Radomysl Wielki and Neighborhood
(Poland)

50°12' / 21°16'

Translation of
Radomysl Rabati ve-ha-seviva

Edited by: H. Harshoshanim

Published in Tel Aviv, 1965


 

Acknowledgments

Project Coordinator

Neilan Stern

 

This is a translation of: Radomysl Rabati ve-ha-seviva; sefer yizkor; Radomysl Wielki and Neighborhood,
ed. by H. Harshoshanim, et al. Tel Aviv, 1965 (H, Y, E)

Note: The original book can be seen online at the NY Public Library site: Radomysl Wielki


This material is made available by JewishGen, Inc. and the Yizkor Book Project for the purpose of
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A brief note about this translation of pages from the Yizkorbook for Radomysl Wielki:

The 50 or so pages of English from this Yizkor book were originally prepared by those who put out the book itself, which was in Hebrew, and were part of the published work. In presenting it here, there are some things that were left as they were because they reflected some phonetic spelling. There were also some made-up words that were wonderful and should be left alone. The meaning is perfectly clear in “despicable” or “punitory”. On the first line Orea was changed to Area because it made no sense but generally everything else works. The grammar reflects that the writer is using constructions from his or her first language but again it works, it's understandable and not offensive and doesn't happen that often. Though the addresses of persons listed at the end of the book are probably no longer valid, and some of these people are likely to be no longer living, it was felt that perhaps these addresses would give a starting point for someone still searching for lost members of their families, and perhaps lead in some way to finding descendants.

Olga Parker and Phyllis Goldberg


Note from Joyce Field:

I want to take this opportunity to thank Phyllis Goldberg for scanning and proofreading this material. Phyllis has no relatives from this town and no connection to it at all; however, when I asked her if she could help by scanning the long English section from this Yizkor book, she readily agreed, despite personal health and family problems. Phyllis has been a remarkable volunteer to the Yizkor Book Project who has never refused to help when asked. Her commitment to JewishGen and to the Yizkor Book Project is much appreciated, beyond what I can express in words. I wish her and her family good health and long years of happiness and fulfillment.

There is a further irony about this submission, as Olga Parker has no connection to Radomsyl Wielki either. She is interested in Radomsyl, Ukraine, and mistakenly got the material from the Radomsyl Wielki. Wanting the material to be used on the Yizkor Book Project if possible, she contacted me. As Olga could not scan the English section, I asked Phyllis Goldberg, who has become an accomplished scanner. Combining their efforts, sharing ideas on how to present the material and sharing the proofreading, the English section of this Yizkor book is now online. Thank you, Olga, for your unselfish contribution.


 

 

 

TOC translated by Yocheved Klausner

Introduction 7
 
Introduction [Y] 8
 
1. Our Town 9
 
The History of our Town 11
A few chapters of the history of our town B. Wind-Yechieli 11
The beginnings of our town (by word of mouth) D. Peletz 46
A page of history [Y] M. Eisland 52
 
