Skaune file / תיק קהילה

📜 Skaune: The Stories of a Jewish Community in the Latvian Lowlands

These sources document the history of the Jewish community in the settlement. Scania (Skaune), located in the Lodz district of Latvia. The documents present demographic and statistical data showing that in 1910 Jews accounted for about a quarter of the local population, and describe the Community institutions which included a synagogue, a mikveh, and a slaughterhouse. In addition, the texts review the Zionist political activity The village's industry and the residents' economic activities in the fields of trade and crafts. A significant chapter is devoted to During the Holocaust, in which most of the Jews fled deep into Russia, while those left behind were murdered by the Germans and their local collaborators. Finally, the sources state that after the war the remains of the murdered were transferred for burial in the city Lodz, and today there is no trace of Jewish life left in the place.

The settlement Scania (Skaune), also known by its Russian name Polszczyna (Poland), was a rural settlement in the sub-district Lodz (Ludza) in the district Latgale (Latgale) in Latvia (C83-1f, C83-3f). Between 1920 and 1940, the settlement was part of independent Latvia (C83-1f, C83-4f).

The development of the community and its institutions

It is not known when Jews began to settle there, but in 1910 they were numbered in the settlement. 144 Jews, who constituted about 24% of the total population (C83-1f, C83-3f). The community maintained an organized religious and community life that included synagogue, bath house, Purification bath and my services slaughterer (C83-1f, C83-3f, C83-4f). The synagogue was headed by the gabbai, whose job was to take care of the needs of the community, and in the 1930s he served in this position. Joseph Burch (C83-3f, C83-5f). The community did not have its own cemetery, and the deceased were brought for burial in the nearby city. Dagda (Dagda) (C83-1f, C83-4f).

During World War I Some of the Jews of the settlement left, and five Jewish residences and two public buildings were destroyed (C83-3f, C83-4f). After the war, some of the Jews returned to the settlement, and the community, which then numbered about 100 people, received financial assistance from the organizationJoint to restore the damage of the war (C83-1f, C83-4f). Despite attempts by figures such as Joseph Burch To organize a Jewish studies class within the local Latvian school, the initiative was unsuccessful due to the small number of students (C83-3f, C83-5f).

Economy and Demography Between the Wars

Most of the Jews of Skåne were engaged intrade, and a minority of them were craftsmen such as Tailor andvolume (C83-1f, C83-3f, C83-4f). The settlement also operated pharmacist One Jew (C83-1f). The archive records include names of Jewish business owners in nearby communities, including: Laivas Faingluz, Bogota's clothes, Ginas puccis, Shloma Idenzona andRochas Averbuchs who dealt in food and colonial products; Barka Kaplan who dealt in meat; andMoses Fox, Elia and Devira Gluzman andCilia Magram who were engaged in textiles (C83-2f).

During the 1930s there was a significant decrease in the number of Jews in the settlement; many young people left for the larger cities such as Riga andLodz In search of work and education, and the remaining population grew older (C83-3f, C83-5f). In 1930, 88 Jews lived in the rural area of ​​Skåne, and in 1935, there were only 20 Jews in the settlement itself (C83-1f, C83-3f).

Zionist activity

The community was characterized by a deep Zionist affiliation. In 1929, a branch of the Zionist movement was opened in the settlement. Beitar (C83-1f, C83-4f). In the elections to the 18th Zionist Congress held in 1933, 56 local Jews participated; the vast majority of them (47 voters) supported the list The Central Intelligence Agency (Revisionists), 8 voted forOverall scores And one vote is given to the list On guard (C83-1f, C83-3f, C83-5f).

Holocaust period

after Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, Latvia was annexed by the Soviet Union in the summer of 1940 (C83-1f, C83-4f). With the beginning of the German invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, most of the local Jews managed to escape deep into Russia before the arrival of the German army in early July (C83-1f, C83-4f, C83-5f).

About ten Jews remained in the settlement, mostly elderly, who were murdered by the Germans and their local collaborators (C83-1f, C83-4f, C83-5f). The archive records the story of David Zutzipker, a young Jewish man who served in the Red Army and came to the settlement in an attempt to save his parents, but was captured by local nationalists and buried alive (C83-3f, C83-5f). After the war, Jewish survivors from Lodz transferred the bones of the murdered for burial in the Jewish cemetery in Lodz (C83-1f, C83-4f). Three Jewish families who returned to the area after the war sold their homes and moved to Riga, and today there are no more Jews in Skawna (C83-3f, C83-5f).

Terms and explanations

• The Central Intelligence Agency: Reformist Zionist Alliance, the party affiliated with the Revisionist movement led by Ze'ev Jabotinsky (C83-3f).
• Joint: A Jewish-American relief organization that assisted Jewish communities in Europe after the world wars (C83-4f).
• On guard: A faction within the Zionist movement (C83-3f).
• Colonial products: Imported food and consumer products (such as tea, coffee, spices) sold in stores during that period (C83-2f).

List of sources

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• C83-1f – A printed review in Hebrew on the history of the Skawena community, including demographic data, details on religious and community institutions, Zionist activity, and a description of the events of the Holocaust.
• C83-2f – An official statistical document from Latvia from 1936 that includes a map of the Lodz district and detailed lists of Jewish business owners and merchants in the localities of the region.
• C83-3f – A detailed historical overview in Hebrew of Skauna, including demographic tables, a description of economic and religious life, and details about the murder of local Jews and their burial after the war.
• C83-4f – Information pages in English from the Beit Hatfutsot Archives that review the history of Skawena, community institutions, assistance from the Joint Action Organization, the activities of the Betar movement, and the events of the Holocaust.
• C83-5f – A printed review in Hebrew on the history of the Jews of Skåne, including information on religious institutions, community leadership, Zionist activity, and the fate of the survivors after the war.

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