Memorial Book of the Jews of Kisvárda and its Vicinity (Hungary)

Kisvárda és Környéke Zsidosága Emlékkönyv

Edited by: Rabbi Dr. Károly Jolesz, Efrajim Agmon, Rabbi Smuel Aba Grosz, Jichak Mandel, Avraham Marmorstein and Jozsef Reismann

Published in Tel Aviv, 1980 

This entire document is here thanks to the hard work of Peter Spiro our cousin. I have reformatted only the accents in the text to ensure that they are compatible with other Hungarian documents and/or references and corrected the spelling where it was warranted. (PG 27/10/2001)

Translated and abridged by Peter Spiro, Toronto, Canada.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Translation Copyright (c) 1999 by Peter S. Spiro. This document may be freely distributed. It may be reformatted for purposes of compatibility. It may be freely used for personal and educational purposes, but it may not be used for commercial purposes without prior written consent of the author. It may be included in toto or in part as components of other documents with proper attribution.

This translation is in memory of my grandmothers, Gizella Fischer and Pessel Spiro, whom I never knew. They were two simple, pious women who went from the suffering and terror of the Kisvárda ghetto to perish in Auschwitz. May their memory be for a blessing.

My mother and grandmother Gizella arrived together at the gates of Auschwitz, where they were sent different ways by the infamous doctor known as the "angel of death." My mother had lost her kerchief on the way, and my grandmother took off hers and gave it to her, saying "you have a cold, you need it more than I do." That was the last time they saw each other.

For further information, contact Peter Spiro, spirogen@gmail.com

The Origins of the Jewish Community of Kisvárda

The small city of Kisvárda is the major centre of the north-eastern portion of Szabolcs County, located about 25 kilometres from the county capital of Nyiregyháza. It lies at an important crossroads, bordering on three countries. The main road and rail line (built about 1870) from the Ukrainian border through Nyiregyháza and on to Budapest run through Kisvárda. The district's fertile soil, favourable location and economic resources contributed to its development. It became a regional centre of agriculture, industry and commerce.

These favourable geographic and economic factors made it an attractive place for the settlement of Jews as they drifted back into Hungary, which was slowly recovering from the devastation of the Turkish occupation that ended about 1690. The first Jews settled in Kisvárda with the special permission of the aristocratic Eszterhazy family, the major landowners in the area at that time.

In 1747, Kisvárda sent the list of its Jews to the county governor, with the remark that it had collected barely half of the special taxes levied on the Jews. The majority fled from the collection. According to this report, there was only a single Jew living within the town of Kisvárda itself, and eight Jewish households in the surrounding villages. By the time of the 1784 census, there were 118 Jews in Kisvárda.

Later censuses showed a rapid rate of increase. The following figures show the Jewish population and, where available, their percentage of the total population of Kisvárda:

1840: 500, 22.5%

1869: 1238, 28.2%

1890: 1483, 29.6%

1900: 2614, 31.6%

1910: 3036, 30.2%

1920: 3454, 30.2%

1930: 3658, 25.8%

1941: 3770, 25.5 %

1946: 804, 5.5%

1948: 650

1953: 355

1977: 160

1996: 22

Jews played a central role in the development of economic life in Kisvárda, as they did throughout Hungary from the early part of the 18th century. Jewish merchants were active in commerce. In other parts of Hungary, Jews were active in trade or as craftsmen, but the economic conditions in Kisvárda allowed them to enter occupations in which there were practically no Jews in most other counties. There were many Jews in the Kisvárda area who owned land, working either as small farmers, or in some cases acquiring substantial estates and renting land to tenant farmers. Jews were also active as owners of granaries and storehouses for the region's agricultural produce such as potatoes.

Jews established factories to process the agricultural products. These included numerous flour mills, distilleries, and vinegar and starch factories. The first Jewish bank in Kisvárda was established in 1869.

Jewish Religious Life in Kisvárda

In 1782 there were 393 Jewish families in Szabolcs County, living in 106 different communities. The largest was in the town of Balkány, with 19 families. At this time Nagykallo was the capital of Szabolcs County, and also the seat of the chief rabbi of the county.

The Kisvárda congregation was formed in 1796, with the establishment of a Chevra Kaddisha. In its early days, the Kisvárda congregation was a branch of the congregation of Nagykallo.

The Jews of Kisvárda were unhappy about being subservient to another community, and looked forward to the day when they could become independent. The process of separation began in 1840, when the congregation of Nagykallo was preparing to elect a new chief rabbi, who would govern not only the town of Nagykallo but the Jews of the entire county.

The Kisvárda community objected to all the candidates, and turned with its complaint to the county government. In a written petition submitted on May 5, 1840, the Kisvárda community stated that the county's Jewish judge was undertaking the election of a new rabbi on an illegal basis. The complaint noted that the communities of Nádudvar, Bátor and Dada had been invited to a meeting in Nagykallo on March 24. However, the Kisvárda community had been invited for April 24, which was a holiday, on purpose so that they would be unable to attend. The Jews of Nagykallo wanted to elect a candidate who was related to a leading family, and that family was influential in the above-named communities.

The Kisvárdians did not like any of the candidates. Two of them were without any reputation. The one who was put forward because of his family connection was described as being of "inferior and little scholarship. Moreover, he was 70 years old, promising only a few more years of service, which would not justify the expenses of installing him in the position." The fourth was also felt to be "of insufficient education to fill the seat of the county's chief rabbi." They asked that, if they were expected to share in the expense of maintaining the rabbi, they should be entitled to help in choosing him. The Kisvárdians wanted to consult with other chief rabbis, and the election should be held only after their recommendations regarding a rabbi of international repute was obtained.

