History of the Jews in Bielsko-Biała
Nowadays, the area of its activity covers Cieszyn Silesia and western Lesser Poland, including the city of Oświęcim (German: Auschwitz).
Additionally, the patent of tolerance issued by Joseph II on 15 December 1781 increased the scope of craft-related activities available to the Jews and allowed them to set up textile manufactures.
In February 1945, immediately after the offensive of soviet army, a Komitet Żydowski w Bielsku (Committee of Jews in Bielsko) was formed, and then renamed to Congregation of the Jewish Faith (Polish: Kongregacja Wyznania Mojżeszowego) in 1946.
In 1995 it adopted its pre-war name: Gmina Wyznaniowa Żydowska w Bielsku-Białej (Jewish Community in Bielsko-Biała).
The Jewish enlightenment (Haskalah) was developing rapidly here, few rabbis from Bielsko became professors at progressive seminaries in Wrocław and Berlin.
Prof. Michael Berkowicz who lived in Bielsko was a friend of Theodor Herzl, and wrote a first translation to Hebrew of his Zionist manifesto “Der Judenstaat”.
[6] The Jewish cemetery in Bielsko is the only one in Poland where Muslims (soldiers from World War I) and Christians (from mixed marriages) are buried together with Jews.
[7] The most important progressive and official rabbis were: Hirsch Heinrich Morgenstern, Dr. Lazar Frankfurter (1865-1874), Dr. Wolf Lesser (1875-1882), Dr. Adolf Kurrein (1882-1888), Dr. Saul Horowitz (1888-1896), Dr. Markus Steiner (1896-1939).
[5][8] At the beginning, Biała was a hamlet next to the nearby village of Lipnik, whose inhabitants were mainly craftsmen or cloth manufacturers.
In the records of the customs chamber in Biala from 1763 there are numerous names of the Jews who crossed the border between Kraków Province and Austrian Silesia.
In 1865 the local Jews decided to detach from the community in Oświęcim and submitted a draft statute to the authorities.
In order to maintain their synagogue, the Biala Hasidim along with Rabbi Halberstam created a religious association for Ahawas Thora (The Love of Torah) in 1912.
The Hasidic community in Biala was well organized and deeply rooted in their forefathers’ tradition, despite the geographical proximity of the influence of German liberal Jews.
Modern literature on the subject suggests that the first Jewish sports association, Gymnastieken Athletiekvereeniging Attila, was established in April 1898 in Groningen.
Although the exact date is not certain, the indisputable Bielsko pioneers of Jewish sport made the local maskilim proud.
In the statute the association formulated its objective as promoting gymnastic exercise and intense sports activity.
Over 50% of Jews fled the city from 1 to 3 September to the East of Poland to Kraków, Lviv and the surrounding area.
The last Jews from Bielitz were displaced in spring of 1942 and only about 30 families from mixed marriages (Mischling) remained in the city.
There is also an active Chevra Lomdei Mishnayot synagogue in Oświęcim belonging to Auschwitz Jewish Center.
[12] The Community takes care of Jewish cemeteries in: Bielsko-Biała (the only one still functioning), Andrychów, Cieszyn (old and new), Kęty, Milówka, Oświęcim, Skoczów, Ustroń, Wadowice, Zator and Żywiec.
Every year, the commune organizes many meetings, lectures, tours, concerts related to the history and culture of Jews in its area.
