Riga file (2) / תיק קהילה

📜 Relief Committee Register for 1934

The sources presented deal with historical documentation of The Nazi and Soviet occupation of the Baltic States, with a special focus on Latvia and Estonia. The documents include Research yearbook of the Museum of Occupation in Latvia detailing acts of repression, political persecution, and methodological challenges in researching this period. A significant portion of the text presents Detailed operational diary of the German security forces (SS and police) in the Liepāja area, documenting executions of Jews and communists in 1941. In addition, Historical map of the region showing language borders and settlements under their German names. These materials serve as evidence of the human tragedy and forced demographic changes that occurred in the Baltics during World War IIThe cluster combines Late academic research and primary source documents that commemorate the victims of totalitarian regimes.

The History of Latvian Jewry: A Historical Review Based on Archival Sources

The beginning of Jewish settlement and legal status

The history of Latvian Jewry is intertwined with the geopolitical transformations of the region, starting from the days of Order of the Knights of Livonia (Germanic Knights of Livonia) in the 13th century, who forbade the settlement of Jews in his territories (C116-4f). The first documentary evidence of a Jewish settlement inRiga It is from 1536, in a sale document referring to a person named Jacob (C116-4f). After the dissolution of the Order in 1561, the region passed under the rule of Poland, Sweden, and Russia, with the fate of the Jews varying according to the local ruler; under Catherine the GreatJewish merchants were allowed to return to Riga, and in 1841 they were granted official residence permits (C116-4f). Until the mid-19th century they lived inLivonia About 9,000 Jews, of whom 5,000 were in Riga, which became an important port in the Russian Empire (C116-4f).

Charity, medical and welfare institutions in Riga

The Riga community excelled in an extensive network of welfare and charitable institutions, as documented inPinks The institutions from 1934 (C116-1f). Institution "Visit to the sick", established in 1870, operated for decades as a hospital and clinic, and expanded significantly after World War I with the assistance of theJoint (American JDC) and the construction of a new building dedicated in 1924 (C116-1f). Another notable institution was "The Night of Justice", founded in 1910 with the aim of providing free medical assistance to the city's poor, and included specialist clinics, laboratories and a pharmacy (C116-1f). A handwritten note appears on the cover of an archived document indicating the connection between these institutions and ongoing community activities (C116-3f).

In the field of welfare and education, institutions such as "Elderly Seat", which moved to a new, modern building in 1932, and is an institution "Orphans-House" (orphanage) that cared for the upbringing and education of homeless children (C116-1f). There was also an association "help" which assisted artisans and small traders with interest-free loans, and the Association "ORT" (ART) which dealt with vocational training and the promotion of crafts among Latvian Jews (C116-1f). Institution "Clothing naked" provided clothing to thousands of needy people every year, and established "Farayan Far Bilikar Kich" (Cheap Kitchen Association) provided kosher and inexpensive meals (C116-1f).

Key figures and public activists

The community's leadership was composed of highly influential figures in the fields of economics, religion, and politics. Mordechai Dovin (Mordechai Dubin), leader "Agudat Israel" In Latvia and a member ofSaimaa (Latvian Parliament), is described as a central figure who worked for the benefit of the public and the individual, while utilizing his political connections to help those in need (C116-1f). Another prominent personality was Yitzhak Abramovich (Itzhak Abramowitch), who served as chairman of the community committee in Riga and was active in institutions "Clothing naked" and **"Talmud Torah"** (C116-1f).

In the fields of medicine and science, figures such as Dr. Benjamin Ziv (Benjamin Siew), who studied the economy and demography of Latvian Jews, andDr. Elchanan Hoffman (Elchanan Hoffmann), who was active in community health institutions (C116-1f). Other public activists mentioned in the community index include: Avraham Itzikson (Abraham Itzikson), Mossad activist "Visit to the sick", andRafael Alterman (Raphael Altermann), who held senior positions in Jewish banks and charitable institutions (C116-1f). In more modern times, figures such as the politician From Braxton Wolfson (Mavriks Vulfsons) and the violinist Gideon Kramer As those who grew up in Riga (C116-4f).

The Holocaust and Nazi Occupation

With the invasion of the Soviet Union by Nazi Germany in June 1941, a dark chapter in the history of the community began. In the war diary of the commander of the SS and police in the district Liepaja (Liepāja) Mass executions of Jews are documented; on September 22, 1941, an execution of 61 Jews was recorded in Liepāja and 67 inVentspils (C116-2f). The peak of murders in this district was recorded between December 15 and 17, 1941, whenAshoka (Šķēde) near Liepaja 2,749 Jews (C116-2f). The diary states that after this action, the area was declared "free of Jews" (Judenfrei), with the exception of a small number of craftsmen needed for military purposes (C116-2f).

The entries in the war diary separate the printed text from footnotes, which sometimes detail the health of police personnel or other local events (C116-2f). At the strategic level, Wannsee Conference Protocol The Wannsee Protocol of January 1942 detailed the plan to exterminate the Jews of Europe, including the Jews of Latvia (C116-2f). The sources indicate that local Latvians collaborated with the Germans in burning synagogues and murdering Jews (C116-4f).

The Jewish Community in the Modern Era

After World War II and the period of Soviet rule, a Jewish revival began in Latvia. In July 1988, the "Society for Jewish Culture in Latvia" was established, and in May 1992, it was re-established. The Jewish community in Riga (C116-4f). In 1990, the first Jewish school in the former Soviet Union was opened in Riga (C116-4f). Today, Riga has a synagogue. "Peitb" (Peitavas Street Synagogue), built in 1905 and the only one to survive the war without being completely destroyed (C116-4f). Maps from the period, including handwritten notes, delineate the linguistic and geographical boundaries of Latvia and Estonia as they existed in 1918 (C116-5f).

Unique terms and concepts

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

• Pinkas: An official record book of a Jewish community or institution, used to document decisions, events, and public activities.
• Linat HaTzedek: A community institution whose original purpose was to provide accommodation and care for patients, Riga developed into a multidisciplinary medical center.
• Visiting the sick (Bikur Cholim): A religious mitzvah that became the name of Jewish hospitals and welfare institutions.
• Moshav Zkenim: A community nursing home designed to care for the elderly.
• Malbish Arumim: A charitable organization that collects and distributes clothing to those in need.
• Saeima: Parliament of the Republic of Latvia.
• Joint (JDC): The Jewish-American aid organization that worked hard to rebuild the community after the world wars.

List of sources

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• C116-1f – Index of Jewish welfare and charitable institutions in Riga (1934), which includes a detailed overview of charitable, health, and educational organizations, along with biographies and photographs of prominent public activists in the community.
• C116-2f – Yearbook of the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia (2002) containing studies on Soviet and Nazi persecutions, a copy of the war diary of the SS commander in Liepāja, and the minutes of the Wannsee Conference.
• C116-3f – Photocopy of the cover of an archival document that includes handwritten notes in Yiddish and an official stamp, relating to the documentation of the institutions of the Jewish community in Riga in 1934.
• C116-4f – A comprehensive historical and cultural overview of Riga Jewry from the magazine "The Jewish Traveler" (1993), detailing community history, heritage sites, key figures, and the community's situation after independence.
• C116-5f – A geographical and demographic map of the Baltic region from 1918 showing the division of the regions (Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania) and the boundaries of the languages ​​in the region.

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