In 1844, the Kisvárda community split permanently from the rabbinate of Nagykallo. They elected as rabbi Abraham Weinberger, from Galgocz, who was destined to serve the Kisvárda community for 40 years.

Jozsef Benedek, who had been appointed rabbi of Nagykallo, at first tried to resist the split, and wanted to bring the matter before a religious court. However, he did not find support among his colleagues and finally accepted the independence of the Kisvárda congregation.

The Kisvárdians did not regret their decision, nor were they disappointed by their new rabbi. He proved to be peace loving, pious and charitable. He immediately set about establishing a yeshiva that would form the community's future spiritual leaders, and would establish Kisvárda's reputation as one of the country's leading centres of Jewish learning.

Rabbi Weinberger himself had been a child prodigy. He was not yet 13 years old when his fame spread from his birthplace of Dukla, in Poland, to Brody, where the famous Rabbi Heschele Harif resided. Rabbi Herschele travelled to Dukla so that he could meet the prodigy, and soon found that the rumours had been true, and that this was a unique genius. He immediately proposed to young Abraham's father that Abraham should marry Rabbi Herschele's 12 year old daughter. Abraham's father, a simple cloth merchant, was more than pleased to make this connection with a famous rabbi's family, and the match was set. When the bride and groom were 14, the wedding took place. In later days, Rabbi Abraham noted with pride that he became a father at the age of 16.

When Rabbi Herschele moved to Hungary, he took his young son-in-law with him, whose reputation as a great talmudic scholar soon spread in that country also. By the age of 21, he was appointed rabbi of Galgocz, whence he came to Kisvárda.

Rabbi Abraham sought in every youth the spark that would lift them to heavenly heights. He did not favour those students who accepted his words without thinking about them, but rather those who thought and came to their own understanding of the doctrine.

Rabbi Abraham's greatest pain came from seeing the frequent privation of his yeshiva students. These students knew days when their only nourishment was spiritual. The majority of members of the small congregation were themselves poor, and could not afford to give the yeshiva students the support they deserved. The town's Jews contributed to their support by taking in, one day a week, one of the yeshiva students and giving him a meal. The weekly fair was held on Thursdays in Kisvárda, and yeshiva students who were from out of town looked forward to it eagerly, hoping that there would be a visitor who would bring them a package from home.

Rabbi Moshe Rosenbaum

The outstanding personality in the last stage of Kisvárda's religious history was Rabbi Moshe Rosenbaum. He led the community for 45 years, from 1898 to 1943. He was appointed Chief Rabbi of Kisvárda at the age of 33, to replace Rabbi Moshe Grünwald, one of the world's leading sages.

Kisvarda was a true cross-section of Hungarian Judaism, ranging all the way from the extremely religious "shtreimel wearers" to non-observant members of parliament. Naturally, each faction sought to rule the congregation, and there was no shortage of serious disputes among them.

Rabbi Rosenbaum was the force that kept the community together, who could balance the competing factions. With his infinite patience, he disarmed the combatants. The high regard in which he was held derived both from his genial personality and the fact that he could trace his ancestry all the way back to the Maharal of Prague. He attracted hundreds of students to the yeshiva, and supported many of them from his own pocket. With his warm heart, he went to great lengths to help the poor.

He was held in such high regard that nobody challenged his authority, and not a single Jewish store was open on Saturday in Kisvárda. He raised the community to such a level that it became famous throughout the country. For decades, Rabbi Rosenbaum was a member of the Central Council of Hungarian Rabbis. After the death of the Chief Rabbi of Budapest, Rabbi Koppel Reich, the Orthodox rabbinate of Hungary nominated Rabbi Rosenbaum to represent them in the upper house of Parliament. He was qualified for this not just by his great scholarship, but also by his skill as a speaker. However, in his modesty, he declined this great honour.

Rabbi Moshe Rosenbaum passed away in 1943. He was succeeded as chief rabbi by his son Shmuel, who had been prepared for that position from his youth.

Prior to being appointed rabbi, Shmuel earned his living as a wood dealer in Kisvárda. This did not keep him from studying, and even in the wood store he always sat with a book of the Talmud open beside him. It was told that, if a customer could not pay cash for the wood, he extended credit as long as they could recite the ten commandments.

By the time Rabbi Shmuel took office, the storm of the Holocaust was looming. His responsibilities expanded; he was required not just to strengthen his flock spiritually, but to counsel them in the face of the horrible tragedy that was upon them. More and more painful news came from the front regarding members of the forced labour battalions who were perishing. More and more Jews lost their livelihoods as a result of the anti-Jewish laws, and turned to the rabbi for support.

In their young rabbi the congregation found a fitting leader. He lived and suffered with his flock. He was one of the few Hungarian Jewish leaders who fully appreciated the gravity of the situation. He tried to help, where possible in, rescue efforts. He went with his congregation into the ghetto, where he displayed his great strength of character. There, too, he dealt with important religious issues and other judgements. His faith did not waver. Suffering strengthened his determination, and posterity can remember him by the halakhic judgements that he rendered as his world perished. These are preserved in a book edited by his son, Rabbi Pinchas Rosenbaum, who was appointed as the last chief rabbi of Kisvárda in 1947.

