my relatives who have and continue to contribute financially to
this cause.
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Alcalay, Mrs. Harriett Garber, Dr. and Mrs.
Stanley Goodman, Mrs. Sally Gothard, Ms. Eleanor Halpern,
Rabbi and Mrs. Arthur Palgon, Ms. Cheryl Palgon, Mr. and Mrs.
Emanuel Palgon, Mrs. Eva Palgon, Rabbi and Mrs. Louis
Palgon, Dr. Norman Palgon and Family, Mr. Scott Palgon, Mr.
and Mrs. Sheldon Palgon, Mrs. Mindel Patchen, Mr. Robert
Patchen, Mrs. Ruth Silverman and Family, Mrs. Susan Weisberg
and Family, Mr. and Mrs. Emanuel Zaidman, Mrs. Barbara
Zajdman, Mrs. David Zajdman-Stark, Mr. and Mrs. Manuel
Zajdman, Ms. Sara Zajdman
Yaari summed up my thoughts exactly when he stated he believes in "Commemoration
through Documentation". I have and continue to do this by documenting my own family history
and participating in projects like this one to preserve the past, well into the future.
Shalom
Gary Palgon
January 17, 1999
USA
Victims of the Holocaust
“Only guard yourself and guard your soul carefully.
Lest you forget the things your eyes saw.
And lest these things depart your heart all the days of your life.
And you shall make them known to your children,
and your children’s children.”
- Deuteronomy 4:9
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The Town of Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland
The World
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Europe
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The Three Partitions of Poland - 1793
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The Country of Poland
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Located in eastern, central Poland in the Warszawa province, Grodzisk Mazowiecki is 19
miles WSW of Warsaw along a railroad at longitude 52:07n and latitude 20:37e. It had 157
Jewish inhabitants in 1765, 790 in 1856, 2154 in 1897, 2756 in 1921 (out of 11254) and 3600 in
September, 1939.
Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland
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Although first written references to Grodzisk come from the middle of the 14 century,
when the settlement belonged to a noble family Grodziskich, armorial bearing of Ostoja, we know
from different archeological positions that the history of this place is much more older and goes
back to a period BC. Grodzisk obtained the municipal rights from King Zygmund Stary
(Zigismund the Old) in 1522. The family Mokronski, owners of the city since 1623, distinguished
itself in its history. During these times, the number of inhabitants of Grodzisk increased up to
1000. But only the opening of the first section o the Warsaw - Vienna Railway (Kolej
Warszawsko-Wiedenska) - Warsaw - Grodzisk in 1845 in the Polish Kingdom resulting in a real
development of the city. Despite the fact that the authorities of the tsar withdrew the municipal
rights as a punishment for the participation of the youth of Grodzisk in the January uprising,
Grodzisk was becoming a dynamic industrial center. Doctor Michal Bojasinki contributed in a
substantial way to such development as he opened in 1884 a Hydropathic Establishment for high
society. Wealthy inhabitants of Warsaw were arriving to this elegant health center, and a district
of summerhouses was created round the health resort. With the beginning of the 20th century
Grodzisk was still developing itself in terms of economy, plants hired even several hundred
person, and in 1904, after the closure of high schools in Warsaw the first college called, "Red
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Mansion" was establish in the city. World War I ceased this dynamic development. In 1915,
Grodzisk regained its municipal rights. The period between the two wars is the time of
subsequent advantageous changes for the city. The second railway line was led to Grodzisk
from Warsaw (Electrical Suburban Shuttle Train). The largest companies of these times were
"Slon" ("Elephant"), which produced abrasive materials and the chemical plant, "Grodzisk". A
cinema, amateur theatre, and local newspaper were created then. Handicraft and trade also
developed. After the fall of the Warsaw Uprising about 20 thousand homeless inhabitants of the
capital found a shelter in Grodzisk. After the war, the city quickly recovered, the vicinity of
Warsaw attracted new inhabitants from different parts of the country. Since 1989, when the city
was granted an important independence, and its authorities of real power to govern, it continues
to change its image and once again continues to develop. Source: Grodzisk Mazowiecki Travel
Brochure.
Grodzisk Mazowiecki was the seat of a Chasidic dynasty, founded by Elimelech of
Grodzick. His grandson, Rabbi Israel Shapiro settled in Warsaw and perished in the Holocaust as
did Rabbi Eliezer Ben Abraham Chayyim of Falancz, the Rabbi in Grodzick between 1913 and
1919.
