Lancut; the Life and Destruction
of a Jewish Community
(Łańcut, Poland)

50°04' / 22°14'

Translation of
Lancut; hayeha ve-hurbana shel kehila yehudit

Editors: M. Waltzer, N. Kudish

Published in Tel Aviv, 1963, Associations of Former Residents of Lancut in Israel and the USA

We wish to thank Esther Langsam Friedberg (daughter of Harry Langsam z”l) for allowing us to place the transaltion online.
To Judy Wilkenfeld OAM for arranging scans be made of Mr. Langsam's type written pages.
To Genia Hollander and Helen Wolf for typing up the text enabling to prepare these web pages.
To Stefanie Holzman for extracting the pictures from the original book, enabling their addition to the project.

 

This is a translation from: Lancut; hayeha ve-hurbana shel kehila yehudit
(Lancut; the life and destruction of a Jewish community),
Editors: M. Waltzer, N. Kudish, Tel Aviv, 1963,
Associations of Former Residents of Lancut in Israel and the USA (H,Y, E 524 pages)

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

This material is made available by JewishGen, Inc. and the Yizkor Book Project for the purpose of
fulfilling our mission of disseminating information about the Holocaust and destroyed Jewish communities.
This material may not be copied, sold or bartered without JewishGen, Inc.'s permission. Rights may be reserved by the copyright holder.

JewishGen, Inc. makes no representations regarding the accuracy of the translation. The reader may wish to refer to the original material for verification.
JewishGen is not responsible for inaccuracies or omissions in the original work and cannot rewrite or edit the text to correct inaccuracies and/or omissions.
Our mission is to produce a translation of the original work and we cannot verify the accuracy of statements or alter facts cited.

 

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A word from the translator of the Lancut Yizkor Book

At first allow me to introduce myself. My name is Harry (Yechezkiel) Langsam, and at present reside in Los Angeles, California. I am a Lancut grandson, born in Strzyzow (Striziv) to my father, of blessed memory, Yaacov Langsam, the son of Tzvi Elimelech (Hersh Meilech) Langsam. Miriam Bot which is probably known to many of the natives of Lancut, was my father's sister. She was the mother of Leibish (Leon) and Yaacov Bot, among the first martyrs in Lancut. Miriam Bot was the mother-in-law of Leyzer Fass, a well-known activist in the Lancut Jewish Community.

With a trembling heart and deep emotion, I took upon myself, without being asked by anyone, the holy mission to translate the book of Lancut for the sole purpose of perpetuating the memory of such a dear Jewish Community as Lancut was, may God avenge their innocent blood. The Book of Lancut is a historical document that tells the story about its birth, existence for several hundreds of years and the perishment of the community that was so cruelly wiped off the face of the earth.

I took upon myself the labour of love to translate this Memorial Book from Hebrew and Yiddish, having in mind the younger generation whose roots originated in the spiritual rich Jewish City Lancut, but do not speak Hebrew or Yiddish but only English. I want them to know everything about such a dear Jewish Community as Lancut was.

This book will be placed in the Library of the Congress and in many Holocaust libraries and learning institutions throughout the United States, as I did with the Yizkor Book of Strzyzow which I also translated. The martyrs who perished during the Holocaust should never be forgotten.

I would like to express my thanks to Michael Walzer, of blessed memory, who sent me the original “Book of Lancut”.

I never graduated from any school in the United States of America, therefore, if by any chance my translation is not perfect, I beg forgiveness. I also apologize if any names were misspelled. Believe me, it was not easy to translate correctly names from Hebrew and Yiddish to English.