Sabbath-Keeping Kisvárda

Every Hungarian city had its particular character. In those towns where the Jewish community was mainly of the Neolog branch, the Jews were not particularly noticeable. It was quite different in those Orthodox communities whose members strictly observed the Sabbath. In these cities all the Jewish stores were closed on Saturday. And, since the vast majority of shopkeepers were Jewish, these cities were very quiet on Saturday. Commerce came to a near complete halt.

The great majority of Kisvárda's Jews were religious. However, even those who did not adhere strictly to every Orthodox commandment would not dare to keep their stores open on Saturday.

Among Kisvárda's Jews there was also a large, active Hassidic community. On Saturdays and holidays one could see them in great numbers walking the streets of the "Klaus" in their caftans and shtreimels. The hassidim established a Beth Midrash separate from the main congregation. In 1921, their leadership issued a rigorous set of rules for membership, including a requirement that their wives cover their hair with kerchiefs rather than wearing wigs, and wear dresses that reached to their shoes. Girls 12 years and older were required to wear dresses at least two hand-breadths below the knees.

Zionism in Kisvárda

Theodore Herzl, in a prophetic statement, declared that "I would give up on trying to convert the outlook of the Hungarian Jews, if I believed that their heartfelt patriotism will lead to the end of anti-Semitism in Hungary.... The greater their economic and cultural success, the more shocking will be their fall. There is no escape from Jew hatred, and by the time they realize how little their patriotism has gotten them, it will be too late."

Herzl's Zionist dream received less support in the country of his birth than almost anywhere else. Immediately after the 1897 Zionist Congress in Basel, Samuel Kohn, Chief Rabbi of Hungary, declared: "We are Magyars of the Hungarian religion. There is no place for a Jewish national movement among us."

The Kisvárda congregation followed this official position. The older generation in the community looked askance at a movement that would take their children along an alien path. They were particularly concerned about the left-leaning aspects of Zionism, and the dangers it posed under the Horthy regime.

However, some young people resisted this hostility, making up for their relatively small numbers by the quality of their effort.

The Kisvárda youth Zionist organizations were founded in 1933. They organized high quality cultural programs. Mor Frankl gave a moving eulogy after the passing of Arlosoroff, while Ernö Rosenfeld Dr. Lászlo Scher gave lectures about the great prophet of Zionism, Herzl. Ernö Adler and Peter Fischer were the organizers of this program.

Even those Jews who did not subscribe to the political aims of Zionism had a charitable impulse toward the poor settlers in the holy land, and most Jewish homes in Kisvárda had a charity box for money to go to Palestine.

Zionism soon flourished in Kisvárda. For their Hanukkah celebration in 1934, they were able to attract as eminent a speaker as the poet and author Jozsef Patai, the editor of the leading journal "Mult és Jövö" ("Past and Future"). Patai had links with Kisvárda. He was born in Heves county, but he started his Jewish education at Kisvárda's famous yeshiva.

A major banquet was put on in honour of this illustrious guest, which was attended not just by Zionists but by all elements of the community. The lawyer Dr. Miklos Schönwald, president of the congregation, declared his support for the aims of the Pro-Palestine League, notwithstanding his Magyar patriotism.

One of the great heroes of Zionism, Dov Gruner, was born in Kisvárda in 1912, and attended the yeshivah there before studying engineering in Brno. He joined the Betar movement, and illegally made aliyah in 1940. In 1941 he joined the British army, and served in it for 5 years. Following the war, he joined the Irgun, and was captured during a raid on a police station. He was executed by the British in 1947, in spite of international appeals for clemency. In a letter to Menahem Begin shortly before his execution, he declared that "if I had it to do all over again, I would do nothing differently." His memory is preserved today in Israel with a sculpture by Hannah Orloff, depicting the young lion of Judah in battle with the lion of Britain.

The Holocaust

The ghettoization of the Jews in Kisvárda commenced on April 8, 1944, with the transportation of the first group from the countryside. The ghetto was situated in the most Jewish district of Kisvárda. It began on the left side of Horthy Road, continued with the left side of Bessenyei Road, and included both sides of Deák Ferenc Street and Petöfi Street. The roadways were closed with barriers.

The families transported from the surrounding villages were put into two lumberyards and the courtyard of the synagogue. As long as their supplies lasted, they cooked for themselves, but their situation worsened when they ran out of supplies.

The Jews of Kisvárda proper who lived outside the ghetto were moved into it between April 15 to April 30, 1944. No writer has a rich enough imagination to describe the endless humiliations and beatings inflicted on the Jews by the Magyar gendarmerie. Men, women and little children were taken from their homes and squeezed into a terribly overcrowded ghetto. A total of 7000 Jews were squeezed into a small neighbourhood, a few families in every room. Every night, the gendarmes dragged away individuals who were suspected of having hidden their wealth. They would return cruelly beaten, covered in blood, unable to stand on their feet.

The gates of the ghetto were first opened on May 29 and once more on May 31. Each time, a group of 3500 was taken to the trains and started on their way to an unknown destiny. Their painful road led to the hell of Auschwitz, from where only a few managed to return.

The town of Kisvárda still stands. The Jewish visitor, whose heart is filled with longing for his dear ones, meets only strangers in what was once known throughout Hungary as "little Jerusalem." That Kisvárda lives only in dreams.

The Jewish Communities of the Towns and Villages Surrounding Kisvárda

In the 1800s, there was a substantial Jewish community in virtually every village in Szabolcs County, with their share of the population often exceeding 10 percent.

The small villages were where the Jews first settled in Hungary. Initially they were forbidden to live in most of the cities. In any event, Hungary was a very poor country which offered little in the way of livelihood, and the villages were where the Jews could earn a living. In Hungary, many of the early Jewish settlers became farmers themselves, something which happened almost nowhere else in Europe.

