[Page IX]

Write this as a Memorial in a Book
(Exodus, XVII, 14)

I shall give Him
An everlasting name
That shall not be cut off
(Isaiah, LVI, 5)

[Page X]

It is with a sense of awe and a deep feeling of sanctity imposed on us in commemorating the Lanzut congregation and community as it existed and was destroyed, that the members of the Editorial Committee offer this Memorial Volume to people from Lanzut in Israel and the Dispersion, as a record of our community which was destroyed and exterminated in the catastrophe of European Jewry.

We did not have all the sources and archives from which it would be possible to obtain full material and so give a complete and faithful picture of the Jews of our town during earlier and more recent generations.

The material included in the volume was gathered together by a handful of Lanzut folk in the course of many years. It was accumulated drop by drop and item by item, by consistent, obstinate devotion, by dint of great effort and in spite of many difficulties and limited resources.

We had two objectives in publishing the volume: The description of the community in its life and in its destruction.

In these pages will be found an account of the Lanzut Congregation with its magnificent past and save and sudden end. We wish to illuminate the life of Lanzut Jewry with the light of love and gentle affection; that life in all its manifestations and transformations, and all that happened there.

By publishing this volume, we raise a memorial over the grave of our community whose burial place is unknown, and kindle a soul-light in memory of a congregation which was famed by reason of its rabbis, writers, scholars and sages.

This is a memorial to the wardens, communal workers, rank and file, everyday folk, rare youth and glowing pioneers who gave their hands and set their shoulders to the building up of the Land of Israel; and to those of Lanzut Jewry who gave their lives for the restoration of Israel.

It is an everlasting memorial to our institutions, organizations, enterprises and societies, our national, social, religious, public, cultural and economic life.

The volume is published by the Organization of Former Lanzut Residents now living in Israel and in the United States, and with the aid of sons of Lanzut in Europe and elsewhere.

We wish to thank all organizations and individuals who have helped us to issue this volume. In particular, we wish to thank all those former members of the Lanzut community, wherever they may be now, who encouraged us and aided us with counsel and guidance in publishing Sefer Lanzut in memory of our Holy Congregation.

[Page XI]

Part One – Hebrew
Title	Page
Map of Lanzut
The south side of the market square	16
A. Lanzut History
The Old Town Hall	22
Count Potocki’s Palace	24
Part of the new cemetery	26
The north side of the market place	27
Interior of the Great Synagogue	30
The Synagogue, part of the west side	32
The Synagogue, north-east side	33
The Shamashim (Beadles) of the synagogue and the Beth Hamidrash	34
The front of the Synagogue with the Beth Hamidrash	35
Joseph Meir Rosmarin	38
The railway station; the post office, the hospital, the Court	39
B. Torah and Hassidut
The Rabbi, Reb Eleazar Shapira (The Second)	59
Reception to King Ferdinant of Rumania by the local notables	60
The daughters of Reb Eleazar Batsheva Firze and Ziporah Glukop	61
Reb Hayyim Shapira, the Rabbi	62
The sons of Reb Eleazar, Reb Joseph and Reb Aryeh, Leib Shapira	62
Forced labourers, Reb Zeev son of the Rabbi Reb Joshua Pennig	61
Third of May street	68
A group of forced labourers	77
C. Zionism and Upbuilding of Eretz Israel
Dr Abraham (Dolek) Drucker	80
Zvi Hirsch Ramer	80
The Hashahar Committee	82
Halutzim of the Third Aliya	84
Seals: the local Committee of the Zionist Organization, Jewish National Fund: Hehalutz	85
The Hehalutz organisation in 1924	86
Hazamir Amateur Orchestra	86
A group of Poalei Zion members	88
The Womens’ Circle of Poalei Zion in 1920	89
Poalei Zion members in 1927	90
Mizrahi and young Mizrahi	91
Local Mizrahi leaders	92
Agudar Israel members	94
WIZO members	95
Akiva Youth Movement	96
Poalei Zion members in 1932	97
Sports Club	98
Gymnastic group of Bnot Trumpeldor	98
Members of the Revisionist Org	92
Hashomer Hatsair Members 1919	101
Members of the Youth Association	102
District Convention of Poalei Zion in 1928	105
Poalei Zion Dramatic Troupe	107
Poalei Zion & Freiheit Committee	108
A group of “Hehalutz” members	109
Local leaders of Shomer Hatsair	111
Group of “Hashomer Hatsair” members	112
Shomer Hatsair summer camp in Hossow village, 1928	112
Writer Daniel Persky with members of the Ivria Society	114
Girl pupils of the Elementary School	115
Government secondary School building	116
Teacher Abraham Lederman	117
Teacher Zeinvel Hammersfeld	117
Pupils of “Bet Yaakoh” Girls’ School	118
Community seal	119
Hazamir in 1921	120
Hazamir orchestra	122
Performance of “Tuvia the Dairyman” in 1928	123
“Hazamir” rehearsal on “Beth Haam” balcony	126
D. Fighters and Defenders
Michael Sternheim	127
Shraga Herr	130
Asher Shleifstein	132
David Kerzstecher (Kez)	132
Zvi Goldblatt	133
Isaac Katz	134
Founders of the Hashomer Hadati Kibbutz	135
Rabbi JL Hacohen Maimon visits Lanzut	136
Israel Harr	140
E. Memories
Isaac-Sheies Weiner	146
Professors Stern and his wife	151
Moshe Rosenblitt	154
Farewell party for Michael Walzer on his departure for Eretz Israel	155