During World War II, beginning on February 13, 1941, the Germans transferred 3,600 Jews
from Grodzick to the Warsaw Ghetto, and in 1942 to the death camp of Treblinka. Some people
escaped from the Warsaw Ghetto and returned back to Grodzisk Mazowiecki, only to be killed the
following day by a Polish farmer.
A Social Committee for Restoration and Reconstruction of the Jewish Cemetery of
Grodzisk Mazowiecki was founded in 1990. The Social Committee is "animated by motives of
consolidation and preservation of cultural and spiritual heritage of Polish Hews, with sympathetic
backing of both community and authorities." The conservator of monuments for the Warsaw
region carried out a preservation plan of the site, and the Committee built a fence around the site,
which is reduced from its original size. Much of the work comes from the local Agricultural-Trade
Cooperative, which now occupies much of the original site of the cemetery. Only about 1/7th of
the original cemetery survives as unencumbered open space. Source: Survey of Historical
Cemeteries in Poland.
Arial photograph of Grodzisk Mazowiecki. circa 1939
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Plan map of Grodzisk Mazowiecki, 1994
Records
Urzad Stanu Cywilnego (USC) - Civil Records Office
Civil registrations began in 1808 for birth, marriage, and death. Prior to 1826, registrations
were kept together regardless of the individual’s religion Beginning in 1826, Jewish records
were recorded separately as were other religions. Records for the last 100 years are kept at
the USC. Prior years are temporarily located at the main archives in Warsaw. Normally, the
District Archives in Zyrardow maintain the Grodzisk documents older than 100 years,
however the building currently has structural damage so the documents are not stored there.
Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland Crest
Pages for the Youth Missions Who Visit Poland
By Benyamin Yaari
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The Mission Report
By Benyamin Yaari
Mr. Serge Rosenblum from Paris France wrote through the Internet to Mrs. Ada Holtzman
and asked questions concerning the community of Tomaszow- Mazowiecki. In this town lived his
grandmother’s family before the Holocaust. Mr. Rosenblum also inquired about the registration
works, which were made in the Jewish cemetery of Tomaszow in 1995. Through the intermediary
of Mrs. Holtzman, I answered all his questions and sent him the book: “The Jewish cemetery of
Tomaszow Mazowiecki” which we published in 1996.
Mr. Rosenblum wrote to us through the Internet about the problems he and his friend are
facing while trying to progress in their projects to protect and restore the Jewish cemetery of
Grodzisk Mazowiecki, where resided the family of his mother. One of their main problem was to
register the Hebrew inscriptions on the tombstones, or what was left of them, in the premises of
the old Jewish cemetery of Grodzisk.
We advised Mr. Rosenblum that in September, I shall be in Poland, doing documentation
project in the cemetery of Krakow. Afterwards, I shall go with Mrs. Holtzman to Gombin, her
parents’ hometown, to make a survey there.
During our stay in Poland, we shall be able to go to Grodzisk and register the Hebrew inscriptions
for commemoration. Mr. Rosenblum agreed with pleasure to our proposal.
I traveled to Poland on September 5th. 1997 and after a fortnight of work in Krakow
cemetery, Mrs. Ada Holtzman arrived from Israel and joined me in Poland.
On the morning of 18.9.97 we both presented ourselves in the town hall and met the mayor of
Grodzisk, Mr. Benedykcinski, after having fixed previously the appointment. The mayor received
us warmly. After initial discussions, coffee and delivery of gift to his wife, bought by Mrs. Ada, I
gave him my book of Tomaszow Jewish Cemetery and the mayor gave us both brochures of
Grodzisk in Polish and English. We presented him the aim of our visit and he declared of his
intentions to help us as much as he could. First, he invited to his room the city architect who is
concerned with the works in the cemetery.
Then he called up Mr. Eduard Polaszek who is the president of the local “Land Lovers
Association” and who is for many years responsible for the works done in the Jewish cemetery of
the town. The two gentlemen accompanied us to the cemetery. They explained to us all they
knew about the site. Mr. Polaszek showed us a map of the cemetery, which was made in 1987,
and a large brochure with graphic designs of the headstones, which were found at that time. Both
documents were created to keep and preserve the cemetery but one element, the most important
one was missing from it: the inscriptions, which are all in Hebrew. So the deciphering and
recording the data, as commemorated on the tombstones, with the wording, poems, verses and
prayers all in Hebrew, was our purpose during the two days of work we devoted to Grodzisk
Mazowiecki.