Your Lancut Landsman,
Harry Langsam z”l

 

Part One - Hebrew
  Preface    
  Foreword The Editors  
  Map of the town of Lancut    
 
I History of Lancut    
  History of the Jews of Lancut Dr. Nathan Michal Gelber 13
  The Synagogue in Lancut Engineer David Davidowicz 28
  Synagogue-Reality and Legend Michael Walzer 31
  The Big Bait Hamidrash Pinchos Goldman 34
  Proselyte to Judaism Benjamin Einhorn 36
  Echoes in the Haskalah Press Joseph Meir Rosmarin, Yitzhak Weisman 37
 
II Torah and Hasidism    
  The Tzadik (Righteous) from Lancut The Rabbi Y.L. Hacohen Maimon 40
  The Gifted Rabbi Aryeh Leibush M. Sh. Geshuri 43
  Rabbi Yaacov Yitzhak Hurwitz from Lancut Based on Shimon Dubnov 44
  Hassidism, its Growth, and Blossom in Lancut M. Sh. Geshuri 45
  Two Generations in Hassidism:
 1. Lancut in the circle of Lizensk;
 2. From a Hasidic pupil to a “Tzadik,” in Lancut;
 3. The bone of contention, between a Rabbi and his pupil;
 4. The battle to leave Lancut		    
  Great Personalities in Lancut Rabbi Tzvi Domb 49
  Lancut, the Town of the Memorial Feast in Honor of Rabbi Naphtali Zvi of Ropczyce M.S. Geshuri 50
  The Tzadikim of the Lizhensk Dynasty in Lancut
     Rabbi Elimelech Weisblum, the Tzadik from Rudnik   51
     Rabbi Elazar Weisblum, Rabbi Elimelech's son   54
     Rabbi Elazar Spira, the head of the rabbinic court in Lancut   55
     The Sons and Offspring of the Rav R'Elazar Spira of Lancut   57
     Rabbi Elazar Spira (the second) the Rabbi of Lancut   58
     The latest Rabbis of the Spira Family   62
  Rabbi Israel Leib Rabin Rabbi Tzvi Elimelch Spira, Tel-Aviv 64
  Rabbi Abraham David Rabin Rabbi Tzvi Elimelch Spira, Tel-Aviv 64
  Rabbi Aaron Moshe Laufer the Tzadik from Zilyn-Lancut M. Sh. Geshuri 65
  Rabbi David Firer, May God avenge his blood Rabbi Benzion Firer 66
  The Rabbis in Court Professor Martin Buber 67
  Assembly of Tzadikim in Lancut Eliezer Steinman 67
  From the Mouth of the People   68
  Anecdotes from Lancut   68
  About Hasidim and Kloizen, (Prayer Houses) in Lancut M. Sh. Geshuri 69
  Chazanim (cantors) and Baaley Tefilah, (Chanters) in Lancut   75
 
III Zionism and Building the Land
  Organizations and Parties
  The Zionist Movement in Lancut Nachman Kestenbaum 78
  Poaley Zion in Lancut David Har 87
  Mizrachi, and Young Mizrachi Moshe Kneller 91
  Agudat Israel Benjamin Einhorn 93
  Sparks (Institutions, organizations, personalities, way of life)   94
  Hashomer Hatzayir Aaron Kerner 100
  “Neurim” Society Michael Walzer 101
  The Youth Movement of “Poaley Zion” Moshe Har 102
  “Freiheit” – “Dror” Zanvel Levadi (Yasem) 108
  Young People and Emigration Michael Walzer 110
  Culture and Education    
  The resurrection of the Hebrew Language in Lancut Dr. Natan Kudish 113
  Education in Lancut Michael Walzer 115
  Bais Yaacov Benjamin Einhorn 118
  “Daat” “Wiedza” (Knowledge) Library Magister Eliezer Dishe 119
  And this is the history of “Hazamir” Michael Walzer 120
  Theatre amateurs' association Nachman Kestenbaum 123
  The “Beit Haam” Michael Walzer 124
 
IV Fighters and Defenders    
  Michael Shternheim Moshe Carmel 127
  Shraga Har   130
  Asher Shleifshtein   132
  David Kezstercher   132
  Tzvi Goldblat   133
  My Yitzhak Anshel Katz 134
  Israel Har Uri Urieli 140
 
