Sloka file / תיק קהילה

The sources presented provide a comprehensive historical and statistical overview of the town. Seloka in Latvia, with a special focus on my life The Jewish community The documents describe the local The growth of the settlement Since the 18th century, including demographic data indicating a sharp decline in the number of Jewish residents over the years until the period The HolocaustIn addition to statistical information, the sources detail the town's economic structure, its public institutions, and the establishment of The labor camp The nearby town was occupied by the Germans in 1941. The documentation includes a combination of Historical studies, archival lists and data from Population censuses Official documents in Latvian, Hebrew and Russian. In summary, the materials paint a portrait of a town that was a center for trade and recreation, and document the The fate of a Jew Under the upheavals of government and war.

History of the Sloka/Schlock Community

Geographical background and early settlement

The city Seloka (In German: Schlock; In Jewish sources: hardboiled) is located on the banks of the river Lialup (Lielupe), about 30 km west of Riga (C81-1f). The town was part ofDuchy of Courland (Courland) until it was annexed to Russia in 1783, and two years later, in 1785, it was granted city status (C81-4f, C81-3f). In the late 18th century, following the annexation to Russia, many Jews from densely populated centers in Russia arrived in the Baltic Sea region; since they were not allowed to settle inRiga, many of them were registered as "citizens of Seloka", which allowed them to visit and trade in neighboring Riga (C81-1f, C81-3f, C81-5f).

Legal status and connection with Riga in the 19th century

In 1811, the number of Jews in Seljuk reached 429 (C81-1f). In 1813, a significant change occurred when the authorities permitted the Jews of Seljuk to reside in Riga, and many of them did indeed move there legally (C81-3f). As a result, the number of residents of the city decreased, and in 1841 a decree was issued by theSenate in St. Petersburg who forbade further Jews to leave Seloka (C81-1f, C81-4f). According to the information inJewish Encyclopedia in RussianIn 1835, special status was granted to Jews who had lived in the city for a long time, and in 1839 the Jews of Riga applied to open a Jewish school, a request supported by the Seloka community (C81-5f).

Community life, economy and demography

The Jews of Seljuk made their living mainly fromtrade Riga, where they spent most of their time (C81-1f, C81-4f). At the end of the 19th century, a Wood industry It was a large-scale industry, and woodworking and textile factories were also established there (C81-1f, C81-3f). In the second half of the 19th century, the importance of Seloka as a transit station for Riga declined, and the number of Jews in it gradually decreased: from 137 people in 1881 to only 10 Jews in 1935, out of a total population of 4,651 residents (C81-1f, C81-3f). Until World War II, the city operated synagogue andcemetery Jew (C81-1f, C81-4f).

World War I and the period of independence

during World War I The town of Słoca passed from hand to hand about 9 times and was almost completely destroyed (C81-3f). The printed source in Latvian indicates that during the war 456 out of 567 houses were damaged or completely destroyed (C81-2f). Between 1920 and 1940, Słoca was part ofIndependent Latvia (C81-1f). During this period, various public officials served in the city, including the mayor. Rudolf Kundzinsz (Rūdolfs Kundziņš), and institutions such as a public library and volunteer organizations existed there (C81-2f).

Holocaust period

after Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact From 1939, Latvia was annexed to the Soviet Union in the summer of 1940 (C81-1f). After the German attack on the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941, a Forced labor camp (Labor Camp) designed forPeat mining (Peat) (C81-1f, C81-4f). Jews brought fromRiga Ghetto and other places (C81-1f, C81-3f, C81-9f). The sources explicitly state that We have no information about the fate of the Jews of Seloka. themselves during the Holocaust (C81-1f, C81-4f).

Terms and definitions

• Probably/Maybe: In the original C81-3f it is noted that the number of city residents decreased in the early 19th century "probably" due to the departure of many Jews.
• Schlock citizens: A legal status that allowed Jews who were not allowed to live in Riga to receive movement and trade rights (C81-3f).
• Peat: Organic material used for fuel, for the mining of which the labor camp in Seloka was established (C81-1f).
• Kurland: A historical region in Latvia that was a duchy before annexation to Russia (C81-4f).

A note on the sources

Document C81-3f contains a handwritten entry of the number "361" Inside a circle, and below it, the word "Seloka" In Hebrew (C81-3f). This information comes from handwritten notes and not from the printed text.

List of sources

To view the document, click on its number.