We tried together, Mr. Polaszek and I, to identify the monuments in the site with the
sketches in the brochure and in the map without much success. until finally, Mr. Polaszek himself
was disappointed from the search and proposed to give the tombstones new identification
numbers and to ignore the present existing registration.
We thus proceeded and wrote down all the names found, the information as father’s
name, year of death and all the inscriptions on the tombstones that we could identify. We marked
with waterproof pen three digit numbers, by special ink, which would not be wiped out by the rain.
We worked until dark and the car of the town police took us back to the train station.
As the work did not finish, we decided to return on next Monday morning. The mayor
promised us that the municipality will provide workers.
The next Monday three workers with adequate tools and under our supervision they capsized the
tombstones, which were facing the earth and also dug and exposed some tombstones, which
were in the earth.
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Jan Jagielski from Warsaw came in the morning and stayed with us for a couple of hours,
also working in cleaning the tombstones, making photos and registration of the inscriptions. The
work itself was very interesting and was made with a lot of enthusiasm. The three local Polish
workers cooperated with us willfully for 4 continuos hours and so did Mr. Polaszek, to whom we
are really grateful. As the municipality employed them we didn’t need to pay them. Yet I gave to
each one 20 zloty for cigarettes.
This Monday was the last day of our stay in Poland. As per the original plan, we were
supposed to meet on the same day with local people and among them Mr. Jan Jagielski. As we
had planned to continue working in Grodzisk I have contacted him by the telephone and met him
on Sunday instead. I related to him the situation in Grodzisk and he came the next day to meet us
for one hour but stayed for the whole day... We planned to work until 1200 at noon and as there
remained many unregistered monuments, we worked until 14 p.m. and even than, Mrs. Ada did
not agree to leave the cemetery. We insisted that a woman alone with no knowledge of the
language cannot stay in that site, but she refused to leave the place, saying that nobody will
come again there to do the documentation.
Ada remained to work alone and came back to Warsaw around 700 while at 0800 (2000) we had
to be present in the airport to catch our flight back to Israel.
We created nice friendship with Mr. Polaszek and he agreed to give me the map and the
brochure for photocopy, which was extremely nice gesture. I already gave the copy of the
documents to Mr. Rosenblum upon his visit in Tel Aviv on October 29th.
Mr. Polaszek is willing to help and is interested to work to improve the situation in the
cemetery. He said that what is urgent and an important task for you is the fence restoration and
its renewal, which was constructed several years before but with inferior materials and work. For
this end he asks finance from abroad and from your organization.
He also needs resources for gardening and restoration of the tombstones and fragments of
tombstones. We explained that this is not in our hands and we came only for recording the
inscriptions on the tombstones. We told him that other people headed by Mr. Rosenblum are to
be contacted.
It is clear to us that there is place and possibility to continue the work in the cemetery and
to discover in the earth other tombstones to be restored and registered. The material registered
by the photographs and us made by Mrs. Ada of all the tombs and tombstones and fragments of
stones, can, after processing and organizing, serve as a basis for identification.
We did not succeed due to lack of time search for monuments outside the cemetery but
there are chances to find their monuments, especially as the confined territory of the cemetery is
only partially the old cemetery. Other parts of it are occupied today by industrial plants and
factories.
It is important to make a sign board, explaining the history of the place.
We consider that it is possible to make across the gate of today, a monument to be made by the
remnants of tombstones and fragments and concrete and in its center will be a board in 4
languages: Hebrew - Polish - English and Yiddish.
Blessed be those who will find the possibility to execute this great work which is expected
there.
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The Dossier of the Jewish Cemetery of Grodzisk Mazowiecki
By Benyamin Yaari
Editor's Note: The following pages are from a report done in 1987 in Polish and
subsequently translated and summarized by Benjamin Yaari. It mentions that the Germans
destroyed the cemetery and used the tombstones as curbstones in Chrzanowskiej Street, which
the street where the cemetery resides. It is unknown if the piles of stones found in the cemetery
were removed from the street.
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The Trip In Poland
By Ada Holtzman
Message to Gombin Email Exchange Group on the internet, September, 1997.