There is some dispute, and uncertainty in the historical record, as to when Jews were first allowed to own land in Szabolcs County. The national law of toleration in 1867 gave them full civil rights, including the right to own land. However, this does not rule out the possibility that in some cases they were de facto land owners earlier than that. Prior to the reforms of 1867, almost all land was owned by the aristocracy, and most Christian Hungarians were not landowners either. Jews started in Hungary as tenants of the aristocrats, especially as tenants operating taverns and slaughterhouses. From this they expanded to lease larger tracts which they farmed, often with hired labourers.

It should be noted that rural Hungary is different from North America, in that almost everybody lived in villages, rather than on individual family farms. Even those people who owned farm land lived in a house in the village and travelled to their fields (which tended to be in scattered holdings).

The village summaries all make a point of indicating the "mother congregation" to which the Jewish community of that village was affiliated. In Hungary, this hierarchical relationship was mandated by national laws that recognized religions and required such affiliations. This information is useful to the genealogical researcher, because it is an indication of where records pertaining to a particular village may have been kept.

The Jewish populations of the villages peaked around 1880. After that the populations in the smallest villages started to decline, and generally fell by about 50 percent into the 1940s, as the younger generations moved for the greater opportunities in larger towns and cities. It is likely that about 80 percent of the Jewish population of rural Hungary perished in the Holocaust. The survivors came back to their villages briefly, mainly to see if anybody else from their families had come back. After gathering what few belongings they could salvage, and selling any land, they moved on, mainly to Israel or North America. There are virtually no Jews left in Szabolcs, where they flourished for a space of 200 years or so.

Translator's note: the Hungarian original, in discussing education in each town, will mention both an "iskola" (Hungarian for school) and a "heder" (Yiddish for a religious elementary school) along with its "melameds" (religious teachers). I have left the Yiddish terms untranslated, as they appear in the original.

The "White Terror" frequently referred to in the text that follows was a series of pogroms throughout Hungary in 1919, which left about 3000 Jews dead. It followed the suppression of the Communist regime that briefly ruled Hungary after World War I, many of whose leaders had been Jewish. (Encyclopaedia Judaica, vol. 8, p. 1095).

In several of the articles, it is mentioned that Jewish-owned land was confiscated in the late 1930s or early 1940s. Apparently, this was not universal. It depended on the whim of the local officials in each town, specifically the town-clerk ("jegyzö").

Ajak

Jews first settled in Ajak in the second half of the 18th century. They are already mentioned in the census of 1770. They earned their living as merchants, craftsmen and lessors of land.

The congregation was formed in 1902, and was under the authority of the rabbinate of Kisvárda. It had a synagogue, a cemetery and a religious school (cheder) with 10 to 12 children.

When irregular troops were organized to fight against the Czechs, a unit was stationed in Ajak. The Jewish population suffered greatly at their hands.

The young men were taken away to the forced labour battalions. In 1944, the fifty remaining in the community were taken to the ghetto in Kisvárda. Only five of them survived.

Anarcs

The 1747 tax census mentions just one Jew in Anarcs, whose name was listed as Gregorius Jakobovics.

The chief occupations were merchants (mainly of potatoes) and crafts. The congregation was established in the first have of the 19th century, and it belonged to the rabbinate of Kisvárda. The congregation maintained a synagogue, a cemetery, a religious school (cheder) and a mikvah.

Baktalorantháza

Gravestones in the cemetery indicate that Jews were already living in this village in the first half of the 18th century.

Their occupations were merchants, various crafts, farmers, and millers. The congregation belonged to the rabbinate of Nyirmada. It had a synagogue, cemetery, Chevra Kaddisha, and a charitable fund (gemilat hesed). The community supported a slaughterer, teacher, and sexton. Our brothers in this town were distinguished by their deep religious devotion. Many of the youth left the town, to move to towns that had famous rabbis as their spiritual leaders.

Between the two wars, the Greek Orthodox priest was active in inciting the population against the Jews. In 1941, 25 young men were inducted into the labour battalions.

In 1944, immediately after Passover, the Jews were crammed into the Kisvarda ghetto. After the war, 5 men returned from the labour battalions, and 12 women from deportation. The Jews from Nagyjako also moved here. The synagogue survived the war in good condition, and for a few years they continued their religious life here in a limited way. However, after awhile it became apparent that they could not go on, and the synagogue was demolished.

Dombrád

The census of the 1770s already mentions Jews living in Dombrád. They were attracted here by the favourable terms offered by the large landowners.

The majority of Dombrád's Jews were small merchants, who mainly dealt in the regions renowned crops of potatoes and tobacco. There were also a few craftsmen, such as shoemakers, tailors, blacksmiths, butchers and carpenters. There were also civil servants. There were three Jewish physicians in the town, one of them being the town's medical officer, and the pharmacist. Jews owned the distillery, the mill, the sawmill and a factory refining medicinal herbs. There were 18 farmers, including three who were substantial landowners.

The congregation appears to have been established in the second half of the 18th century, and in 1868 it opted to join the Orthodox movement. The following smaller communities reported to the Dombrad congregation: Tiszakanyar, Borgaszka (5 Jews), Karahalom (9 Jews), and Rekhaloma (4 Jews). The congregation had a Chevra Kaddisha, a sisterhood, charitable fund (gemilat hesed), tiferet bahurim and hevra shas. In addition to a rabbi, the small congregation supported two teachers, a cantor (who doubled as the slaughterer), and a sexton. The congregation had both a yeshiva and an elementary school.