V Memories and the Way of Life    
  Self-Defence Nachman Kestenbaum 141
  My shtetl Lancut Anshel Katz 143
  A visit to Lancut Zalman Dembitzer 147
  A visit in Lancut in 1937 Michael Walzer 148
  Memories of a Visitor to Lancut Dr. Tzvi Heller 151
  Blood libel of Reb Yaacov the blind from the village of Baden Michael Walzer 152
  Excerpts from a Diary Moshe Rozenblit 154
  Count Alfred Potocki and the Lancut Jews Michael Walzer 159
  On the eve of the Holocaust Shimon Walzer 162
 
VI Characters and Personalities    
  Getzl Druker, Engineer Abraham Shpatz, Tzvi (Hersh) Ramer Nachman Kestenbaum 165
  Comrades: Shlomo Greenbaum, David Just, Yechiel Nusbaum, Moshe Flashen (Reicher) Anshel Katz 167
  The Wolkenfeld Family Tzvi Mauer 170
  We were eight comrades Nachman Kestenbaum 173
  Shmuel Greizeman Dr. Nathan Kudish 172
  Elka Puderbeitel Yitzhak Nebenzahl 173
  Reb Wolwish from Lancut   174
  Reb Yehuda Yaacov Bels Aaron Mushel 174
  The House of Reb Hillel Schochet Nachman Kestenbaum 175
  Reb Ziseleh “Soyfer”, (Scribe) M. Sh. Geshuri 175
  Reb Simcha Melamed (Buch)   176
  Reb Berele'h Melamed (Goldblat)   177
  Typical Personalities:
 1. Reb Moshe Eidel's (Bogin);
 2. Reb Shalom Estlein;
 3. Rabbi Elazar Weisblum;
 4. Reb Hersh Milrad;
 5. Four Bar Keepers		 Moshe Flashen  
  Benjamin Brand Pinchos Goldman 179
  My Teachers Shmuel Greizman 179
  Zelig Kerner Anshel Katz 180
  Zelig Kerner AHaron Kerner 181
  My son Abraham Anshel Katz 181
  Michael Shiffer Tzvi Landau 182
  David Har Michael Walzer 183
 
VII The Destruction    
  From a Letter Uri Tzvi Greenberg  
  A tear for my shtetl (a poem) Menachem Stempel  
  Yizkor – Remember   185
  The years of the Nazi occupation T. Brustin-Bernshtein 186
  To my brethren in distress… Pesach Gotlieb 193
  My escape to Russia Moshe Rozenblit 193
  The job story of Leizer Fas Michael Walzer 194
  Appendixes from the Holocaust period   196
  The Trial of a Murder Michael Walzer 202
  There was once a Lancut Community Dr. Natan Kudish 206
 
VIII Lancut natives in Israel and in the Diaspora    
  The Lancut immigrant organization in the United States of America Moshe Frider 207
  The Lancut Organization in Israel Michael Walzer 211
  The Lancut people in Argentina   214
  Appendix (Photograph of a Manuscript Page)   215
  Public figures and activists of the Lancut natives in Israel (photographs)   216
  The map of the Lancut District   220
 
Part Two - Yiddish
I The History of the Jews of Lancut    
  A voice from the past Dr. Yitzhak Schwarzbart 223
  The History of Lancut Dr. Abraham Chomet 224
  Jews in Lancut Dr. Avraham Chomet 233
  Under Austrian Rule Dr. Avraham Chomet 245
  Under the Russian Occupation During World War I Dr. Abraham Chomet 259
  In the Independent Poland Dr. Avraham Chomet 261
 
