Remember Jewish Bychawa
Pronunciation: Bick-awa
HISTORY OF JEWISH BYCHAWA
Bychawa is a city located 25 km. southwest of Lublin and has a current population of 5,327 people. Jews have resided in Bychawa since at least 1578, and in 1675 the Jewish population was just 17 Jews. The Jewish community in Bychawa was decimated after the attack of Chmielnicki Massacre in the 1600s.
Although the oldest records mentioning the synagogue in Bychawa date back to as late as 1717, a wooden synagogue is believed to have been erected somewhere to the east of the market already in the 1580s or 1590s. In 1765 there were 116 Jews in the town, and in 1778 a hundred more. There were 14 Jewish and 4 Polish houses situated at the market square in 1779. The 193 Jews constituted 32% of the total population of 606 in 1787. In 1818, Bychawa had 747 inhabitants including 437 Jews who constituted 58% of the total population of the town in 1830. In 1860 the number of inhabitants increased to 986 and the 718 Jews constituted 72%. By the end of the 1870s there were 2,212 people living in the town, and 1,579 (74%) of them were Jews. In 1938 the
number of community members rose to 2,459. . The Jewish community in Bychawa owned the brick synagogue, a house of prayer, the poorhouse, brick baths, house of the synagogue caretaker, the cemetery and the square at the synagogue. Jews lived in the northwestern part of the town, and had their shops along the main road, Turobinska Street. Before World War II the majority of Jewish houses were located near the market square, with 35 out of 36 houses belonging to Jews. All the houses at Konska Street also had Jewish owners. There were 26 houses at Koscielna Street, 24 of them owned by Jews. Similarly, only 1 out of 12 houses at Stolarska Street had a non-Jewish owner. Moreover, there were 10 houses at Boenicza Street, 8 of them owned by Jews.
JEWS OF OSMOLICE AND NEARBY VILLAGES
Osmolice is a village in Strzyzewice district between Bychawa and Lublin. There were 12 Jewish families in Osmolice before the war. Many of the residents were poor, but they participated in skilled trades such as watchmakers and tailors. The zionist organization operating in the village included: Icek Lejba Akierman, shoemaker; Majer Lederman, shoemaker; Srul Rozenberg, grocery owner; Chana Nachman; and Lejba Akierman; Zelik Akierman, tailor; Joel Degen, ropemaker; Boruch Sztern, painter; Abram Rotsztajn, tailor. This committee met at Jenta Laja Rotsztajn's residence and had ~25 members. The Jews of Osmilice were all murdered at Belzec.
Jews also lived in the nearby villages of Strzyzewice and Rechta. They were involved in agriculture, farming and horticulture. Not much is known about the Jews in these communities.
Bychawa's pre-war Jewish population was 2,459 Jews. Other Jewish communities near Bychawa were: Pawlow (50 Jews), Sobieska Wola (Jewish population unknown) and Zalucze (Jewish population unknown). The Jews in these communities were murdered in the Holocaust.
FATE OF BYCHAWA'S JEWS
The Nazis created a ghetto in Bychawa in December 1940 and around 2,600 Jews lived in the ghetto in 1942. Apart from Jews from Bychawa there were also Jews from Krakow, who arrived in March 1940 and February and March of 1941. Additionally, a significant number of Jews from Lodz were at some point transferred to Bychawa, and a listing of those Jews is available here. The first chairman of the Judenrat was Mendel Rajs and his successor was Boruch Herszman -- who became chairman in March 1941. Herszman was later replaced by Semen Slobodski from Lodz. Other Juderat members included: Pinkwas Rajs (trader), Abram Zajdler (trader), Moszek Warecki, Berek Weltman and Szmul Ejdelman. During Semen Slobodski's term of office, new members joined the Judenrat. They were: Chaim Lewinbaum, Chil Garten, Zelig Flam and Hersz Rutinkier who was a German Jew and came from Kozmin. The Committee for Aid for Displaced People and Local Poor (Komisja Pomocy Wysiedlencom i Miejscowym Ubogim) was established by the Jewish Council in 1941.
Jews from Bychawa were transported to the ghetto in Belzyce and then to the gas chambers at Sobibor Death Camp on October 11, 1942.