I have returned last night from Poland and am still overwhelmed with all what I have
experienced in this trip.
I have had a most important experience of recording for commemoration, myself, with my
own hands, what was once a Jewish cemetery in Poland, Grodzisk Mazowiecki near Warsaw.
There, I met in person, Jan Jagielski, from the Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw, who came
for an hour to meet Yaari and me, but got carried away with our enthusiasm, and ended up
working himself, with us, until the afternoon.
Not a word was exchanged between us about Gombin project, although we talked quite a
lot about other matters concerning memorial of the Jewish history in Poland. He was extremely
cooperative and happy with the project Yaari and I volunteered to do for Grodzisk Mazowiecki,
Poland. organization which consists of only two young men, one from Paris, Serge Rozenblum,
and one from Atlanta USA, Gary Palgon ,and with whom I was in contact merely through the
internet - total strangers to me before - but with the same interest like Gombin Society, except
that in Grodzisk, 1/7th. of the stones are at least in the cemetery, and it is fenced. A factory seized
about 6/7 of the plot, which is parallel to the right wall of the cemetery.
They collected in 2 years the sum of $2000, "because nobody cares anymore for the old
cemetery in Poland" as Serge put it... Their main concern was to record the tombstones, but until
one sees the neglect, the broken stones, the wild vegetation, the miserable conditions of the
neglected site is and the horrible condition of the lonely stones there, one cannot understand
what it means to do this task of recording the Hebrew inscriptions for eternal commemoration.
Until your own hands are wounded and bleeding, from trying so hard to clean and make the
inscriptions readable somehow, desperately, fighting against the impossible sometimes, one
cannot understand what it is to do this kind of work. Jagielski was very impressed and it was an
excellent start of a future cooperation with him. (for me, as Yaari is an old friend of him).
In the end of the last day, Yaari had to finish early and go to Warsaw around 14:00. At
19:00 there was already a taxi waiting for us to take us to the airport. I insisted to stay, alone, and
try to do some more tombstones, just dismantled, from a pile of broken tombstones, returned to
the cemetery by the municipality, waiting to be put someday on a wall, as a monument. Two
workers, previously dismantled the pile, not all though. Yaari and Jagielski left and I stayed alone.
I worked until 16:00 and than packed the brush, chalk, special markers and materials. I said to
myself, let's have another look around. And than, under a tree, hidden by bushes, I found, a black
tombstone of Azriel Gelbard, with a poem in Hebrew, and this was the great grandfather of Serge
Rozenblum from Paris, the one who initiated the cemetery restoration project... Azriel was a
Jewish doctor in Grodzisk , lived in the end of the last century, admired and loved by all. I lit a
memorial candle and departed with tears in my eyes...
My Heart Breaks with These Broken Stones
By Ada Holtzman
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"Forget-Me-Not..."
Translated from Hebrew by Ada Holtzman
I wish to quote from the book, "The Price", which was written by a Jewish ex-citizen of
Krakow, Miriam Akavia, which summarize all my feelings while visiting Poland, and stress the
urgent and most important task we have, in trying to protect and save the Jewish cemetery of
Grodzisk.
Fresh and strong is still my impression from my last visit in Poland (1988), country where
I was born, me and the heroes of my stories. They came out towards me from deserted yards;
from foreign apartments they peeked from shut doors, in which I knew every crack; from old
houses they descended down to me on stairways so well known to me, and while I was in the
street they watched me through empty hollow windows. I saw them walking below the shadow of
familiar trees in the public parks, or resting on sun bathed benches; their children -and me
among them- playing hiding games among the lilac bushes, or hiding behind thick stems of trees.
Meeting them was painful, since my longings to them never faded. With trembling hands I wished
to touch them, a real touch, but I could not, because they were and were not - because they are
gone. My visits in the Jewish cemeteries were most difficult. Here rouse towards me, not only my
beloved, but a whole nation rouse from the depth of earth, from collapsing and crumbling tombs,
in entangled jungle of vegetation which was spreading around them. The roots branch out, press
and clip around our ancestors' tombs and swallow them. The tombstones rise up and twisted
under the pressure of the roots.
These tombstones, which were erected on our deceased graves, struggle for their lives.
