Częstochowa Ghetto
Encyclopedia
The Częstochowa Ghetto was a Jewish ghetto set up by Nazi Germany
in the city of Częstochowa
in south-central Poland
, for the purpose of persecution and exploitation of local Jews
during the German occupation of Poland. The approximate number of people confined to the ghetto at its beginning was around 40,000 and at its peak – right before mass deportations – 48,000. In late 1942 most ghetto inmates were delivered by Holocaust trains
to their deaths
at the Treblinka extermination camp
. In June 1943, the remaining ghetto inhabitants launched the Częstochowa Ghetto Uprising
, which was extinguished after a few days of fighting.
Richard Wendler
. In addition to Jews from Częstochowa, more Jews were being brought in from nearby towns and villages including Krzepice
, Olsztyn
, Mstów, Janów
, Przyrów
, as well as hundreds of expellees from Polish lands annexed into the Reich
at the beginning of war, mostly from Płock and Łódź. The ghetto inhabitants were forced to work as slave labor in the armaments industry, majority in the expanded Polish foundry "Metalurgia" located on Krotka Street (which had been taken over by the German manufacturer HASAG), as well as in other local factories or workshops.
The Nazis began liquidating the ghetto on September 22, 1942 during Operation Reinhard
(the day after Yom Kippur
). The first wave of deportations concluded on the night of October 7. The action was carried out by German units together with their Ukrainian and Latvian auxilliaries, under the command of captain of the schupo, Paul Degenhardt. Every day, the Jews were being assembled on Daszyński square for "resettlement" and then transported by cattle train to Treblinka extermination camp
: around 40,000 victims in total.
Those who survived the main thrust of ghetto liquidation (about 5,000–6,000 slave workers and their families) were put in the so-called Small Ghetto for the Hugo Schneider munitions factory. There, 850 Jews were executed. Soon, a clandestine Jewish Fighting Organisation was formed by Mordechaj Zilberberg, Sumek Abramowicz and Heniek Pesak among others. The organization consisted of 300 members. When the Germans moved to liquidate the Small Ghetto on 26th June 1943 the Częstochowa Ghetto Uprising
errupted. Zylberberg committed suicide when the Germans stormed his bunker. 1,500 Jews died in the fighting. On 30th June the resistance was suppressed with additional 500 Jews burned alive or buried beneath the rubble. 3,900 Jews were captured and put to work in labour camps Apparatebau, Warthewerk and Eisenhütte. 400 people were shot following a selection. In December that year 1,200 prisoners were transported to Germany. The men were sent to Buchenwald, the women to Dachau
(all perished). However, the much needed foundry camps were revived in the second half of 1944 with around 10,000 new workers sent in from Łódź, Kielce, Radomsk and Skarżysko-Kamienna. On 15th and 16th January 1945, ahead of the Soviet advance, about 3,000 prisoners were sent to the Third Reich; all perished. The remaining 5,200 Jews employed in Częstochowa slave-labor camps were liberated by the Red Army.
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
in the city of Częstochowa
Czestochowa
Częstochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta River with 240,027 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Częstochowa Voivodeship...
in south-central Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, for the purpose of persecution and exploitation of local Jews
History of the Jews in Poland
The history of the Jews in Poland dates back over a millennium. For centuries, Poland was home to the largest and most significant Jewish community in the world. Poland was the centre of Jewish culture thanks to a long period of statutory religious tolerance and social autonomy. This ended with the...
during the German occupation of Poland. The approximate number of people confined to the ghetto at its beginning was around 40,000 and at its peak – right before mass deportations – 48,000. In late 1942 most ghetto inmates were delivered by Holocaust trains
Holocaust trains
The Holocaust trains were railway transports run by German Nazis and their collaborators to forcibly deport interned Jews and other victims of the Holocaust to the German Nazi concentration and extermination camps....
to their deaths
Final Solution
The Final Solution was Nazi Germany's plan and execution of the systematic genocide of European Jews during World War II, resulting in the most deadly phase of the Holocaust...
at the Treblinka extermination camp
Treblinka extermination camp
Treblinka was a Nazi extermination camp in occupied Poland during World War II near the village of Treblinka in the modern-day Masovian Voivodeship of Poland. The camp, which was constructed as part of Operation Reinhard, operated between and ,. During this time, approximately 850,000 men, women...
. In June 1943, the remaining ghetto inhabitants launched the Częstochowa Ghetto Uprising
Częstochowa Ghetto Uprising
The Częstochowa Ghetto Uprising was an insurrection in Poland's Częstochowa Ghetto against German occupation forces during World War II.The first Jewish Ghetto of Częstochowa was established by the German Nazis in April 1941....
, which was extinguished after a few days of fighting.
Ghetto history
The official order for the creation of the Ghetto was issued on April 9, 1941 by StabshauptmannStabshauptmann
Stabshauptmann meaning "Staff Captain", is the highest military rank in the Bundeswehr for specialist officers . Instead of being promoted to the rank of major, specialist officers are promoted to the rank of Stabshauptmann and given the salary of a Major...