The synagogue was built near the end of the 18th century. Later it was renovated and enlarged. Among its rabbis was Leichtag Efraim (1920-1944), the author of the book Minhat Efraim.

There were a few members of the community with Zionist inclinations, but they kept a low profile, both because of opposition from the government and religious extremists. Some of the young people who were sympathetic to Zionism left Dombrád and moved to towns with more active Zionist organizations.

Several Jews from Dombrád fought in the 1848 uprising. The congregation mourned 12 members who died fighting bravely in the first world war.

Following the first world war, Dombrád was briefly under Romanian occupation. The Romanian soldiers looted many Jewish homes and businesses. Fortunately, there were no Jewish casualties of the "White Terror" in Dombrád, but its effects were still felt. There was an extensive anti-Semitic campaign that urged Christians not to shop at Jewish stores or do any business with Jews.

In 1935, a peasant party called "Spade and Sickle" was formed, and one of the first acts of this group was the looting of Jewish stores. A Jew who had been an officer in the war organized a defensive militia, answering force with force. This sharp reprisal put an end to these atrocious acts.

The anti-Jewish law of 1938 deprived the Jews of Dombrád of their livelihood. The state expropriated both small and large landowners without any compensation. Jewish officials were fired from their jobs. Most merchants and craftsmen were unable to get their licenses renewed. In spite of depriving them of their livelihood, the government insisted that they pay taxes for a year even after they were no longer allowed to operate their businesses.

In 1942 the men were taken to labour camps, and immediately after they were distributed to battalions heading to the Ukraine. Some of them were captured by the Russians, but the majority of them were killed by the cold and hunger. Many of them were shot along the way by soldiers.

In April of 1944 our brothers from Dombrád were squeezed into the yard of the synagogue in Kisvarda. At first they were told that they could take their necessary belongings with them. Then, at night, they were attacked by gendarmes, who robbed them of most of their belongings. Their plight was eased somewhat when they were allowed to receive food packages from relatives in Budapest.

Shortly after they were transported to the ghetto, they were deported to Auschwitz. There the old, the children, and mothers with children were immediately gassed. After the war, not a single Jew returned to Dombrád. The congregation's buildings were sold, and the survivors made aliyah.

Fényeslitke

Jews already were living here at the time of the census in the 1770s. The first settlers came from Subcarpathia. The cemetery shows that Jews lived here a long time ago. The majority of the Jews were merchants, but there were also craftsmen and farmers. There was a mill and a distillery owned by Jews. The congregation belonged to that of Kisvárda, but there was a local prayer house and cheder. They supported a slaughterer, a sexton, and an occasional teacher. As there was not a school, the children went to study in Kisvárda, which was nearby.

In 1919, during the "White Terror," several Jews were taken and imprisoned in Kisvarda. In 1938 the first anti-Jewish law deprived the farmers of their land. In 1944, right after Passover, the Jews of Fényeslitke were dragged to the ghetto of Kisvárda. After much suffering and hunger, their path led to Auschwitz. After they were taken away, a mob broke into the prayer house, tore up the Torah scroll, and desecrated the building. A few Jews returned after the war and stayed for a time, but then moved away. By 1947, there were only two Jewish families remaining in the village.

Gemzse

The census of the 1770s already found Jews in Gemzse. The small community always had a hard life in this insignificant little village, many of them toiling as farmers on small pieces of land. Our brothers in Gemzse belonged to the Orthodox congregation of Mandok.

In 1941 the men were taken for labour service. Three years later they put the old and the women and the children onto wagons and transported them to the ghetto. From there, their path led to death.

Gyulaháza

The census of 1747 mentioned a Jewish family of four people. They were followed later by others from Subcarpathia and Galicia.

The majority of them were occupied as grain and potato traders. There were also a few craftsmen and farmers. They were on good terms with their gentile neighbours. The congregation gave up its independence, and joined that of Kisvárda in 1895. It also shared the cemetery in Kisvárda.

Zionism was not widespread, but in spite of that most houses had charity boxes for the KKL and Rabbi Meir Baal Haness.

Two Jewish soldiers from Gyulaháza were killed in the World War I. The anti-Jewish atrocities began in 1940 with the breaking of Jewish windows. The "Hangya" ("ant") cooperative was established with the aim of putting Jewish merchants out of business.

In 1941, 15 young men were taken into the labour service. Those who stayed behind were taken in 1944, immediately after Passover, to the ghetto in Kisvárda. The first group was transported to Auschwitz on the second day of Shavuot, and immediately gassed. After the war, 5 young women and 10 young men (who had been in labour service near Munkács) returned. They found the synagogue in ruins. They did not start a new life in the village, but moved away.

Gyüre

The 1774 census mentions Jews, who settled in Gyüre by special permission. They were mainly merchants, but there were also a few craftsmen and farmers. Until 1880, Gyüre was an independent congregation, and Nagyvársony also belonged to it. Later, it amalgamated with the Kisvárda congregation.

In 1925, Rabbi Roth Shmuel was chosen as rabbi, and at that time it once again became an independent congregation. Kopocsapati, Kisvársány and Rév Aranyos belonged to it. They had a Chevra Kaddisha, a cemetery, a mikvah, and a slaughterhouse. However, there was no synagogue, and the services were in private homes. However, there was a slaughterer, a sexton, and some melameds.

The community suffered greatly during the Romanian occupation. Several were tortured and robbed. The "Ragged Guard" irregular troops also brought much suffering to the Jews. They launched an actual pogrom against the Jews, which the authorities watched with their hands in their laps. The first anti-Jewish laws caused many to lose their livelihoods. Life became increasingly difficult.