And they are countless. Hebrew words, not understood by the people of that country but very well
understood by us, written upon them. By the hand of an artist they were engraved in the stone, in
letters of gold and silver, and they constitute elegies, love poems, praise and prayers, pain and
farewell, wisdom and sorrow... and longings for Zion... Grand Jewish tombstones, neglected now
and deserted in a foreign land, in a country with no Jews anymore. In Poland. And the camps. Six
millions of our people perished here and never brought to burial. In the land of Poland. And now,
in the season of spring, wild flowers flourish around Auschwitz, Treblinka, Chelmno, and
Meidanek and around the Jewish cemeteries. And among the flowers, one special beautiful small
flower is distinct to my eyes, and its color is the same as the color of the skies: "Forget-me-not".
Their growth seems like magic to me! How they grew here, so many - countless - so fresh and
nice, in the earth sunk in blood. Their sight filled my heart with gratitude, for growing there, and
for having the color of the sky and for having the name: "Forget-me-not..."
Photographs From The Cemetery
Emanuel Palgon at the cemetery gate in 1994
Stone above the entrance to the cemetery
Anti-semetic Swastika on Cemetery Gate - 1997
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Tombstones in the Jewish Cemetery of
Tombstones lined the wall before any effort
was made to photograph, transcribe and
translate them
Sign requesting investors to assist in restoring the cemetery - year posted unknown
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Restoration/Maintenance Recommendations
By Ada Holtzman
1. Pay annual salary of about zl 100 (about yearly salary of zl 1200, which are about $350
yearly), to the man responsible for the Jewish cemetery by the municipality:
Mr. Polaszek Eduard
ul. Cicha 8 m 7
Telephone: 7557660
The exact sum can be discussed and you can get the advice of Mr. Jagielski from the Jewish
Institute in Warsaw. The money will be given for the steady care and maintenance of the
cemetery during the year. He had done this care anyway, without payment from you, but for
what you pay, you get a commitment and are fair and just.
2. In addition, you need to take care for gardening and fighting the vegetation, every 2-3
months, either by extra current payment or through the commitment of the municipality, which
seems to be favorable to the Jewish issue, to maintain gardening of the cemetery.
3. The pillars of the fence should be cleaned immediately from anti-Semitic signs (see picture
attached!) The anti-Semitic graffiti is a well known problem in Poland, but the Municipality of
Grodzisk should fight the phenomena, and not accept it, because the Jews are not there
anyway, and “these are acts of negligible stupid minority”, as Polish intelligentsia puts it.
4. There are still tombstones lying upside down in the cemetery. We tried our best to capsize
them back with the help of the three workers, but we did not complete the task, and just
before leaving I noticed one tombstone, in the right side, about 2.5 meter height, complete
and not broken at all, lying on the ground with its face to the ground. I shall be happy to
receive photos of more tombstones and complete the documentation through photos.
5. Jan Jagielski showed me a collection of more than 80 pictures, which a Pole named Andrej
Novicki, made in 1991. Mr. Jagielski doesn’t have the original “negatives” of those pictures. I
offered myself, to continue decipher the names and data on the fragments, according to
photocopy, which should be sent to me, of this collection.
6. I recommend to ask the Municipality of the town to open its archives to you. May be the vital
records archive is not in Grodzisk but in Warsaw, or another regional archive. You should
search and find out where it is. Then, the genealogical information found through the vital
records should be matched with the data found on the tombstone, so that missing words and
data on the tombstones is completed. This is what is done in Wiszkow project, see all
information in their web site: http://www1.jewishgen.org/JRI-PL/wyszkow.htm
7. The tombstones found in piles in both sides of the cemetery should be put in cement along
the wall, as you design, with the Hebrew inscriptions rightly put and seen, as I saw in your
program. You should do it without delay. There are still many fragments of stones in the piles.
Since there is a favorable Mayor who will contribute, as it seems, the workers and may be the
concrete and other materials, and the architect as well, I don’t think it will cost a lot of money
to you and I would suggest to start with that very soon.
8. You must erect a monument to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust of Grodzisk
Mazowiecki. There is not a single sign for it at the moment. It can be a board in the center of
the monuments, as proposed in clause 7.
40
9. There should be sign, addressing all visitors to the one who has the key to the cemetery (Mr.
Polaszek, or the municipality). If a tourist comes by, he has no possibility to enter. What are
these efforts to preserve the site, while nobody can enter it?
