Livani file / תיק קהילה

📜 Yaffe Kramer's testimony: Life and Zionism in Lebanon, Libya

These sources document the The rich and tragic history of the Jewish community in the town Livani in Latvia, from the 19th century to after the Holocaust. The collection includes Statistical data on demography and economics, detailed urban maps, and Semitic lists of victims murdered by the Nazis in 1941. Through Personal testimonies and interviews, the institutional cultural and religious life is revealed, including extensive Zionist activity, ancient synagogues, and a Hebrew education system. The documents shed light on Community resilience between the world wars and the final destruction inflicted on it by the German invasion and local participation in the genocide. In addition, the sources provide Archival documentation A monument commemorating the names of the main families and the social structure that characterized the town before its destruction.

History of the Jewish Community inLivani (Līvāni), known in Jewish sources asLeeuwenhof (Livenhof), constitute a significant chapter in the history of Judaism Latvia In the area To Italy (Latgale) (C60-1f, C60-4f). The town was founded in 1533 on lands owned by the German baron Livin (Lieven), and it was named after him (C60-1f, C60-4f). The first Jews arrived in the settlement fromLithuania In the early 19th century (C60-1f, C60-4f). In 1847 the community numbered 186, and by 1897 their number had grown to 1,406 Jews, who constituted about 52% of the total population (C60-1f, C60-3f). In the late 19th century and early 20th century he served as the community's rabbi Israel Isser Klatzkin (C60-1f, C60-4f).

Community life, religion and education

Religious life in the town centered around a number of institutions, with the community establishing four over the years. Synagogues"Bathhouse and cash register"charity" (C60-1f, C60-4f). The synagogues included "The Middle School" (Der Mitteler Minyan), which was the largest of them, the "The old minyan" (Der Alter Minyan) and the "Minyan" of crafts and tailors (Der Barg Minyan) (C60-3f). One source states that one of the synagogues was about 300 years old (C60-11f). Among the prominent rabbis who served in the town were Rabbi Naftali Hetz And the rabbi Yitzhak Gavartin, who served as the community's rabbi during the Nazi occupation (C60-3f, C60-11f).

In the field of education, various institutions were established within the framework of the cultural-national autonomy granted to minorities in independent Latvia (C60-1f, C60-4f). In 1921, the first Jewish public school was founded, "Liewennhofer Gruntschul" (Lievenhofer Gruntschul), where the language of instruction was initially Yiddish (C60-1f, C60-4f). In 1928, following a parents' vote in which a majority of 84 supported Hebrew against 13 who supported Yiddish, the school was moved to a new building and the language of instruction was changed to Hebrew after a ruling by the Supreme Court of Latvia (C60-1f, C60-4f). In addition, a kindergarten operated in the town (from 1932), "Renovated room"Modern, and yeshivah" Chabad Which opened in 1927 next to the Great Synagogue (C60-1f, C60-4f).

Economy and Society Between the World Wars

The Jewish economy of Livani was largely based on petty trade and crafts (C60-1f, C60-4f). In 1935, Jews owned 124 of the 289 shops and businesses in the town, which is about 44% of all businesses (C60-1f, C60-3f). Despite this, the economic situation of most members of the community was difficult, and in the late 1930s many Jewish merchants suffered from poverty following the establishment of agricultural cooperatives by Latvian farmers (C60-1f, C60-3f, C60-4f).

Political and social activity was extensive and included a branch of theBond (Bund), as well as Zionist youth movements such as "Zion Youth", "The pioneer", "Hashomer Hatzair-Netzach", "Gordonia"And"Beitar" (C60-1f, C60-3f, C60-4f). Three Jewish representatives served on the city council (C60-1f, C60-4f). However, in the 1930s, many of the town's Jews emigrated to South Africa, the United States, or immigrated to the Land of Israel (C60-1f, C60-4f).

The Holocaust and Destruction Period

On the eve of World War II, in 1935, 981 Jews lived in Livani (C60-1f, C60-3f). After the agreement Ribbentrop-Molotov and the entry of the Red Army in 1940, businesses were nationalized and communal institutions were dismantled (C60-1f, C60-4f). In June 1941, at least one Jewish family was deported to Siberia (C60-1f, C60-4f). With the German invasion on 22 June 1941, many Jews fled to the surrounding forests and villages, but on the advice of Rabbi Gavartin, most returned to the town (C60-1f, C60-4f).

The German occupation on 29 June 1941 marked the beginning of the end (C60-1f, C60-4f). Local Latvian nationalists had begun robbing and murdering Jews even before the Germans arrived (C60-1f, C60-4f). The Jews were gathered in synagogues and from there taken in groups to nearby forests, such as the Gariba (Griva) or area Moceniki (Mucenieki), where they were shot to death in the pits (C60-10f, C60-1f, C60-4f). The last murder of the town's Jews took place on the night of September 3, 1941, after which the sign "Free from Jews" (C60-10f, C60-1f, C60-4f). Sources indicate that the list of victims included hundreds of names, including entire families (C60-9f). According to one witness, only one woman survived the massacre and later lived in the United States (C60-11f).

Historical names and concepts

• For Latgale: A district in Latvia in which the town of Livani (C60-1f) is located.
• charity: Community organization for providing assistance and assistance (C60-11f).
• Bond: Socialist Jewish Workers' Party (C60-1f).
• Free from Jews: A German term meaning "clean of Jews" (C60-1f).
• Renovated room: Modern Talmud Torah that also included secular studies (C60-1f).
• Seima: Latvian Parliament (C60-3f).
• Gubernia: An administrative district in the Russian Empire (sources mention Vitebsk Governorate) (C60-5f).

List of sources

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• C60-1f – A historical overview in Hebrew of the Livani (Liewenhof) community from its establishment until after the Holocaust.
• C60-2f – An official Latvian document from 1936 that includes statistical, administrative and economic data and a plan of the city of Livani.
• C60-3f – A detailed historical overview in Hebrew that includes demographic data, business lists, and information on educational and religious institutions.
• C60-4f – An encyclopedic review in English on the history of the town of Livani, the life of the Jewish community and its destruction in the Holocaust.
• C60-5f – Photo of a section from a rabbinical publication in Hebrew about the history of Rabbi Yisrael Isser Klatzkin and his family in Lievenenhof.
• C60-6f – Biographical entries in Yiddish about prominent figures from the Livonian community from a lexicon or memoir.
• C60-7f – Hebrew transcript of an interview with Yaffa Kramer about the Zionist House, community institutions, and the extermination of the Jews in Livni.
• C60-8f – List of Holocaust victims from the town of Livani with the surname 'Zvain' from witness records.
• C60-9f – A handwritten Semitic list in Russian of Jewish citizens murdered in Livani in 1941 by the Nazis.
• C60-10f – An article from the yearbook of the Latvian Occupation Museum (2002) dealing with the fate of Lithuanian Jews under the German occupation.
• C60-11f – English transcript of an interview with Yaffa Kramer about her life, her family, and the fate of the Jewish community in Livani.

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