Somersata file / תיק קהילה

📜 The History of the Somerset Jewish Community: Prosperity and Decline

The sources presented provide Historical and statistical review Surrounding the town Somerset (Somerseta) in Latvia, focusing on the life of the local Jewish community. The documents include Demographic data From 1935, lists of residents and businesses, and maps indicating the geographical location of the town in Daugavpils County. The texts describe the Community development Since the 19th century, its economic structure and the religious and educational institutions that operated in it. A significant portion of the information is devoted to During the Holocaust, from the Soviet and German occupation to the shocking murder of the local Jews by Nazi forces and local collaborators. In summary, the sources document the Its complete elimination of the Jewish community, of which no trace remained when the area was liberated by the Red Army in 1944.

The settlement Somerset (Somerseta), also known as Somerset (Somerset), located in the district Daugavpils (Daugavpils; formerly Dvinsk) in the region To the church (Latgale) in Latvia (C76-1f, C76-4f). The settlement was founded on the lands of a Polish landowner named Somerset Luntin, and was named after him (C76-3f). From 1920 to 1940, the settlement was part of independent Latvia (C76-1f).

The life and development of the community until World War I

The Jewish community inSomerset Founded during the 19th century, and on the eve of World War I it numbered nearly 100 families (C76-1f, C76-4f). The settlement was established Wooden synagogue and act upon it slaughterer (C76-4f). Since the settlement itself did not have a cemetery, the community's deceased were buried in the nearby town. Whiskey (Viski), which is about 12 kilometers away (C76-1f, C76-3f). During World War I, many Jewish families were forced to flee deep into Russia, and not all of them returned after the war (C76-1f).

The community during the period of Latvian independence (1920–1940)

During the period of Latvian independence, the community shrank, and a number of families immigrated toLand of Israel (C76-1f, C76-4f). Most Jews made a living from trade and their economic situation was satisfactory; they lived in their own houses and there was usually a plot of land next to the houses (C76-1f). According to the 1935 census, 57 Jews lived in the settlement out of a total population of 282, constituting about 20% of all residents (C76-1f, C76-2f). During this period, there was no Jewish educational institution in the settlement, and the children of the community studied at the local Latvian school, with some completing their Jewish studies with the shochet or with private teachers who were invited to the site (C76-3f, C76-4f).

Prominent figures and property owners in the community

The archive lists a number of individuals and business owners who operated in the town:

• Michael Yehuda-Live Tzivion: Served asslaughterer and as a public figure during World War I. After his retirement, his son, Shneur-Zalman Tsivion, held his position until he immigrated to Israel in 1929 (C76-3f).
• Business owners (according to 1935 data): Nohom Cagnes (Nochums Kagans) owned a store selling groceries and colonial goods; Baruch Luria (Borucha Lurje) andSarah Silberman Owned textile shops (Manufaktūras); andAbsay Weiner (Avsejs Vainers) operated a meat and sausage shop (C76-2f).
• Isaac Olmanis (Izaks Ulmanis) is listed as one of the homeowners in the settlement (C76-2f).

The Holocaust and the Destruction of the Community

after Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact From 1939, Latvia was annexed by the Soviet Union in the summer of 1940, which led to changes in the economic and social structure (C76-1f, C76-3f). On June 22, 1941, with the German invasion of Latvia, many Jews tried to escape to Russia, but only a few families (between two and three) succeeded due to the blockade of the old border (C76-3f, C76-4f). One of the escapees, the son of the butcher Weiner, served inRed Army and fell in battle (C76-3f).

Immediately after the Soviet withdrawal and before the entry of the German army, Local Latvians In acts of murder and robbery of Jewish property (C76-1f, C76-4f). The sources describe the brutal murder of a Jew standing in front of his house (C76-3f). At the end of June 1941, the settlement was occupied by the Germans. The remaining Jews were rounded up and taken along the road leading to the town. Livani (Līvāni), where they were shot to death in a natural pit in a nearby forest (C76-3f, C76-4f). By the end of 1941, there were no Jews left in the settlement (C76-3f). In the summer of 1944, the Red Army liberated the area, but no trace of the Jewish community remained and no monument was erected to commemorate the murdered (C76-1f, C76-3f).

Terms and concepts from the sources

• Latgale: A historical region in eastern Latvia where the settlement was located.
• Shabbat (slaughterer and examiner): A religious role that includes kosher slaughter and inspection of the meat; in this community, the butcher also served as a teacher of Jewish studies.
• Colonial goods (Koloniālpreču): A term appearing in the business census that refers to stores that sold imported products such as sugar, coffee, and spices.
• Manufaktūras: Stores selling fabrics and textile products.

List of sources

To view the document, click on its number.

• C76-1f – A historical summary printed in Hebrew on the history of the Somerset community, the 1935 census and details about the Holocaust and liberation period.
• C76-2f – Statistical information pages from a book in Latvian that include a list of business owners and homes in the locality and a geographic map of the area.
• C76-3f – Detailed documentation in Hebrew about figures in the community (the Tzivion slaughterers) and an extended overview of the murder of local Jews in the Holocaust.
• C76-4f – A document in English summarizing the history of the Jewish community in Somerset, its economic characteristics, and its complete destruction in the Holocaust.

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