Starting in 1941, the young men were taken for labour service. In 1944, with the beginning of the Nazi's anti-Jewish campaign, several Jews were taken prisoner to Nyiregyháza, and tortured. After Passover, the Jews of Gyüre were put on wagons and forced into the Kisvárda ghetto. They were taken to Auschwitz with the first transport. After the war, most of the survivors left the village behind. In 1963, there was not a single Jew living in Gyüre.

Kisvársány

The first Jews settled here in the second half of the 18th century. The village's agricultural land was the property of several aristocrats, who established plants for processing the local produce. The Jews were left out of this business, and hence their population did not increase here. Indeed, the young tended to move away from the village.

Since 1855, the congregation was affiliated with Mandok.

In 1944, they were transported first to Mandok, next to Kisvárda, and then Auschwitz, where they all perished.

Laskod

This small community belonged to the Nyirmada congregation. They only had a prayer house and cemetery. The Jews were merchants and artisans, but there was one who owned an estate of 420 acres. After Passover in 1944, they were taken to the ghetto of Kisvárda. A few returned after the war, but by 1963 there were no Jews in Laskod.

Mandok

The census of the 1770s already mentioned several Jews in Mandok. An independent Orthodox congregation was established in 1867, and many of the smaller communities in the Tisza region were affiliated with it. For a time Mandok gave up its independence, and became affiliated with the congregation of Kisvarda, but thereafter became independent again.

Spiritual life was directed by a rabbi, who was supported by a slaughterer, a teacher and a melamed. There was a synagogue, a Chevra Kaddisha, an elementary school, a cheder, a Talmudic study group (Chevra Shas), library, mikvah, kosher slaughterhouse, and matzo bakery. The school and a community building were owned by the congregation.

In 1938 the Hungarian Government arranged for the establishment of volunteer troops of irregular soldiers (szabadcsapat). Their putative function was to occupy Slovakia, but they started out by terrorizing the Jews. Following this, many Jews fled the village.

In 1941, the Jewish men were inducted for labour service, and many of them were taken to the Ukraine.

In 1944 after Passover, our brethren of Mandok were put on wagons and taken to the ghetto of Kisvarda. They were only able to take a few belongings, and what they left behind was looted by the town's inhabitants. Before Shavuot, they were deported. Rabbi Avraham Mayer went in the same boxcar with his congregation, and he perished with them in the death camp. After the war, 18 men returned from labour service, and 20 women from Auschwitz. Most of them left the village.

Mandok's Jewish officers decorated in World War I, recipients of the Great Silver Károly Cross:

Ensign Kundler Dezsö, 2nd Lieut. Dr. Roth Jozsef, and 2nd Lieutenant Kalmanci.

Mandok's Jewish veterans:

Killed in action: 1st Lieut Rochlitz Miklos, 2nd. Lieut. Ausländer Mor, Herskovits Mihaly, Roth Izidor, Schwarz Armin.

Nyirjako

The community belonged to the rabbinate of Nyirmada. It built a synagogue, a cheder, and a mikvah. It had a Chevra Kaddishah jointly with Baktalorantháza.

The Jews were mainly merchants, craftsmen and farmers. Their relationship with their Christian neighbours was originally very good, until the "White Terror." Already, soldiers returning from the first world war looted Jewish homes and businesses. Then in 1919 the White Terrorists imprisoned Jews, and accused them of cooperating with the Communists. Many were interned and tortured, and some killed.

Subsequently, good relations with the inhabitants were once again established. However, in 1938, with the first anti-Jewish law, the population's hatred was reawakened. The Jews found it increasingly hard to make a living. Their land was expropriated without compensation. Licenses to operate taverns and tobacconists were cancelled, and the opportunity to do business was restricted.

Nyirkarasz

The Orthodox congregation built a beautiful synagogue and had an active and interested community. They raised their children in a religious spirit.

There was a strong community spirit and solidarity. Nobody in the congregation was allowed to suffer from poverty. All of them had a decent living from their professions or occupations. There were craftsmen and merchants among the Jewish inhabitants, but the majority were farmers. There was among them one who owned a 3000 hold [c. 5200 acre] estate.

Every house had a Baal Haness charity box, and they donated to every Jewish and worthy cause.

In the 1930s, there was a Zionist society in the town, where the pioneers preparing for aliyah were trained in agriculture.

The congregation's spiritual leader was Mr. Klein, who doubled as teacher in the cheder and as shochet. He was known by everybody in town. He was very well versed in Jewish scholarship and published books. Many of his pupils continued their studies at famous yeshivas.

One of the leading personalities of the town was Judge Itzig, who was the leader of the community since the end of the 19th century. He was held in great respect, and all the inhabitants of the town accepted his decisions. During the White Terror, he was forced to resign.

The 1940s brought greater disturbances to the community. The men were taken into labour service, and the mothers and wives waited anxiously for news of their sons and husbands. In April of 1944, the Jews of Nyirkarasz were taken to the ghetto in Kisvárda. From their the road led to the final destruction, in Auschwitz.

As in the rest of Szabolcs county, only a small remnant came back to Nyirkarasz. Almost all of them moved to larger cities, or emigrated. Several of them have become industrious citizens of our homeland in Israel.

Nyirmada

The congregation was incorporated in 1860, and the villages of Nyirbakta, Jako, Or, Vaja, Loranthaza, Rohod and Pusztadobos were affiliated with it.

