Rakvere's file / תיק – ראקוורה

Register of Rakvere Residents: Names and Addresses

The sources presented review the history of the Jewish community in the Estonian city of Rakvere (Wesenberg) from its beginnings until the end of the 20th century. The texts describe the establishment of the Jewish settlement in the mid-19th century by discharged soldiers ("Cantonists") and merchants, alongside the development of local religious, educational, and cultural institutions. Among the documents are detailed name lists of families and residential addresses, as well as statistical data on demographic changes and the economic condition of the residents. A significant portion of the information is devoted to the Holocaust period, including the dismantling of institutions under Soviet rule, the murder of community members by the Nazis, and the story of the Jewish war hero Pirk. Finally, the sources note the decline of the community after the war, when by the 1970s only a few Jews remained in the city.

The city of Rakvere (Rakvere), known in German and Russian as Wesenberg, is located in northern Estonia (E17-1f, E17-3f, E17-4f). The settlement originated from an ancient Estonian fortress called Tarvanpea, which was conquered by the Danes in 1226 (E17-3f, E17-4f). Over the centuries the city passed through various rulers: the Livonian Order in the 14th century, the Swedes, and the Russians who annexed the region in 1710 (E17-1f, E17-4f). Between 1918 and 1940 the city was part of independent Estonia (E17-1f, E17-3f).

History of the Jewish Community in Rakvere

Early Settlement and Growth: The first Jews to settle in the city in the mid-19th century were eight "Cantonists" – Jewish soldiers who had served in the army of Tsar Nicholas I (E17-1f, E17-3f, E17-4f). In the 1860s Jewish craftsmen joined them, although at first they encountered opposition from local residents who did not allow them to live inside the city (E17-1f, E17-4f). In 1870 a plot of land was allocated for a Jewish cemetery, and the community began to form around an improvised minyan and a ritual slaughterer who also served as rabbi (E17-1f, E17-3f, E17-4f).

In 1890 the community reached its peak with about 350 people, but toward the end of the century their number declined sharply due to expulsions and emigration (E17-1f, E17-3f, E17-4f). After Estonia declared independence in 1918, some Jews returned to the city, and in the 1920s the community numbered about one hundred people who established a synagogue, a burial society, and additional institutions (E17-1f, E17-3f, E17-4f).

Society, Economy, and Culture: The economic situation of the Jews of the city between the world wars was generally good (E17-3f, E17-4f). In 1935, twenty-one Jews earned their livelihood from trade, and nine others worked as clerks or shop assistants (E17-1f, E17-4f). Liberal professions, crafts, and real estate were also sources of income (E17-3f, E17-4f). Lists from that period mention many families, including the families Aizikowitz, Blekhman, Golomb, Sherman, and Zuckerman (E17-2f).

In the social sphere, a Zionist association operated in the city, and the Jewish residents participated in elections to the Zionist Congresses (E17-1f, E17-3f, E17-4f). Most cultural activity took place within Yiddish-speaking groups, and in 1926 a local cultural committee was established that hosted performances and public figures from Tallinn (E17-1f, E17-3f, E17-4f). Prominent figures in the community included Zeev Sherman, the community’s representative on the Jewish Cultural Council of Estonia, and Yosel Kofkin, an active local community leader (E17-3f).

The Holocaust Period and the Fate of the Community

Following the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact in 1939 and the establishment of Soviet rule in 1940, the Jewish institutions in the city were dismantled (E17-1f, E17-4f). With the German invasion in June 1941, some of the Jews of the city fled eastward (E17-1f, E17-4f). Those who remained in Rakvere were murdered by the Germans and local Estonian collaborators (E17-1f, E17-3f, E17-4f).

A prominent and tragic episode is the story of Eirk, who was the only Jew to receive Estonia’s highest military decoration, the "Cross of Liberty" (Liberty Cross); despite his achievements, he was murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators (E17-3f, E17-4f). After the war, by the late 1970s, only about ten Jews lived in Rakvere (E17-1f, E17-3f, E17-4f).

• Exceptional military decoration: Eirk was the only Jew in Estonia to receive the highest military decoration of the state, "Cross of Liberty" (Liberty Cross or Vabadusrist) (E17-1f, E17-3f, E17-4f). This decoration was awarded for exceptional achievements in the Estonian War of Independence.
• Circumstances of his remaining in the city: With the German invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, some of the Jews of Rakvere managed to flee eastward (E17-1f, E17-4f). Eirk was among those who chose or were forced to remain in the city (E17-3f, E17-4f).
• His fate during the Holocaust: Despite his high military status and the prestigious decoration he received from the state, he did not receive protection from the new authorities or local collaborators (E17-3f, E17-4f). He was murdered by the Germans and their Estonian helpers shortly after the occupation of the city (E17-1f, E17-3f, E17-4f).
• Family connection: In the lists of Jewish residents of Rakvere a family named Pirk (Firek/Pirk) appears, including Miriam Pirk who lived at Pikk Street 20, and Sarah Pirk from Laada Street 5 (E17-2f).

List of Sources

• E17-1f : Historical overview of the city of Rakvere (Wesenberg) and its Jewish community from its establishment until after the Holocaust.
• E17-2f : List of Jewish family names and their addresses in the city of Rakvere.
• E17-3f : Demographic data, early history, and details on the cultural life and central figures of the Rakvere Jewish community.
• E17-4f : Historical summary in English about the Rakvere community, including economic data and information about the Holocaust period.

E17-1f

E17-2f

E17-3f

E17-4f

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