10. You should explore the possibility to start a campaign among the local Poles, to collect
tombstones found in yards or houses of Poles. It is possible that no Pole has anything but
until you do that campaign, you cannot be sure. The tombstones are the cores of the whole
cemetery project. As the lands of Eretz Israel were redeemed with money (...), so the
tombstones can be offered for small amount of money, as a token of appreciation to the local
Poles who will render tombstones. It can be done through local advertisements and notices
on the town notice boards. Remember though that it might cost something, since
“conscience” alone did not bring a single tombstone back (so far... I hope I am wrong in this
statement).
11. In a nice colored brochure of Grodzisk Mazowiecki, we got from the Mayor, we saw one
tombstone of the Goldfarb, on the first page. BUT there is not a single word that Jews once
lived in Grodzisk (3587 Jews according to the last census of 1936). Please write nicely to the
Mayor that in the next issue of the town brochures, some words about the Jews of Grodzisk,
deported to the Warsaw Ghetto and then liquidated in Treblinka in the Holocaust, by the
Germans, will be written as well.
12. The list of the recorded tombstones, with a background materials, should be published in a
modest book or a brochure in some copies, to give to all the donators who contributed money
for he projects and to the Polish institutions.
Marek Cananowski, Chairman of the Municipal Council, Grzegorz Benedykcinski, Mayor,
Unknown, President of the Jewish Cemetery Restoration in Grodzisk Mazowiecki, and Serge
Rozenblum, Co-Chair of the Cemetery Restoration Project
41
Recording the Remnants of the Tombstones
by Ada Holtzman with the help of Benyamin Yaari
September, 1997
Registration Number: This is the number, which was marked with waterproof ink on the
tombstone in the Jewish Cemetery of Grodzisk.
Photo Number: This is the number of the picture according to the film order (e.g. 628 - Picture
Number 28 in Film Number 6).
SURNAME
[?]OFMAN
[?]WNISKICZKI
AJZNER
ALTMEN
ASZ
BERGSON
BIALEK
BRAHN
BRAHN
BRAHN
BRAJTMAN
BRAN[D]
BRAND
BRANDSZTEJN
CHILEWICZ
DANCIGER
FISZENFELD
FJSZMAN
FLAPAN
FOGEL
FREJERMAN
FRIDRICH
GALB[?]
GEBCER
Given Name
Ester Gitel
Father
42
Husband
Date of Death
Lea
Cwi
Ceril Nena
Frajda
Abraham
Jehuda
Rechawia Meir
Szlomo Josef
Dawid Cwi
Abraham
Cwi Jehuda
Jechiel Mechl
Israel Chajm
Efraim Zew
Fiszel
Ester
Priwe
Rojza
Ester Idel
Natan Neta
Israel Jakob
Abram
Dawid
Brandjl
Bina
Zeew
Bajla
Jehuda
Moshe
Cwi Nechamia
Moshe
Menasze
Icchak
Jakob Icchak
Abraham
Zimel
Flejszman
Israel
Mordechai
Dawid
Szmuel Zajnwil
Cwi
Josef
GELBARD
Azriel
GELBARD
Zecharia
GELBFISZ
Sara Gendil
GERECHT
Szlomo
GOLDBERG
Rachel
GOLDFARB Chaim Mordechai
GOLDFARB
Chana Lea
GOLDFARB
Golda Lea
GOLDFARB
Towa
GOTHARD
Moshe
GOTHELF
Jakob
Notes
Dow
Icchak Aron
Dow
Moshe Menachem
Reuwen
Menachem
Chajm Menachem
Abram
Israel
Moshe Kalmus
Chajm Mordechai
Josef
Efraim
Szmuel Moshe
Szmuel
September 4, 1881 The husband was from
Tuczyn.
February 8, 1905
September 2, 1885
August 27, 2025
September 1, 1929
January 25, 1922
June 28, 1931
June 2, 1910
January 13, 1884
January 4, 1933 Age 46 upon her death.
March 13, 1932 The mother was: Sara Ryfka!
February 4, 1930
July 24, 1933
March 16, 1920
January 2, 1919
March 17, 1934
January 1, 1931 Age 82 upon her death.
October 7, 1924
March 1917
May 1, 1938 Possible that the year of death
is 1928.