The Religious, Political-Cultural and Social Life 86
The personality of our Rabbi, the scholar R'Shmuel Engel z”l M. Tzinowitz & A. Reichman 86
The greatest among the giants Ben David 96
The Gaon from Radomysl Shraga Feivish Halperin 98
“A plastered cistern, which does not lose a drop” [Sayings of the Fathers, 2:34] Rabbi Y. Pflanzgraben 99
The scholar Rabbi Chaim Engel, may God revenge his blood Rav S.Y. Frenkel-Teomim 102
Rabbis and other religious personnel M. Ebenholz 104
My grandfather, our teacher Rav Moshe Cohen, may God revenge his blood Rav A. Toren 108
Torah in Radomysl [Y] Rabbi Y. Pflanzgraben 110
“The unknown general” of the American yeshiva-world [Y] N. Gordon 111
My father, Rav David Hakohen Brand, may God revenge his blood M. Brand 115
The large family of the Rav Israel Salomon Rav Avraham ben Yeshayahu Goldfinger 116
Memories of an important man in our town A. Forshner 120
R'Alter Sandzer Y. Kaufman 123
Rabbis in our region - holy persons [Y] M. Ungar 126
How the Hasidim went to the Flantcher Rebbe [Y] Y. Wind 135
The Talmud Torah in town [Y] M. A. 136
A letter from the Radomysl Talmud Torah to our Landsleit in America [Y] 139
The destruction of my family and of the “Agudat Israel Girls” [Y] B. Bernstein (Ebenholz) 140
The Agudat Israel M. A. 142
The beginning of the Zionist movement [Y] M. Eisland 144
The foundation of the Zionist Organization [Y] S. Kartagener-Schroib z”l 151
Zionist activity [Y] G. Eisland 158
The Zionist Movement in the twenties and late thirties D. Peltz 159
The “Akiva Organization” [Y] R. Eisland-Heisler 168
The beginning of youth organizations in our town D. Gross 171
A fresh new wind blows in our town P. Geldzahler-Gross 176
The Akiva movement on the eve of the Holocaust Y. Wind 179
The Akiva movement in Radomysl B. Wind-Yechieli 181
The activity of the Akiva organization (report in the Press) [Y] M. A. 194
Beitar organization in our town Ch. Eisland (Koch) 196
How I joined Beitar [Y] Y. Eisland-Reichman 198
Beitar, as I remember it [Y] I. Eisland 199
The history of Beitar in Radomysl Y. Blas 200
The Beitar activity (from the press) [Y] M. A. 203
The Poalei Zion [Y] M. Eisland 206
How the Poalei Zion organization was founded [Y] N. Keller 210
The “League for the Working Eretz-Israel” [Y] M. A. 215
Hechalutz in our town Y. Gold 216
The Hashomer Hatzair movement in Radomysl B. Wind-Yechieli 218
The Mizrachi M. A. 221
The elections to the Zionist Congresses [Y] M. A. 223
Working for the Keren Kayemet (JNF) [Y] M. A. 223
Learning Hebrew [Y] M. A. 225
Our Bundists [Y] M. A. 232
Purim-Spiel in town [Y] A. Gross 232
The Yiddish Theater [Y] Ch. Eisland (Koch) [Y] 235
Drama Circles [Y] A. Gross 236
Sport [Y] A. Gross 241
Aid and charity institutions [Y] A. Gross 244
The Chevra Kadisha (burial society) A. Y. Mahler 247
Visiting the sick in our town Y. Mahler 247
 
The Economic Life 250
Radomysl hatters [Y] Yoel Mastboim 250
Our hatters [Y] N. Keller 254
A constructive financial tool [Y] Y. Eisland 258
Esther Surat's Fund [Y] M. Eisland 262
The letters from Berish Eisland to his brother Reuven in America, concerning the Interest-free Loan Fund [Y] 264
The scandal between Feigele the crazy and the local priest [Y] D. Peltz 275
Market day in town [Y] N. Keller 277
Jews in the liberal professions [Y] A. Gross 283
Medical workers [Y] 284
From chronicles [Y] M. A. 287
 
Families 290
R'Leibish Eisland z”l A. Y. Mahler 290
My father R'Shimon Eisland z”l Yona (nee Eisland) Reichman 292
My father R'Shmuel Altman A. Altman 294
R'Asher R'Itche's Z. Balsam, S. Balsam 295
In Memory of my dear father R'Shaul Betheim z”l P. Cohen z”l 298
R'Shalom Brand z”l Y. Brand 299
My father. R'Reuven Gross z”l Y. Gross 303
My great-grandfather, R'Noah Green z”l [Y] N. Keller 305
R'Mendel Honig z”l A. Forschner 308
The family of R'Shmuel and Treine Weiss [Y] Rachel & Zlate (Zahava) Weiss 310
R'Shmuel Leibowitz z”l [Y] D. Peltz 315
R'Yirmyahu Leibowitz z”l [Y] A. Gross 315
Chana (Moshe-Yosef's) Meller z”l Ch. Y. Banker 316
Memories from my home and my father z”l A. Y. Mahler 317
Two of the Radomysl people Y. Maler 323
My husband Moshe Salomon [Y] R. Kornreich 325
R'Pinchas Forschtenzer z”l [Y] M. Forschtenzer-Leizer 326
Hersh Leib Forschtenzer z”l A. Y. Mahler 327
Memories about my father, R'Yakov Peltz z”l D. Peltz 328
My town and my relatives [Y] M. S. Kartagener-Schraub 335
Love of the place and love of the people Ofra (nee Strom) Harshoshanim 339
Various families in town [Y] M. Eisland 340
A memorial to my friend Yechezkel Eisland z”l B. Wind-Yechieli 364
Moshe Bucksboim z”l M. Eisland 366
My friends: Naftali Weiss, Monyek Koifman, Shaul Wind [Y] A. Gross 367
Chaim David Wind z”l M. Eisland 369
 
