Jaunjelgava file / תיק קהילה

📷 Moments Together: Memory in Pictures

These sources document the The history and heritage of the Jewish community in Friedrichstadt (Jakavpils/Jaunzlagba) in Latvia for about a hundred years. The collection includes Named lists of those who perished During World War II, alongside Family and community photographs depicting weddings and cityscapes from earlier periods. In addition, the sources present Press clippings and literature in Hebrew and Yiddish detailing religious life, rabbinical appointments, and social activity in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Statistical data in German provide A demographic look at the Jewish population in the Courland region and the movement of families there. Together, the documents preserve the The memory of individuals and an entire community which flourished in the past and was interrupted by the Holocaust. The cluster constitutes Visual and textual archive The bridge between the daily life of the community and its tragic end.

Based on the sources found in the archives, the following is a comprehensive historical overview of the community Friedrichstadt (Friedrichstadt), known by its other names Young people (Jaunjelgava) and in Jewish sources asNairi (Nairi), which was located in the district Yakubpils (Jekabpils) in the region Zamgla (Zemgale) in Latvia (C91-1f, C91-4f).

The history of the city and the beginning of the Jewish settlement

The settlement was founded in the 16th century by the Duke of Courland named Neustadt (Neustatchen), and in 1642 Received city status (C91-4f). Its name was changed toFriedrichstadt In 1646, and in 1795 It was annexed to Russia along with the province Courland (C91-4f). The first Jews arrived in the 17th century from nearby villages, and later also from White Russia and Lithuania (C91-4f). In 1742 An order was issued to expel the Jews from Russia, but the city's residents submitted a request to the authorities to allow the Jews to remain for economic reasons, as their expulsion would have destroyed the city's commerce (C91-5f, C91-16-10f).

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

In the early 19th century, the community was officially organized and a cemetery was established (C91-4f). In 1803 Company founded "Hevra Kadisha" (C91-4f). The community built a central synagogue, two Midrash schools (one of which had a yeshiva) and prayer houses for Hasidim andOpponents (C91-1f, C91-4f).

Demographically, the community grew from 1,286 in 1835 to a peak of 4,128 In 1881, when the Jews constituted about70% of the total population (C91-1f, C91-4f). However, towards the end of the 19th century, the number of Jews began to decline due to the construction of the railroad. Riga-Dvinsk, which damaged the river trade on which the city's economy was based (C91-3f, C91-4f).

The community between the two world wars

During World War I, in 1915, three community leaders were arrested as hostages to secure the Jews' loyalty, and eventually the entire community was deported to the Russian interior (C91-4f). After the war, only a few returned, and the Jews became a minority in the city (C91-1f, C91-4f).

During this period, the prominent rabbi Aharon Bezalel Paul, who also served as head of the community council elected in 1920 (C91-4f, C91-75). Welfare institutions in the community included the "Visit to the sick" And **"Linat Tzedek", supported by the"JDC"** (C91-4f). In education, the city operated a government school for Jewish students, the language of instruction in which changed from German to Russian and then to Yiddish, and in 1927 Hebrew classes were introduced there (C91-4f, C91-53). Political activity was extensive and included the **"Bund"** party, Zionist movements such as "Youth of Zion", the Scout Movement "Bar Kochba", and a branch of "Hashomer Hatzair-Netzah" (C91-4f). In 1934With the establishment of the dictatorship in Latvia, anti-Semitism began to rise (C91-4f).

The Holocaust and the Destruction of the Community

According to the sources, after an agreement Ribbentrop-Molotov Soviet rule was established in Latvia in the summer of 1940, and Jewish businesses were nationalized (C91-4f). In June 1941, wealthy Jews and their families were deported to Siberia (C91-4f, C91-1f). With the German invasion on June 22, 1941, the Soviets began evacuating civilians; some Jews fled to Russia, and some were killed in battle or recruited into the Red Army (C91-4f).

Originally, a handwritten Russian account, based on testimony from local residents (Latvians), stated that as the Germans approached, all the Jews of the city tried to escape towards the old border with the Soviet Union, but Latvian nationalists They were brought back to the city even before the Germans arrived (C91-15f). The Germans gathered the Jews in the synagogue, where they were beaten and starved, and a ghetto was even established (C91-15f).

In July 1941, under German occupation, gangs of Latvian fascists began operating in the city (C91-4f). In early August 1941, a group of young men were taken toSerena Forest (Serene Forest), about 8 km from the city, where they were forced to dig pits and then shot to death (C91-4f, C91-15f). Another version in the sources states that the city was declared clean of Jews (Jewish-only) as early as early July (C91-4f). After the war, the remains of the murdered were transferred for burial in the Jewish cemetery and a tombstone was erected in their memory (C91-4f, C91-15f).

Prominent figures in the community

• Zvi Hirsch Rosenthal (Zvi Hirsch Rosenthal): A researcher and writer who was born in Friedrichstadt in 1843, contributed articles to the Jewish Encyclopedia and was active in various communities (C91-6f).
• Gershon Hellman (Gerson Hellman): A successful and generous businessman, who, according to a handwritten note, provided for the livelihood of many poor people in the community and was active in charitable institutions (C91-18f).
• Meir Gershon: Philanthropist and businessman who was involved in community life (C91-18f).
• Aharon Bezalel Paul: Rabbi and leader of the community in the period after World War I (C91-4f).