The following people were amongst the many who were executed in 1941-1943: Taba Cukierman, Hana Djament, Abraham Djament, Hana Geriecznik, Icek Goldstejn, Jutka Grabler, Icek Hymblum, Chaim Hymblum, Chaim Lejzor, D. Lejzor, Maier Lushnan, Chaim Majsler, Hana Majzer, Chaim Miller, Rywka Rosensztok, Icek Szornesteij, Abraham Szorstain, Hana Wagi, Abram Waga, and Ryfka Zwigler.
The following is a list of the refugees who were in Bychawa on October 1, 1940:
Uszer Nirenberg
Dawid Wizenfeld
Chaim Szrank
Rywka Grynszpan
Icek Kalman Selig
Judka Markowick
Eliasz Tabacznik
Ewa Menche
Nuta Apelsztajn
Jonas Goldsztajn
Moszek Klafter
Mendel Lifszyc
Izrael Wolf Korona
Nuchym Zysler
Szloma Zajderman
Hersz Kopel Farber
Nuhcym Raczykowski
Chaim Grohwas
Majlich Strykowki
Brandla Szafir
Moshe Leffel
Szama Balzam
Moszko Moszkowicz
Szloma Gorlicki
Hersz Tatarko
Lipman Kurek
Iska Gelbart
Moszko Najman
Abram Kuperminc
Wolf Krzepicki
Joel Szpilman
Icek Wolf Szwarc
Binem Rozental
Abram Grynberg
Aron Bryl
Semen Slobodski
Rywka Wajs
Icek Zamberg
Abram Erlich
Szmul Szachta
Majlich Wierzba
Zalman Szwarcberg
Henoch Klajman
Cudyk Klajman
Majer Harmacz
Chaim Lewinbaum
Uszer Laksman
Jankiel Cukier
Malka Cukier
Estera Berenholc
Moshe Sztrasburg
(source: Correspondence with the Jewish Council, Yad Vashem)
Additionally, the following Jews from Janow Lubelski were in Bychawa on Dec. 29, 1940:
Lejzor Dach
Ruchla Dach
Ryza Dach
Chaim Dach
Josef Dach
Jankiel Cukier
Szajndla Cukier
Marjem Cukier
Motek Cukier
Frymeta Cukier
Chemja Cukier
Azriel Cukier
Malka Cukier
Pinkas Klankafman
Zelda Frajberg
Ruchla Frajberg
Moszek Sznajder
Frajda Sznajder
Marjem Sznajder
Abram Icek Sznajder
Fajga Sznajder
Pinkas Szwarzman
Perla Szwarcman
Zlata Szwarcman
Chaja Szwarcman
Moszek Szwarcman
B..(?) Marksblum
Abram Icek Buchbinder
Dwojra Buchbinder
Josef Buchbinder
Matla Buchbinder
Bajla Rojt
Liba Rojt
Lejba Rojt
Basia Rojt
Rywka Rojt
Jankiel Rojt
Symcha Rojt
(source: List of Refugees from Janow Lubelski in Bychawa, Yad Vashem)
JEWISH PARTISAN ACTIVITY NEAR BYCHAWA
There was a lot of Jewish partisan activity in the villages and farms between Bychawa and Lublin to its north. Near to Bychawa is a village called Piotrkowek. A partisan named Henoch Zimerman operated a group of ~20 Jewish resisters in the Dombrow and Osterlic forests. He threatened the local villages -- saying that the villagers' houses will be burned down if they inform on the local Jewish partisans. At the start of 1943, Zimerman's group attacked the police station of Piotrkowek and seized weapons and burned
documents. The group also killed four German gendarmes. In summer, 1943, the Germans caught up to Zimmerman's group. They surrounded the partisans at Majdan Tyszowski and burned them alive in houses where they were staying. Josef Reznik and Motel Sternblitz were two members of this partisan group who managed to escape. The Lasting Memory Foundation, in conjunction with the Office of the Strzyzewice Commune and the School of Agricultural Crafts in Piotrowice, erected a monument at the graves of the executed. Pinchas Ackerman, Moshe Baron and Moshe Erlich are among the partisans from the Bychawa region who survived the Shoah. A second group of partisans -- who had escaped from Majdanek and were led by partisan "Robert" -- was based in the Lipsk forest near Bychawa. On October 15, 1942, the group attacked two trucks of German gendarmes. The group was eliminated.