The congregation maintained a Chevra Kaddisha, Sisterhood, Charity Fund, kindergarten, cheder, yeshiva, and a Talmud Torah. The elementary school was of such high quality that many non- Jews sent their children there. The congregation employed a rabbi, two teachers, three melameds, and a sexton.

The majority of the Jews were merchants, dealing in wood, leather, feathers, and foodstuffs. Jews operated factories producing vinegar, alcohol, liquor, soap and chemicals, and a mill. The "Loan and Savings Bank," founded in 1897, had a big impact on the economic life of the town.

The synagogue burned down in the great fire of 1892, which also destroyed the congregation's school and archives. A few years later, the synagogue was rebuilt. Its famous rabbi was Jitzhak Tzvi Halevi Jungreisz who founded the yeshiva in 1899 with his son Jozsef.

Fourteen members of the congregation suffered valiant deaths in military service in World War I.

On April 19, 1944, the Jews of Nyirmada were squeezed into the synagogue and school, and on May 23 they were deported to Birkenau. The young and healthy ended up at Dachau. About 40 survivors returned after the war. The synagogue and school also survived, and they acquired a sexton and slaughterer. Gradually, the survivors started to move away, and by 1957 there was not a single Jew left in the town.

Nyirtass

Jews settled in Nyirtass in the middle of the 18th century, under the protection of the Eszterhazy. They started out as peddlers serving the neighbouring villages. With the passage of time they became established merchants who even exported to other countries.

The congregation was established in the 19th century, and in 1868 declared itself to be Orthodox.

The first synagogue was built near the beginning of the 19th century. In 1910, a new synagogue was built. They had a rabbi, a chevra kaddisha, a well known yeshiva and a cheder.

Besides the merchants there were many manufacturers and transport businesses. There was a publican, and three estate owners. The managers of several large estates were Jewish, and also some clerks.

Five Jewish citizens of Nyirtass died heroic deaths in the first world war.

In 1918, the Hungarian soldiers returning from the front attacked and looted the Jewish stores, shouting "while we fought, the Jews stayed home to get rich." They did not spare Jewish homes, either.

During the white terror of 1919, the rabbi and the leaders of the congregation were imprisoned for a week, and then released.

Between the two world wars, the Jewish residents became more and more separated from the Christians. Under the influence of much suffering, they became extremely religious. They interpreted anti-Semitism as a Divine Decree, to bring closer the day of redemption.

The film "Jud Süss" was shown in the village in 1942, and this stirred up new passions. The mob broke the windows of Jewish homes, and demanded the deportation of Jews from the village. When the Germans entered Hungary in 1944, all the Jews were confined to their homes, and in the meantime their stores were robbed. In April of 1944, they were confined to the ghetto, with the exception of three who had married Christians. From the Kisvárda ghetto, they were taken to Auschwitz. Rabbi Elimelech Segal Lowi (1908-1944) perished with his followers.

After the war, 5 women and 2 men returned from the concentration camps, and 14 men from forced labour. Christians had taken over their houses, and they found the mikvah and synagogue demolished. They received a hostile reception from the population, and they thought it better to leave the village.

Religious life in Nyirtass

The majority of the Jewish inhabitants were very religious, but even those who were less religious were well educated. They were all well versed in religious subjects, and there were many leading Torah scholars among them.

The famous rabbi of the town was Elimelech Lowy, the son of the famous "Tasser." He had the reputation of being a wonder worker, who was sought out by both Jews and non-Jews from distant lands.

Five of his children acquired the love of learning in his house, and they all became highly regarded rabbis among Hungarian orthodoxy.

After Rabbi Elimelech's passing, he was succeeded by his son Leizer. Rabbi Leizer was an accomplished person with a colourful personality. Not only was he an expert in Talmud and Halacha, but his knowledge of secular matters was also exceptional. He loved music, and his soaring voice touched the hearts of the listeners when he led the prayers on the high holidays.

His court was especially full prior to the days of repentance. Vast numbers of his disciples came to his house, so that they could be close to him prior to asking for forgiveness on the Days of Awe.

There was nothing of haughtiness or arrogance about him. He was a humble man, who smiled at everyone who approached him. He loved all people, but especially little children.

The community's respect also extended to Rabbi Moishe Yudah Fried, who was the melamed and slaughterer. His devotional service and the way he led prayers endeared him to all.

Five families served the congregation's spiritual needs. The congregation could only provide them a humble livelihood, since the community itself was not particularly rich.

There were five substantial landowners, who farmed this land until the anti-Jewish laws prevented them from doing so. These were the congregation's well-to-do members. The rest of the Jews were merchants, craftsmen or tavern keepers, and they operated most of the businesses in the town.

Besides these, there were many very poor members of the congregation, who hardly had enough to eat from day to day. These suffered even more from their poverty than from the town's traditional anti-Semitism. However, even the poor managed to obtain a challah for Friday night and the appropriate food for Sabbath.

The order for the Jews to be confined to the ghetto came on the eighth day of Passover. They were crowded mercilessly into the synagogue. They were allowed to take the minimum of belongings with them, and a little food. After three days of suffering they were transferred to the ghetto in Kisvárda, and then to a lumberyard outside the town for ten days. There were 170 individuals, old people, women and children, and the men who had not been taken to labour service.

On the holiday of Shavuot the Nazi executioners took the first transport, and then two days later the second. Their destination was Auschwitz, and destruction. (By Jitzhak Grünwald)

O-Fehérto

Jews settled in the second half of the 18th century on the estates of the Counts Csaky and Palffy. In general, they were occupied as merchants and farmers. Their relations with the other inhabitants of the village were good. Imanuel Sicherman was born here in 1811, who made a major contribution to improving agriculture and the introduction of mechanization to farming.