May 7, 1923
November 13, 1933
September 24, 1892
December 23, 1917
May 6, 1912
August 10, 1927
March 10, 1905
November 26, 1916
December 15, 1925
November 2, 1927
Photo #
Reg. #
312
406
12
412
412
410
530
233
226
202
517
628
416
514
302
310
301
518
510
230
524
519
223
507
219
228
410
327
259
253
202
75
700
414
402
308
403
307
76
145
255
324
170
150
142
501
303
631
521
203
702
172
203
13
704
128
171
136
325
201
251
633
128
520
136
525
201
224
Szmuel
Szlomo Menachem
Chaim Lejbisz
Dow
Jakob
Aleksander
43
GRYNBERG
GUTGELD
HAMEL
HERING
JABOBA
KAMERFUKS
KARTOSZ[???]
Abram Josef
Rachel
Brajndil
Fajga Frajdel
Becalel
Chana Gitel
KOCHENREJCH
LACHMAN
LACHMAN
LANDE
Szajndel Szyfra
Rachel Lea
Rywka
Blima Ester
Israel Chajm
Efraim Fiszel
Meir
Simcha
LIBERMAN
MERENSZTEJN
NAJHAUS
NATANSOHN
OJERMAN
OTSZTEJN
Meir
Becalel Jehuda
Razel
Chana Bluma
Myndil
Szmuel
Moshe Yechiel
PLAT
Chana
Abram Aba
PLETMAN
PLETMAN
RECHTCZER
ROZENBAUM
ROZENBOJM
SZAFRAN
SZAUB
Cwi
Malka
Dwora
Moshe
Chajm
Chajm
Lea
Peril
Towa
Moshe
Icchak
Baruch
Chanoch Henich
SZYDLA
WERTHIE[?]
Sara Hena
Icchak
Dow
Leibusz
WICER
WOLBRUM
WOLFAND
WOLKENFELD
ZAJNWILER
ZANBERG
Moshe
Icchak
Szraga Fajwel
Zysel
Josef
Binyamin
Baruch Bendet
Abraham
Abram
February, 1893
September 6, 1933
October 13, 1931
August 22, 1928
Szlomo
A woman tombstone. May be
an error in the deciphering.
Azriel Meir
Jehuda
Jehuda Lajb
Moshe
Benjamin Yechiel
Eliezer Mena
Ajzik
Zajndwel
Chajm Meir
Yechiel
Cwi Hirsz
Aharon Jehuda
Szaul
Jehoszua Szlama
Jehuda
Jechiel
December 5, 1924
February 9, 1930
January 24, 1925 Possible that maiden name
was Lachman!
January 18, 1926
January 4, 1898
January 21, 1918 Maiden name: Ditman
Age 43 upon her death.
November 9, 1928 Maiden name: Ziman
September 12, 1896 From the town of Chiemsk,
province Grodno.
August 21, 1884 The father was a Levite.
March 7, 1920
September 19, 1907
February 14, 1925
Age 70 upon her death.
February 8, 1933
February 11, 1931 Maiden name: Fontewicz
The husband was the son of
the Rabbi of Omszinow.
July 9, 1929
April 20, 1886 From the town of Zebk, died in
Bluna.
December 25, 1930
June 6, 1884
April 10, 1931
April 10, 1905 The husband was from Jilowin
November 1930
604
411
512
134
632
526
515
601
411
500
134
703
326
501
232
522a
308
522
258
322
401
321
133
408
210
527
311
609
133
409
238
326
405
417
608
598
137
407
523
623
234
303
214
36
408
301
625
305
309
240
235
306
14
227
131
132
231
304
414
254
76
132
257
310
415
ZAWOWER
ZILBERGLEJT
Herczki
Lea
Abraham
Menachem
Abram
Litman
Awner
Baruch Szimon
Chaja Shew[A]
Chajm Lajb
Szmuel Zajnwil
Yechiel
Dawid Hirsz
Ester Brandil
Etil Elka
Meir
Moshe
Dow
Frajdil
Gitel
Jakob Joszua
Jdes Lea
Jechiel
Jehuda
Josef
Josef
Lajb
Malka Cirel
Mordechai Dow
Mordechai Jakob
Moshe
Nechama Krajna
Rachel
Rasza
Szalom
Jehuda
Szlama
Chaim
Szmuel
Meir
Josef
Klonimus
44
February 13, 1905 Age 31 upon his death.