Terms and definitions

Below are explanations of the terms that appear in the sources:

• Nairi: The Hebrew name given to the city of Friedrichstadt (C91-4f).
• Zemgale: One of the four historical ropes of Latvia (C91-4f).
• Kurland: A historical region in western and southern Latvia, which was formerly a duchy (C91-1f).
• Sherva Kadisha: A Jewish organization dealing with burial and the grace of truth (C91-4f).
• Opponents and supporters: Religious sects in Judaism; in this community there were separate houses of prayer for each sect (C91-1f).
• Bund: Jewish Socialist Party (C91-4f).
• Judenrein: A Nazi term meaning "clean of Jews" (C91-4f).
• Ukase: Imperial decree in Tsarist Russia (C91-5f).

List of sources

• C91-1f: A comprehensive historical overview of the Friedrichstadt community, including demography, economy, education, and a description of the Holocaust period.
• C91-2f: Statistical data and a review from the 1936 Lexicon of Cities in Latvia about the city of Jaunželgava.
• C91-3f: A detailed historical and statistical article on the development of the Jewish community in Friedrichstadt from its beginnings until the Holocaust.
• C91-4f: Information pages in English from the Jewish Diaspora Center that review the history of the Younger Community (Friedrichstadt) and its institutions.
• C91-5f: An encyclopedic entry on Friedrichstadt that includes a historical overview, demographic data, and a list of prominent families.
• C91-6f: Biography of the writer and researcher Zvi Hirsch Rosenthal, born in Friedrichstadt, from the book "The Generation of Rabbis and Writers."
• C91-7f: Biographical entries in Yiddish from a lexicon about prominent figures from the Jewish community in Friedrichstadt.
• C91-8f: Tables of demographic and statistical data on the Jewish population in the Courland region in the 19th century.
• C91-9f: Pages from the book "Oheli Shem" detailing the names of the rabbis who served in the Friedrichstadt community and their biographies.
• C91-10f: Pages of the community register for Friedrichstadt (Junzelgbe), including an overview of the community's history, economy, institutions and education.
• C91-11f: List of names and family details of Holocaust victims of Jewish nationality from the city of Jaunzelgba.
• C91-12f: A detailed Semitic list of the Jews of the city of Nairi who perished in the Holocaust in 1941, edited by Chaya Gardon.
• C91-13f: A handwritten list detailing the names of the community's young men who fell in battle during the war between 1941-1945.
• C91-14f: List of Jews from the city of Nairi who perished in the Holocaust in the years 1941-1945, compiled according to the names of heads of families.
• C91-15f: Handwritten testimony in Russian and Hebrew about the murder of the city's Jews in 1941 and their reburial after the war.
• C91-16-1f: An article in the newspaper "HaMelitz" from 1861 reviewing the situation of the Jewish community in Friedrichstadt by Avraham Abel Atira.
• C91-16-2f: Reports and articles from the "HaMelitz" newspaper from 1861 about central figures and events in the life of the community.
• C91-16-3f: Articles and reports in the Hebrew press from 1864 dealing with community affairs and Jewish education in the region.
• C91-16-4f: Press clippings from 1862 including reviews of the situation of the Jews in the Friedrichstadt area and political changes.
• C91-16-5f: A newspaper page from 1862 that includes a section dedicated to the community and reports on charitable and charitable acts.
• C91-16-6f: Literary works and journal reports from 1862 that include mentions of important figures from the community.
• C91-16-7f: A detailed journalistic report from 1862 on internal affairs and the development of the Jewish community in Friedrichstadt.
• C91-16-8f: Newspaper clippings from 1862 reporting on current events and social activity in the community.
• C91-16-9f: An article in the newspaper "HaMelitz" from 1863 dealing with the history of the Jewish community in Friedrichstadt and its figures.
• C91-16-10f: A page from the newspaper "HaMelitz" from 1863, which includes articles and reports on Jewish communities in the Courland region.
• C91-16-11f: Hebrew newspaper clippings from 1869 dealing with the Friedrichstadt community and rabbinical, welfare, and economic matters.
• C91-16-12f: A journalistic report from 1883 about community events and the activities of prominent figures in Friedrichstadt.
• C91-16-13f: Telegrams and newspaper clippings from 1897 reporting on the appointment of rabbis and various events in the life of the community.
• C91-17-1f: A historical postcard showing Mitteusa Street in the city of Friedrichstadt before World War I.
• C91-17-2f: Group photograph of the Westermann family in Friedrichstadt from 1919 and handwritten identifying details.
• C91-17-3f: Historical photographs showing groups of Jews at community, educational, and picnic events in the city.
• C91-17-4f: Photographs of memorial ceremonies near the mass grave in the cemetery and a bibliographical list of sources.
• C91-18f: A translated autobiography by Leopold Shen that describes in detail family and community life at the end of the 19th century.
• C91-19f: Personal details in the handwriting of Dina Jacobson-Benjaminovich in the context of research on her family history in Friedrichstadt.
• C91-20f: Screenshots from Facebook that include detailed lists of names of the Jews of Jaunzelgava who were murdered in August 1941.

C91-1f

C91-2f

C91-3f

C91-4f

C91-5f

C91-6f

C91-7f

C91-8f

C91-9f

C91-10f

C91-11f

C91-12f

C91-13f

C91-14f

C91-15f

C91-16-1f

C91-16-2f

C91-16-3f

C91-16-4f

C91-16-5f

C91-16-6f

C91-16-7f

C91-16-8f

C91-16-9f

C91-16-10f

C91-16-11f

C91-16-12f

C91-16-13f

C91-17-1f

C91-17-2f

C91-17-3f

C91-17-4f

C91-18f

C91-19f

C91-20f

**End of Sources Section**

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