Poles and Jews lived in Brzesko together for several hundred years. Already in 1837, Jews constituted two-thirds of the city’s population (734 Catholics vs 1,452 Israelites), and such proportions remained until 1912 (1108/2743). later the relative number of Jews began to decline, although they always constituted more than half of the city’s population (in 1939 1705/2000; source: Jan Burlikowski, Chronicle of the City of Brzesko, volume III, p. 38).
Jews, being a quite separate community, at the same time actively participated in the city’s life, and all important decisions regarding the development of Brzesko were made jointly.
For example, in 1927, the City Council was composed of 40 people, 19 of them being Jewish (Jan Burlikowski, Brzesko Chronicle, volume III, p. 112). Below you will find a list of these councilors. I added information about the wartime fate of these Jews and their families, although unfortunately in some cases I know practically nothing. It is very difficult for me to put it in words. 12 years before the war, Polish and Jewish councilors together discussed the city’s investment plans – establishing water supply and sewage systems, building a bridge over Uszwica river, a school and city baths. And by autumn 1942 most of these Jews and their families were murdered. In the Bresko ghetto. In Auschwitz. In Bełżec.
Owner of the printing house Chaim Krauter and merchant Israel Strauber. They worked together in the city council and did not yet know that their children, Chaim Jakub (Mundek) Strauber and Cyla Krauter would fall in love and get married in the ghetto in June 1941, a few months before their tragic death https://brzesko-briegel.pl/…/mundek-strauber-and-cyla-krau…/
Lobel Landau, grandfather of Dov Landau, Could he have foreseen that not only he and his wife, but also his seven children and their families would be murdered?
Here is that list:
1. Rubin Ausenberg, merchant – born in Lisia Góra (Tarnów area) in 1890, lived in Brzesko; his daughter in law Riwka Ausenberg nee Kling (wife of son Hirsch) and wife and daughter of his other son, Leon, were murdered in Auscnwitz
2. dr Henryk Bloch, lawyer – born in Kraków in 1889, son of Pinkas and Szoszana, married to Mina nee Freiman, murdered in Auschwitz in 1940; his wife and 4 children, Leja, Rafael, Roman and Mila, also perished
3. dr Aleksander Deiches, deputy mayor, murdered in Auschwitz; his sons Jersy and Stanisław also perished
4. Leib Hammersfeld, merchant
5. Leon Herschkowitz,tailor – born in Brzesko in 1892, married, murdered in Brzesko in 1941 together with his son Jan
6. Naftali Kleinberger, merchant – his wife Ester nee Guter, daughters Chana and Rachel were murdered during the war
7. Chaim Krauter, owner of the printing house – born in Brzesko in 1877, son of Mosze and Scheindel nee Rosenblut, married to Lea nee Muller, murdered. His son Hirsch and daughter Cyla also perished
8. dr Izrael Krittenstein, lawyer
9. Lobel Landau, merchant – born in Brzesko in 1879, son of Berisch and Zysla Lea, married to Etel nee Wietschner, murdered in1942.His wife Etel, children Scheindla, Josef, Freida, Cyrla, Dwojra, Mirla, Beniamin and their families were also murdered.
10. Mojzesz Loffelholz, wood merchant
11. Samuel Loffelholz, leather merchant – born in Brzesko around 1877, married to Chaja nee Fischelberg, murdered together with his wife on october 12, 1942 in Dąbrowa
12. Izaak Panzer, glazier – born in BRzesko in 1882, married to Perel, murdered in Brzesko ghetto together with his wife
13. Beer Schiff, merchant, owner of a hardware store – born in Brzesko in 1882, son of Noach and Tzirel nee Lipschitz, married to Hinda nee Reich, murdered in Brzesko on September 12, 1942. His son Tobias and daughter Syma Ruchla also perished
14. Berisch Silberman, merchant – born in Tarnów in1866, married to Elle Verderber from Brzesko. His children murdered during the war:: Ester (murdered together with her husband Simchą and children Mosze and Jochewed); Lea (murdered in Brzesko together with her husband Mosze); Cyla (murdered together with her husband Aaharon and daughter Chają); Bluma (murdered together with her husband Meir and son Jakub); Beniamin (murdered together with his wife Chawa)
15. Israel Strauber, merchant – his daughter Rozalia, son Chaim Jakub (Mundek) and daughter in law Cylą nee Krauter were murdered
16. Dawid Teeman, merchant, owner of a store in the Market Square – born in Brzesko in 1888, married to Perel nee Rozenberg; murdered on September 13, 1942 roku. Hsi wife Perel and children Wolf, Rozalia, Andzia, Arie and Menachem also perished.
17. Menoch Teitelbaum, painter – born in Gorlice in 1875, son of Naftali and Scheindel, married to Lea nee Blumenfeld, murdered in Auschwitz. His wife Lea and children Rachel, Mosze, Leibusz and Szmuel also perished
18. Markus Ulmann, tinsmith – born in Brzesko in 1879; his wife Liba Reizl nee Waarenhaupt, son Arie Leib and daughter Estera were murdered
19. Jakub Zimet, merchant– died in Brzesko in 1935 aged 55; his family members murdered in the Holocaust: wife Riwka, son Hirsch Tzwi (together with his wife Chają and children Jakob and Jehezkiel), sons Chaim, Jehezkiel, Elimelech and Awraham
May their memory be an eternal blassing.