August 23, 1923
December 6, 1940 It is possible that the husband
was Abram.
May 27, 1895
Cwi
August 16, 1886 According to photos c/o Jan
Jagielski
October, 1883 Father from Czezmir and
husband from Lublin
May 25, 1883
August 18,1884 Old mark: 74 (not ours AH).
November 4, 1881
May 2, 1912
December 8, 1892
December 26, 1925
Was born ? February 1893
April 10, 1905
January 14, 1900
October 14, 1905
Aba
Jacob
Israel
Abram Chaim
Simcha
Zeew Arie
Dow Elimelech
Josef
Icchak Jakob
April 25, 1900
June 11, 1889
September 20, 1899 The father was a Cohen.
September 5, 1891 The father is from Warsaw.
July 9, 1915 Age 24. Possible the surname
is:" Elimelech"
February 7, 1884
Impossible to decipher
anything!
May, 1840
anything!
606
305
229
604
311
256
218
500
615
225
620
c/o Jagielski
628
252
622
8a
611
309
313
632
402
407
511
220
130
607
506
221
618
605
614
505
306
626
205
613
204
602
146
230
130
599
141
9
224
83
600
631
140
312
651
205
627
204
603
209
212
236
239
213
413
247
413
45
A rounded tomb in the shape
of a cylinder.
anything!
March 23, 1919
The tombstone remained
without inscriptions.
Age 62 upon his death. Came
from Warsaw
No names - from the fragments
of tombstones.
April 23, 1938
of tombstones.
of tombstones.
of tombstones.
March 1900
Cwi
There are no more details
available.
February 1886 According to photos c/o Jan
Jagielski
March 9, 1893
415
416
508
143
509
516
144
74
603
602
612
626
616
617
629
621
619
623
621
622
640
624
625
630
650
701
c/o Jagielski
8b
11
47
The Data: Inscriptions from the Remnants of Tombstones
By Ada Holtzman
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
Terms and Abbreviations used in the Cemeteries in Poland
By Ada Holtzman
165
166
167
Contacts
Grzegorz Benedykcinski,
Grodzisk Mazowiecki Mayor
Urzad Miejski, Rada Miejska
Ul. Kosciuszki 32
Grodzisk Mazowiecki,
POLAND
Phone: 755-55-34
Fax: 755-53-27
Yaari Benyamin
Primary Recorder, Transcriber, Translator
6 Hadror Street
Holon 58801
ISRAEL
Phone: 03/5505432
Ada Holtzman
Primary Recorder, Transcriber, Translator
10/5 Korazim Street
69185 Tel Aviv
ISRAEL
Phone: 03/6472797
Dorota Kuszyk
Project Organizer in Poland
Ul. Samsonowicza 19/43
20485 Lublin
POLAND
Email:[email protected]
Gary Palgon
Co-Chair Cemetery Restoration Project
2700 Claridge Court
Atlanta, GA 30360
USA
Phone: 770-458-6664
Serge Rozenblum
Co-Chair Cemetery Restoration Project
148 Rue de Paris
94220 Charenton
FRANCE
Phone: 33 1 49 77 82 24
Edward Polaczek
Cemetery Caretaker
Cicha 8 m 7
Grodzisk Mazowiecki
POLAND
168
169
Bibliography
Akavia, Miriam, "The Price", Sifria: Hapoalim. Tel Aviv, 1988 (Hebrew). ISBN: 965-04-2045-2
Bergman, Eleanora. "The Jewish Cemetery in Grodzisk Mazowiecki. A historico-conservational
study conducted by commission of the Centennial Workshop for the Documentation of Cultural
Object", "Cmentarz zydowski w Grodzisku Mazowieckim. Studium historyczno-konserwatorskie
wykonane na zlecenie Stolecznej Pracowni Dokumentacji Dobr Kultury", Warszawa, Poland,
1990
Piekarska, Zofii and Ziembinska-Sznee, Zofee. "The Jewish Cemetery in Grodzisk Mazowiecki
on Chrzanowska Street", "Cmentarz zydowski w Grodzisku Mazowieckim przy ul.
Chrzanowskiej", 1986
"Jewish Grodzisk, Pinkas Hakehilot", Yad Vashem, Jerusalem, 1898 (Hebrew)
"Rabbi's Who Perished In The Holocaust", 1969 (Hebrew)

The Jewish Cemetery of Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland

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