Writers and their Works, Radomysl Personalities 370
Eisland's path in literature 370
Reuven Eisland Melech Ravitch 373
Reuven Eisland, poet and journalist [Y] Menashe Ungar 374
Radomysl and Reuven Eisland [Y] Daniel Leibel 378
The last of the young Nachman Meisel 382
My father [Y], Awakening of the Spring [Y], The Wild Grapevine [Y], A Cold Rain [Y], The Trees are Showing the Way [H], Still-Life [H], the Hardships of our Days [H] From Reuven Eisland's poetry 386
From the book “A Selection of my Yiddish Poems” by Moshe Bassok Reuven Eisland 389
A sensational literary book [Y] Melech Ravitch 389
Prose and Memories [Y] Reuven Eisland 392
In the shadow of a Torah Scroll [Y] Reuven Eisland 398
Moshe Gold, may God avenge his blood M. A. 438
The Tilim-Zoger [the Psalms Reader] [Y] Moshe Gold 439
The Psalms Reader M. Gold 443
Shmuel Saltz 446
R'Yosef Margoshes 446
Radom1ysl Yosef Margoshes 449
I am engaged to be married (lit. I am becoming a bridegroom) [Y] Yosef Margoshes 457
Dr. Shmuel Margoshes Melech Ravitch 464
An extinguished star [Y] Dr. S. Margoshes 467
My Radomysl [Y] Dr. S. Margoshes 468
Arthur Miller, the great American writer, originates in Radomysl [Y] Yitzhak Turkov 472
Exchange of letters between the writer arthur Miller and Mr. Aizik Reichman 480
Binyamin Cohen Y. A. Mahler 482
Chaim Hofstaedter R. Kornreich 485
Melech Noy-Neustadt 485
Melech Neustadt (Noy) Shlomo Gal (Wellner) 488
Passages from the book “Kaltz” Dr. Moshe Peltz 490
R'Yosef Pepper (Altman) Israel Idelman 492
 
Memories and Ways of Life 498
Memories from my town M. Y. Eisland 498
Life in our town [Y] G. Berl 502
The day the National Library was founded in our town R. Bar-Am 503
Memories from my youth [Y] W. Guttwirt z”l 505
My town and my home [Y] Y. Drelich 508
What I remember from my home [Y] A. Haarendorf 510
I love you, Radomysl Y. Halevi (ben Binyamin Gross-Schroib) 511
Legends and tales from Radomysl [Y] Menachem Porat (Mendel Fistrang) 514
A bundle of memories from my childhood B. Wiener-Yechieli 537
Memories from my youth [Y] M. Zarmi (Strom) 548
A memorial candle for the martyrs [Y] B. Cohen-Asher z”l 555
Childhood days [Y] Y. Lev z”l 559
Memories from my town [Y] Y. Loifbahn 561
As I remember it Ch. Liman 563
What I told my son A. Y. Mahler 564
Radomysl people in Tarnow A. Y. Mahler 570
Memories from the First World War Y. Mahler 572
The life and the end [Y] R. Ebenholz 574
Memories from my town [Y] H. Fistrang 582
Alte'she D. Peltz 596
Meir Kosht D. Peltz 602
Events [Y] R. Kornreich 603
The Story of my life Shmuel Slafter-Koch 605
A general biography of Greater Radomysl until 1917-1918 A. Reichman-Bisgeyer 608
How I remember my town [Y] P. Reichman 616
Memories of a Radomysler in Argentina [Y] M. Reindel 618
What shall I tell about my youth? K. Shemaya 632
 
Builders and Defenders 636
Shmuel Ganani (Gertner) 636
In memory of Aharon Salomon (Shlomi) 638
Menachem Wolf 642
 