Richard Wendler
Richard Wendler
Richard Wendler was a high-ranking Nazi politician who was in charge of Lublin concentration camp and who organized the creation of the Częstochowa Ghetto. He was the mayor of the city Hof between 1933 to 1941. In 1942 he became a Gruppenführer in the SS.-External links:...
. In addition to Jews from Częstochowa, more Jews were being brought in from nearby towns and villages including Krzepice
Krzepice
Krzepice is a Polish town near Częstochowa, in Kłobuck County, Silesian Voivodeship.- Transport :Main road connections from the Krzepice include those with Wieluń and Częstochowa via the National Road ....
, Olsztyn
Olsztyn
Olsztyn is a city in northeastern Poland, on the Łyna River. Olsztyn has been the capital of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship since 1999. It was previously in the Olsztyn Voivodeship...
, Mstów, Janów
Janów
Janów is a very common placenames in Poland. It may refer to:* Janów Lubelski - town in Poland* Janów Poleski - the Polish name for Ivanava, a town in Belarus...
, Przyrów
Przyrów
Przyrów is a village in Częstochowa County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It is the seat of the gmina called Gmina Przyrów. It lies approximately east of Częstochowa and north-east of the regional capital Katowice....
, as well as hundreds of expellees from Polish lands annexed into the Reich
Expulsion of Poles by Nazi Germany
The Expulsions of Poles by Nazi Germany during World War II was a massive Nazi German operation consisting of the forced resettlement of over 1.7 million ethnic Poles from all territories of occupied Poland between 1939–1944 with the aim of their geopolitical Germanization .Adolf Hitler had plans...
at the beginning of war, mostly from Płock and Łódź. The ghetto inhabitants were forced to work as slave labor in the armaments industry, majority in the expanded Polish foundry "Metalurgia" located on Krotka Street (which had been taken over by the German manufacturer HASAG), as well as in other local factories or workshops.
The Nazis began liquidating the ghetto on September 22, 1942 during Operation Reinhard
Operation Reinhard
Operation Reinhard was the code name given to the Nazi plan to murder Polish Jews in the General Government, and marked the most deadly phase of the Holocaust, the use of extermination camps...
(the day after Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur , also known as Day of Atonement, is the holiest and most solemn day of the year for the Jews. Its central themes are atonement and repentance. Jews traditionally observe this holy day with a 25-hour period of fasting and intensive prayer, often spending most of the day in synagogue...
). The first wave of deportations concluded on the night of October 7. The action was carried out by German units together with their Ukrainian and Latvian auxilliaries, under the command of captain of the schupo, Paul Degenhardt. Every day, the Jews were being assembled on Daszyński square for "resettlement" and then transported by cattle train to Treblinka extermination camp
Treblinka extermination camp
Treblinka was a Nazi extermination camp in occupied Poland during World War II near the village of Treblinka in the modern-day Masovian Voivodeship of Poland. The camp, which was constructed as part of Operation Reinhard, operated between and ,. During this time, approximately 850,000 men, women...
: around 40,000 victims in total.
Those who survived the main thrust of ghetto liquidation (about 5,000–6,000 slave workers and their families) were put in the so-called Small Ghetto for the Hugo Schneider munitions factory. There, 850 Jews were executed. Soon, a clandestine Jewish Fighting Organisation was formed by Mordechaj Zilberberg, Sumek Abramowicz and Heniek Pesak among others. The organization consisted of 300 members. When the Germans moved to liquidate the Small Ghetto on 26th June 1943 the Częstochowa Ghetto Uprising
Częstochowa Ghetto Uprising
The Częstochowa Ghetto Uprising was an insurrection in Poland's Częstochowa Ghetto against German occupation forces during World War II.The first Jewish Ghetto of Częstochowa was established by the German Nazis in April 1941....
errupted. Zylberberg committed suicide when the Germans stormed his bunker. 1,500 Jews died in the fighting. On 30th June the resistance was suppressed with additional 500 Jews burned alive or buried beneath the rubble. 3,900 Jews were captured and put to work in labour camps Apparatebau, Warthewerk and Eisenhütte. 400 people were shot following a selection. In December that year 1,200 prisoners were transported to Germany. The men were sent to Buchenwald, the women to Dachau
Dachau
Dachau is a town in Upper Bavaria, in the southern part of Germany. It is a major district town—a Große Kreisstadt—of the administrative region of Upper Bavaria, about 20 km north-west of Munich. It is now a popular residential area for people working in Munich with roughly 40,000 inhabitants...
(all perished). However, the much needed foundry camps were revived in the second half of 1944 with around 10,000 new workers sent in from Łódź, Kielce, Radomsk and Skarżysko-Kamienna. On 15th and 16th January 1945, ahead of the Soviet advance, about 3,000 prisoners were sent to the Third Reich; all perished. The remaining 5,200 Jews employed in Częstochowa slave-labor camps were liberated by the Red Army.