The first Jewish law deprived the Jews of their livelihood. In 1941, 15 men went into forced labour. In 1944, immediately after Passover, they were taken to the ghetto in Kisvárda, and from there they deported them before Shavuoth.

About 80 of them perished in forced labour and the concentration camps. After the war, about 10 Jews returned to the village, but they soon moved away.

Or

This was a village in the district of Nyirbakta. The Jews were first mentioned in the census of 1770. They were occupied mostly in trade. Their relations with the Christian inhabitants were always good. In 1880 the Jews numbered 158, but this had declined to 70 by 1930. Their Orthodox congregation belonged to Nyirmada. They had a synagogue, cemetery, chevra kaddisha, talmud torah, and mikvah.

In 1941, several men went to forced labour. In 1944, the remainder were taken to the Kisvárda ghetto. After the war, 3 women and 7 men returned. They found the synagogue in ruins, and the gravestones in the cemetery knocked down. Today, not a single Jew remains.

Patroha

The Patroha community belongs to the congregation of Kisvárda. The first Jew settled in the first half of the 18th century. They worked as merchants, peddlers, artisans, and smallholders. The congregation declared itself to be Orthodox in 1876.

In 1941, the young men were taken into forced labour. In 1942 their property was confiscated. In 1944, around Passover, they were forced into the Kisvárda ghetto. On the way there, the gendarmes robbed them of their remaining possessions and jewellery.

Almost the entire community perished in the death camp.

Szabolcsbaka

The first Jews settled in Szabolcsbaka in the second half of the 18th century. These were merchants, invited by the landowners to increase the market for their produce. Some of the Jews also leased or bought land, and one started a distillery. The congregation belonged to Kisvárda. Their synagogue was built in the second half of the 19th century, and they had a chevra kaddisha, heder, and a mikvah.

Following the first world war, the Jews of Szabolcsbaka suffered greatly from the anti- Semitism incited by the Protestant and Catholic clergy. The anti-Jewish laws forced Jewish landowners to sell their land. The laws also restricted the operations of the Jewish merchants. The men were forced into the labour battalions. The synagogue and Jewish homes were frequently stoned, and their windows broken in.

In 1944, an SS group came to Szabolcsbaka and incited the local Arrow Cross group to commit various atrocities, including the robbing of Jewish homes and stores. In April of 1944, the Jews were gathered together in the synagogue, and from there they were transported to the ghetto of Kisvárda. On May 30, they were deported with the rest of the ghetto to Auschwitz.

After the war, 8 Jews returned. They met a hostile reception from the populace. They would not give back any of the stolen property, and one Jew was murdered. The rest left the village for good.

Tiszabezded

The majority of them were merchants, dealing with the other inhabitants of the village, and having considerable influence over them.

Officially, they belonged to the rabbinate of Mandok, but in practice they had a closer relationship with the congregation of Kisvárda. The synagogue was built in 1900. They had a cemetery and a cheder. They employed a slaughterer who was also the teacher.

The atrocities began already in 1938, when the synagogue was desecrated and Jewish property was vandalized. One family was not able to prove citizenship, and was deported to Kamenec Podolsk, where they perished. After Passover in 1944 they were taken to the ghetto in Kisvárda, and from there to Auschwitz.

After the war, 10 young Jews returned. They did not attempt to rebuild the ruined synagogue, and they soon left the village.

Vaja

There were Jews living in Vaja already in 1770, and gravestones exist from the 18th century.

The largest number of Jews were dealers in agricultural produce, especially grains and potatoes. There were several Jewish owned estates in the vicinity. There were Jewish distillers and vinegar makers living in Vaja, and also one oil presser. There was a substantial number of small farmers and craftsmen.

The independent Orthodox congregation's synagogue was built in the 19th century. It had numerous institutions, including a chevra kaddisha, charity fund, talmud tora, cheder, and a mikvah. For a short time the congregation had a rabbi, but later on only a slaughterer and a teacher.

In 1938, the Jews suffered greatly at the hands of the irregular troops. Women were violated, they looted, they tortured men, and killed one. As a result of the anti-Jewish laws, 40 men became unemployed. In 1942, many were inducted into the labour battalions, and taken to Ukraine.

On March 19, 1944, the Jews had to seek shelter in their homes from the threatening mob in the village. After Passover, they were squeezed into the synagogue. Their suffering was eased by the Calvinist minister, who snuck into the ghetto at night, to bring them food and offer consolation. He smuggled two Torah scrolls out of the ghetto, and hid them. The next day, our brothers were taken to the ghetto in Kisvárda. There, the well-to-do ones were tortured mercilessly, so that they would reveal where they had hidden their jewellery. A few days later they were deported to Auschwitz, from where only 2 men and 10 women returned. They repaired the synagogue and cemetery that had been damaged by the Germans. Gradually, they drifted away, some of them making aliyah, and by 1960 only one family remained.

Zahony

The first Jews settled here in the second half of the 18th century. From 1855, the congregation belonged to the rabbinate of Mandok.

Between the two world wars, Zahony was a border crossing between Hungary and Czechoslovakia. The border guards caused much unpleasantness for the local Jews.

In 1944, the Jews of Zahony were transported to the ghetto in Kisvárda. At the end of May, they were deported to Auschwitz.

After the war, Jewish life ceased completely in Zahony.

Date of last update

12/11/2004