Baltinava file / תיק קהילה

📜The History of the Jewish Community in Altynai: Prosperity and Destruction

These sources document the history of the Jewish community in the town.In Latinain Latvia, from the end of the 19th century until after the Holocaust. The documents includeStatistical dataOn population size, detailed lists ofFamily names and business owners, and a review of local religious, educational and cultural institutions. It is evident that the Jews formed a significant part of the local economy and were mainly engaged inTrade and craft, while operating numerous shops and community centers. The texts also describe the political upheavals in the region, including the effects ofSoviet ruleand the German occupation. A tragic chapter is dedicated toThe destruction of the communityin 1941, which includes the murder of residents by Nazis and local collaborators. In summary, the collection constitutesHistorical memory handWhich combines demographic research with testimonies about the daily life and final destruction of the local Jews.

It is important to note at the outset that the attached sources do not deal with Estonian Jewry, but rather focus on the Jewish community in the town.In Latina(Baltinava), located in the districtAvernae(Abrene) in the regionTo Italy(Latgale) inLatvia(c19-1f, C19-4f). According to the sources, the town was part of independent Latvia between 1920–1940 (c19-1f, C19-4f). Below is a detailed historical overview of the community based on the sources:

The beginnings of the community and its development in the 19th century

The Jewish community inIn LatinaOrganized at the end of the 19th century (c19-1f, C19-4f). According to the 1897 Russian census, the community105 Jews(C19-5f). Most of the Jews immigrated to the town fromRazkane(Rezekne),Lodz(Ludza), GovernorateKaunas,DaugavpilsandJacobpils(C19-5f). The immigrants built small wooden houses on land they received with the permission of the local landowner, near the Catholic church and the inn (C19-5f). In 1899, theVitebskA building plan for the town that included the street network (C19-5f).

World War I and the establishment of independent Latvia

DuringWorld War I(1914–1918) About half of the Jewish houses in the town were damaged (c19-1f, C19-4f). After the war, a community committee was elected that restored the damaged buildings with the assistance of the Jewish Home Organization.Joint(c19-1f, C19-4f). Local Jews actively participated inLatvian War of Independence; The sources indicate theKaufman Sheptel(Kopmans Šeftels), served in the farm company, andChernak Mendel(Černaks Mendels), served in a combat company, both of whom were decorated with medals for their fighting (C19-5f).

Demographics and Economics Between the Wars

The Jewish population in the town has changed over the years: in 1920 the community numbered212 Jews(56% of all residents), in 1930 it consisted of207 Jews(43%), and in 1935 their number dropped to164 Jews(34% of the population) (C19-3f). Most Jews were engaged intradeAndcraft, and most of them were homeowners with a small plot of land for agricultural cultivation (c19-1f, C19-4f). The sources list business owners, including:Avram Schneier(fabric store),Israel Gurevich(grocery store), andZelik Goshtein(Hardware store) (C19-2f). A handwritten note indicates that all members of the familyWeinraub(Veinraubs) read "Jewish" (ebrejiski), probably referring to Yiddish or Hebrew (C19-5f).

Religious life, education and culture

In the town they operatedsynagogueand a public bath (c19-1f, C19-4f). Initially, the community was served by a butcher, and in the 1920s a rabbi was appointed (c19-1f, C19-4f). In the field of education, a 6-class Jewish school was established that operated under cultural autonomy (c19-1f, C19-3f). Among the teachers mentioned:Ravdals Hanna(Ravdels Hana) andTaitz in Siona(Taics Basiona) (C19-5f). The source indicates with a question mark (?) that in 1926 they studied at the school98 children(C19-5f). Cultural activities were coordinated by the Cultural Association "Baltinauer Kultur Freien" who also ran a library (c19-1f, C19-3f). The youth movement was also active in the townBeitarand groups of Zionist parties such asChessandThe Eastern(C19-3f, C19-4f).

Holocaust period

FollowingRibbentrop-Molotov Pact, Soviet rule was imposed in June 1940 and Jewish businesses were nationalized (c19-1f, C19-4f). With the German invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, most of the town's Jews decided to stay put, and only about 4 families managed to escape deep into Russia (C19-3f, C19-4f).German ArmyOccupied Beltinba in early July 1941 (c19-1f, C19-4f). Within a few days, several Jews were murdered by local fascists (c19-1f, C19-4f). During the same month, about 40 more Jews were executed in the cemetery in the area known asNaudes Kalena(Naudas Kalna) (c19-1f, C19-4f). On August 11, 1941, all the remaining Jews were gathered in the town square and transported in wagons toIn Latnička(Baltnitza), a distance of about 24 km, where they were murdered (c19-1f, C19-4f). Jews from nearby villages were also murdered with them (c19-1f, C19-4f).

After the war

The town was liberated by the Red Army in the summer of 1944 (c19-1f, C19-4f). The sources tell of an incident in which a local resident tried to use wooden planks from the synagogue (or from another synagogue according to another version) to build a floor in his house, but the floor would not stop sweating, which was perceived by the residents as the finger of God (C19-3f).

List of sources

• C19-1f: Summary of the history of the community in Balatnica, demographic data and a detailed overview of the events of the Holocaust and the liquidation of the community in Balatnica
• C19-2f: Statistical data from the publication Latvijas ciemi and a list of business and homeowners in Bāltināba, Bārzpils and Gauri (1935)
• C19-3f: A review of community life, educational and religious institutions, Zionist activity, and a chronological description of the period of the Nazi occupation and the Holocaust.
• C19-4f: Information pages in English from the Beit Hatfutsot Museum that review the history of the Jews of Latinba, their institutions and their fate during World War II
• C19-5f: Historical research in Latvian including 1897 census data, lists of students, landowners, and details of Jewish fighters in the War of Independence

C19-1f

C19-2f

C19-3f

C19-4f

C19-5f

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