Parnu's file / תיק – פארנו

These sources document the rich history of the Jewish community in Pärnu, Estonia, from its establishment in the mid-19th century until the 1980s. The documents review the vibrant cultural and social life of the city, focusing on the activities of the “Achdut” Society, which included lectures, a library, a choir, and a drama troupe. The detailed lists and photographs commemorate the family names and key figures who shaped the community, alongside descriptions of the religious and economic institutions that operated within it. A significant portion of the material is devoted to the difficult period of the Holocaust, describing the deportation of families to Siberia, the murders in the nearby forests, and the destruction of the community under Nazi occupation. After the war, the sources note the limited return of survivors and the demographic situation of the Jews in the city under Soviet rule. Altogether, the collection constitutes a comprehensive historical testimony combining statistical data, personal memories, and visual documentation of a community that was largely destroyed.

The history of the Jewish community in Pärnu (Pärnu), a port and resort city on the shores of the Gulf of Riga in Estonia, reflects the development of a small yet vibrant community that contributed greatly to the local cultural and economic life until its destruction during the Holocaust (E12-1f, E12-3f, E12-4f). The following is an expanded overview of the main places, individuals, and events emerging from the sources:

Main Locations

• The city of Pärnu (Pärnu): The place is first mentioned already in the 12th century, but Jewish settlement there began to develop only in the mid-19th century (E12-1f, E12-3f). The city was known as a center for healing, recreation, and the food industry (E12-4f).
• Reiu Forest and Rae Forest: These sites became killing grounds for the Jews of the city during the Holocaust. Most Jewish men were murdered in Reiu Forest in September 1941, while the women and children were murdered later in Rae Forest (E12-1f, E12-3f, E12-4f).
• Community institutions: The community maintained a synagogue, a cemetery consecrated when the community was founded, and a rich library (E12-3f, E12-4f). Detailed lists of Jewish families and their addresses in Pärnu testify to the distribution of the community across the city on streets such as Kuninga, Sepa, and Posska (E12-2f).

Prominent Figures

• “Nicholas soldiers”: Four Jewish soldiers discharged from the Russian army were those who founded the community in 1859 after receiving settlement permission (E12-1f, E12-3f, E12-4f).
• Rabbi Yechiel M. Ovshe: Invited to serve as the rabbi of the community in 1872. Although he did not receive official approval from the authorities for many years, he led the community and established its religious institutions (E12-1f, E12-3f).
• H. Soo (Mayor of Pärnu): A local political figure who demonstrated a sympathetic attitude toward the community. In an official letter from 1938 he congratulated the “Achdut” Society on its 20th anniversary and praised the cooperation of the Jews in the life of the city (E12-6-1).
• Leaders of the “Achdut” Society: The sources mention many cultural activists such as Zalman Gardin, Avraham Klein, and Shmuel Teitelbaum, who worked to preserve Jewish culture (E12-5f).

Main Events and Organizations

• “Achdut” Society (Achdut/Achdus): The central cultural and educational organization in the community, officially founded in 1919 (E12-5f). The society operated a brass orchestra, a drama troupe that staged plays in Yiddish, and classes in Hebrew and Judaism (E12-3f, E12-5f).
• Cultural autonomy: During the independence of Estonia, the Jews of Pärnu enjoyed autonomous rights that allowed them to manage independent cultural and educational life with state support (E12-1f, E12-4f).
• The Holocaust and the activity of the “Omakaitse”: A defining tragic event was the cooperation of the local Estonian defense force with the Germans in the arrest and murder of the Jews of the city beginning in July 1941 (E12-3f, E12-4f). Most of the community was destroyed in shooting pits within a few months (E12-1f).

• • Separation and imprisonment: After the German invasion and the occupation of the city in July 1941, the Jews of the city were arrested with the assistance of the local “Omakaitse” forces. While most of the men were murdered already in September 1941 in Reiu Forest, the children were separated from their parents and were held together with the women in harsh conditions (E12-1f, E12-3f, E12-4f).

• • Concentration in the synagogue: The children, whose number was estimated at about 50, were gathered and held inside the building of the local synagogue (E12-3f, E12-4f).
  • The murder (October 1941): During October 1941 the children were executed. According to the testimonies and documentation, the children were poisoned to death (E12-1f, E12-3f, E12-4f). Afterwards their bodies were taken and buried in pits in Reiu Forest (E12-3f, E12-4f). Another source notes that some of the women and children were murdered in Rae Forest (E12-1f).
  • Identified victims: The sources note that one of the youngest victims was the infant Teybla Kushner, who was born in April 1941 and was murdered when she was only a few months old (E12-3f). Nominal lists of members of the community reveal many additional children’s names from families such as Teitelbaum, Shemes, Heitov, and others, appearing alongside their parents (E12-2f).

List of sources

• E12-1f : Historical overview of the Pärnu community, demography, and the Holocaust period.
• E12-2f : Nominal lists of Jewish families in Pärnu and their residential addresses.
• E12-3f : Detailed history of the community, including population statistics and details about the murder of Jews during the Holocaust.
• E12-4f : English summary of the history of the Pärnu community, its institutions, and its destruction.
• E12-5f : A Yiddish document focusing on the activities of the cultural society “Achdut,” including photographs and lists of activists.
• E12-6-1 : A congratulatory letter from the mayor of Pärnu to the “Achdut” Society on the occasion of its 20th anniversary.

E12-1f

E12-2f

E12-3f

E12-4f

E12-5f

E12-6-1

** end of Parnu files **

**Press to go back to Estonia Table**