2. The Holocaust
646
 
A Painting by A. Spangelt 648
Shema Israel [Hear, O, Israel] (a poem) H. Harshoshanim 654
At the Mirror (from a poem) [Y] D. Eisland 655
 
This is how it Happened 656
“The Poland Scroll” 656
The history of the destruction [Y] 657
The horrible experiences [Y] Y. Eisland 659
Through fields and forests [Y] W. Einspruch 728
The beginning of the end R. Aloni (Aizig) 739
Memories from the days of the holocaust Y. Blas 749
Memories Ch. Garn Roseblatt (Levy) 742
Our town during the years 1939-1942 A. Leibowitz 778
In the forest - the road to life R. Klein 788
The war and the wandering P. Reichman 794
The liquidation [Y] M. Reiner 804
How my parents were murdered, may God avenge their blood Ch. Spitz
 
3. The Surroundings
810
 
Towns and Villages 812
Borova S. Yam 814
Borova in the press [Y] M. A. 816
Tchermin 817
Zassow Att. Y. Issler 818
Pshetzlew Polish sources 822
The town's old market [Y] N. Gastwirt 823
As a remembrance to my birthplace [Y] Elazar Hakohen Grinboim (aka Dersowitz) z”l 825
A Tombstone [Y] Ben Moshe 827
The town and its martyrs [Y] A. Spielman 830
From the newspapers M. A. 834
Jews in the villages Ch. Wasserstrom 836
The number of Jews in our region 838
How we were saved Y. Amsterdam 840
Memories from the Holocaust S. Gold-Feit 858
The terrible years [Y] Y. Haver 860
Driven out of the village [Y] A. Hirsch 864
My difficult experiences [Y] Ch. Wasserstrom 868
Face to face with the enemy [Y] 872
Moshe Goldfinger, may God avenge his blood Yechezkel Ayalon (Eisland) 872
Mendel Grin, may God avenge his blood 873
Rescued from the burning fire 876
 
4. Memorial Pages
878
Necrology 886
The Day of Revenge (Poem) [Y] Mordechai Gebirtig 979
 
5. Organizations of Former Residents of our Town
982
Israel 984
The Organization of Former Residents of Greater Radomysl and surroundings Y. Eisland Ayalon 986
The Interest-Free-Loan Fund in memory of the Radomysl martyrs Y. Eisland Ayalon 992
List of Former Residents of our town in Israel 994
 
Former Residents of our Town who Died or were Buried in Israel 1002
Motl Ungar, Yankel Ungar, Avigdor Eisland, R'Chanina Bizgeyer, Rachel and Beile Bucksboim, R'Zev (Wolf) Blum 1002-1003
Efraim-Yakov Har-Zahav, Sara Holzer-Blas, Shmuel Ganani, Refael Hand 1004-1005
David Hirsch, Chaim-Wolf and Sheindl Wind 1006-1007
Menachem Wolf, R'Shmuel Spielman (Silberman), Aresh Yakov, Binyamin Cohen, Pinchas Cohen (Betheil) 1008-1009
Yakov Leib, R'Aizik Mahler, Devora Mahler, Chava Mahler 1010-1011
Melech Noy (Neustadt), Aharon Shlomi (Salomon), Reuven Shlomi, Ester Salpeter 1012-1013
Eli Perath 1014-1015
Hersch-Leib Forshtentzer, Yehudit Feinstein (nee Mahler), R'Zvi Pinter, R'Yakov Fistrong, R'Chaim Peter 1016-1017
R'Yosef Pepper, R'Mendel Klein, Zisl Kartagener, Shoshana (Reizl) Kartagener-Schroib, Golda-Reizl Karisher 1018-1019
Henrietta-Yeti Reichman Lederberger, Reuven Spanier 1020-1021
 
Around the World
North America 1022
List of our Landsleit in the United States 1026
List of former Pshetzlaw residents in the United States [Y] 1027
Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands, Poland [Y] 1028-1029
France, our martyrs: Binyamin Gross, Hershel Keller, Israel Bernknopf z”l, Spain [Y] 1032
Y. Gold, Dr. A. Schlosser, Martha Gelber-Kartagener 1032-1033
 
Appendices
The first who returned 1036
Index of Names
 
English Section
Part I: Our Town and Area 
 
History of our Town
1. Essay Mendel Eisland
2. Essay Baruch Jechiel Wind
3. Essay David Pelz
 