A full listing of Jews in Bychawa in December, 1940 is available here.
Please review the site content below. Zachor - We Remember.
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[Bychawa Yizkor Book (Hebrew) [Bychawa Jewish cemetery]
[Books about Lublin District Jewish Communities]
[Jewish Partisans in Poland's Lublin District]
[Resources for Finding Your Jewish Family in the Lublin District]
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Click to join the Bychawa group on Facebook
Town of Bychawa:
- Bychawa Yizkor Book (Translation)
Majdan Tatarski Ghetto Victims (Lublin) from Bychawa:
- Hersh Nuta Ajnstajn
- Icek Ajnztajn
- Rebeka Bekierman
- Srul Bestelcwajg
- Pesia Borenstajn
- Icek Fajerajzen
- Ruchla Federbusz
- Mariem Finkler
- Abram Flaksman
- Maria Frydmacher
- Moszek Aron Klajman
- Rywka Nitlich
- Icek Szafran
- Chil Szyfman
- Sura Laja Zyngerman
(source: Brama Grodzka - Teatr NN)
Majdan Tatarski Ghetto Victims (Lublin) from Wysokie:
Szloma Josef Brandt
Moszek Przysucher
(source: Brama Grodzka - Teatr NN)
Survivors of Bychawa:
- Moshe Aichenblat
- Moshe Baron
- Rywka Akierman Braun
- Mordko Bron
- Chaim Braver
- Anna Burk
- Abram Burstein
- Chaim Cohen
- Faiga Cukierman
- Rosa Cukierman
- Szyja Cukierman
- Israel Ehrlich
- Szmul Ehrlich
- Moshe EIchenblat
- Malka Glickstein
- Joseph Green
- Moe Green
- Sura Goldrajch
- Noah Goldstein
- Sima Goldstein Furstenberg
- Tzipora Himmelfarb
- Isaac Kay
- Gedalia Kellersztajn
- Israel (Srul) Kellersztein
- Isaac Kellerstein
- Jacob Kichelmacher
- Elka Kirchelmacher
- Abram Klajnman
- Srul Klajman (went to Israel)
- Fajga Kleiman
- Laja Kleiman Sochovolski
- Yakov Kleiman
- Szulim Kloda
- Avram Licht
- Fishel Luksenberg
- Tova Makowitzki
- Fajwel Mandelbaum
- Rywka Mejles Alterman
- Abram Najzer
- Chawa Najzer
- Lejb Pik
- Sara Rajc
- Lejb Reis
- Szmuel Rubin
- Moshe Ruder (Rieder)
- Dr. Leon Sawicki
- Chaim Sobol family
- Chana Stein
- Lejzor Leon Stein
- Lea Suchowolski
- Izrael Szyf (went to Israel)
- Noah Szajngarden
- Moszek Szypfer (went to Israel)
- Sara Epjztajn Trunow
- Icek Turobiner
- Hersh Weiman (or Weimann)
- Marion Werbler
- I. Zerubavel
- Chaim Zoltak
Rabbis of Bychawa:
- Yechiel Kleiman
- Yaakov Yitzchak ben Chaim Gdalia Rabinowitz
- Yerachamiel Grinbaum
Righteous Gentiles:
- Jan and Jadwiga Joc harbored Jews at Metow.
- Jozef Paluch from Kolonia Osmolice risked his life to help Jews hide locally.
Genealogy:
- Jewish Records Indexing Poland - Bychawa
- Jewish Vital Records in the Polish State Archives
Remember Your Family:
- The DNA Shoah Project: Connecting Descendants
- Central Judaica Database - Museum of History of Polish Jews
- Grandchildren of Holocaust Survivors on Facebook
- Guide to the YIVO Archives
- Holocaust News/Events from Generations of the Shoah Int'l
- Holocaust Survivors and Victims Database
- JewishGen Family Finder
- JewishGen Holocaust Database
- JRI-Poland: Search for Your Family
- Museum of History of Polish Jews Introduction
- Yad Vashem: Search for Your Family
- Yad Vashem: Submit Names of Your Family Members
- Yad Vashem Requests Photos of Shoah Survivors and Families
CONTACTS
U.S.: LublinJewish@gmail.com
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