II Torah and Hassidism    
  My Shtetl Lancut Moshe Kneller 271
  The Rabbi of Lancut (Reb Yaacov Yitzhak Hurwitz) Zvi Simcha Leder 275
  The Big Synagogue in Lancut Michael Walzer 280
  The Big Beit Hamidrash Pinchas Goldman 283
  The Society of purchasing new and restoring old books in Lancut Benjamin Einhorn 284
 
III Before and Between the Two World Wars    
  About the Zionist Movement in Lancut Nachman Kestenbaum 286
  Poaley Zion in Lancut David Har 299
  “Mizrachi” and “Tzirey Mizrachi” Moshe Kneller 304
  “Agudat Israel” Benjamin Einhorn 306
  “Hashomer Hatzayir” Aaron Kerner 307
  Children Organization Michael Walzer 309
  Youth and Aliya Michael Walzer 312
  The “Freiheit” [Freedom] Youth Movement Moshe Har 315
  The Hebrew Youth Organization “Akiva” Chaya Katz-Shteiman 323
  The Resurrection of the Hebrew Language Dr. Natan Kudish 327
  Education in Lancut Michael Walzer 329
  The Amateur Theater Association Nachman Kestenbaum 332
  a. The Tale of “The Nightingale” Michael Walzer 335
  b. “The House of the People” [Bet Ha'am] Michael Walzer 338
  Sport Club “Trumpeldor”   342
  How I became a Zionist Eliezer Stempel 344
  a. The Jewish Self Defense Nachman Kestenbaum 345
  b. Figures: Getzl Druker, Eng. Avraham Spatz, Hersh Zvi Rasser, We Were Eight Friends   347
  600 Years of Lancut Marian Brandais 352
  On the Eve of Destruction   354
  On the Eve of Destruction   356
 
IV The Destruction    
  During the Days of Judgement Melech Rawitch 357
  YIZKOR [Memorial]   359
  A Memorial Service in Lancut Melech Ravitch 360
  Once upon a Time There Was a Community in Lancut Dr. Nathan Kudish 360
  The Destruction of Lancut Naftali Reich 362
  Graf [Count] Potocki an eyewitness of the annihilation of the Lancut Jews by the Nazis   365
  Regards from Russia Moshe Rosenblit 366
  Wounds that can never heal Sheindl Kesztecher (Frieder) 367
  In Ghettos and Camps Ada Fenick-Kornblau-Bot 370
  The Road of Suffering Shoshana Atlasowich 377
  In the Shadow of Death Rivka Landau (Mondshein) 382
  The perishing of my family in Lancut Moshe Shleifsteyn 385
  Their Last March Moshe Frider 387
  Two Little Martyrs Rivka Mondshein 389
  After the Lancut Expulsion Joel Putterbeitel 397
  Reb Naphtali Shternheim, May God avenge his innocent blood Rabbi Dr. Yizhak Levin 398
  The Trial of the Murder Michael Walzer 400
 
V Lancut Jews throughout the World    
  Lancut Society in New York Moshe Frider 404
  The Lancut Organization in Israel Michael Walzer 408
  The Organization of the Lancut Natives in Israel   414
  Eternal Goodbye-year after the Year Dvora Tuchfeld-Lipschitz 415
  Candle of the Soul Tuviah Weiden 418
 
  In Memoriam   419
  Index of Names   452
  Errata   461
  Addresses of Lancut People in Israel   462
 
English
  Foreword Editors X
  Photographs   XI
  There Once was a Lanzut Community … Dr. Nathan Kudish XV
  On the Lanzut Community Editors XVII
  Yizkor Editors XXXIII
  Lanzut under the Nazi T. Brustin-Bernstein XVII
  The Society of Ex-Lanzut people in New York Morris Frieder XV
  Association of Lanzut Jews and its branches in Eretz Israel Michael Walzer L
  Farewell Forever – Year after Year Devorah Tuchfeld (Lipshitz) LII
  Restoration of the Synagogue Noah Zevuloni LV
  Lancut Addresses   LV

 

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