Religious Life
 
About the Gaon R' Shmuel Engel H. Cynowicz and A. Reichman
An Evaluation of Rabbi Shmuel Engel's Personality Ben-David
The Release of the Deserted Shrage Fayvish Halperin
The Rabbi R' Chaim Engel Szymon Y. Fraenkel-Teumin
Rabbi David Hacohen Mendel Ebenholz
Torah in Radomysl Jakov Flanzgraben
R. Alter Sanzer Yechezkel Kaufman
Hevra Kaddisha A. I. Mahler
Visiting the Sick in our Town Jaakov Mahler
 
Political, Social and Cultural Life
 
General Zionist Organization
The Zionist Youth Organization “AKIVA”
The Revisionist Youth Party “BEYTAR”
Poaley Zion
The Poaley-Zion Drama Club Naftali Kehler
Learning Hebrew
 
League for the Working
 
Eretz Israel
The Hehalutz in our Town
The Hashomer Hatzair in Radomysl
Mizrachi
Aguda, Zeirey Agudat Israel
Library
The Theater Shows
Sport Avraham Schraub
 
Economical Life
 
The Hat-Makers of Radomysl Joel Mastbaum
The Craftsmanship Party M. Eisland
The Gmiluth Chasidim Fund Berich Eisland
Writers and their Works Reuven Eisland
From “Unzer Friling” - Memoirs and Portraits Reuven Eisland
A Sensational Literary Book Melech Rawitsch
Moshe Gold
Extract from the Psalm Sayers Moshe Gold
The reminiscences of Joseph Margoshes
Radomysl Joseph Margoshes
Dr. Shmuel Margoshes Melech Rawitsch
Prominent Citizen R' Moshe Salz A. Forshner
About the son Shmuel Salz
The Treasures of Sam Salz
Benjamin Cohen J. A. Mahler
Haim Hoffstadter Rachel Kornreich
Melech Neustadt (Noi) Shlomo Gal Velner
Dr. Moshe Peltz
R' Joseph Pfeffer (Altman) Israel Eidelman
 
Way of Life and Miscellaneous
 
Hannah (Moshe Joseph's) Mahler Yohanan Banker
R' Shalom Brand Jechiel Brand
The Communist Party Rafael Ebenholtz
Memories of my Youth Wowek Gutwirth
Hersh Leib Forstenitzer A. I. Mahler
 
“The Murder”
 
Reminiscences from the townlet Menachem Porath (Mendel Wolf)
The Rov and Rabbi of our Town Hershel Pistrong
The Three Betei Midrash
Meir Kutsh David Pelz
Memories of Radomysl in Argentine Moniek Reindel
The Rabbi of Plancz megaresh Hadibbuk Izik Reichman-Bizgayer
Builders and Defenders Shmuel Ganai (Gärtner)
In Memory of Aharon Salomon (Shlomy)
Mendel Wolf Menachem Bader
The Neighborhood Borowa Shalom Yam
Czermin
The Townlet Zassow Jaacov Issler
My Townlet Przeclaw Ben Moshe
The Old Market of Przeclaw Naphtali Gastwirth
The Townlet Przeclaw Avraham Spielman
Jews in the Village Hannah Wasserstrum
 
Part II: Holocaust and Destruction
 
Introduction to the History
The First Days with the Germans Haja Garen-Rozenblat
What the Jews did for a Living Jechezkel Eisland
Wandering in the Woods Sara Gold (Feit)
Life in Camp Pinchas Reichman
Mutual Help Izik Leibowitz
Life in the German Hell Jehuda Laufbahn
The Killings Jacob Blas
The Beginning of the End Rafael Alony (Eisig)
The German Take-over
The Liquidation of Radomysl Moshe Reiner
After the Liquidation Israel Hauser
We hide with friendly Peasants Wolf Einspruch
In the Woods Israel Klein
Life in the Forests Jochanan Amsterdam
Better without a Bunker Hana Wasserstrum
We escape from the Camp Avrum Hirsh
Plashow, Bergen-Belsen, Sweden Haja Garen Rozenblat
 
The Addresses of our Townsmen here and abroad
 
Addresses of the People of Radomysl Wielki after the Holocaust     


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