[Page XII]

Title	Page
Shimon Rosenblitt	157
Michael Walzer, Sarah & Moshe Rosenblitt	158
Count Poticki, Lohomirski and Ephraim Goldman	160
Shimon Weltzer	162
Part of the market place before the Destruction	161
F. Characters and Types
Getzel Drucker	165
David Yost	167
Yehiel Nussbaum	168
Moshe Flashen (Reicher)	169
Kalman Walkenfeld	170
Eight comrades	171
Shmuel Greisman	172
Reb Hilel Shub	175
Abraham Katz	181
Michael Shiper	182
David Hatt	183
G. The Destruction
Circular of the Lanzut Relief Committee 1941	187-188
Workers compelled to sweep away snow in the streets	189
Letter from the Jewish Council 1942	191
Common grave in Lanzut	192

[Page XIII]

Title	Page
Receipt from the Jewish Relief Committee Lanzut District: a list of Jews who received potatoes free	198-199
A Notice	200
Letter from the District Jewish Council	201
The graveyard destroyed by the Nazi	204
Photos from a paper: where Jewish Girls were murdered: prison courtyard where Jews were murdered	205
Moshe Freider	207
H.  Lanzut People in Israel and the Dispersion
Lanzut landsmanschaft Committee in USA	208
Lanzut landsmanschaft Committee, USA 1929	209
Mordechai Krug, Kalman Buch, Eliezer Rosenblum	210
Eliezer Stempel speaking	212
Kalman Buch speaking	213
A memorial meeting attended by Rabbi Isaac Yedidia Frankel and Rabbi Shalom Rubin	213
Lanzut folk in Argentine	214
Page from a manuscript by Reb Aryeh-Leibuch	215
Active members of the Lanzut Association in Israel	216-218
In the Lanzut community wood of the Martyrs’ Forest	219
Map of the Lanzut District	220
Part Two – Yiddish
Lanzut in 1915	221
Dr Isaac Schwartzbatt	223
Seal of the Tomhei Aniyim (Society to Aid the Poor)	258
Reb Isaac Zawada with his three sons in the Austrian Army	260
Dr Abraham Chomer	261
Seal of the Municipal Council	264
District Governor’s building	265
Shimon Walzer	269
The entry to the Palace	270
Moshe Kneller	271
Reb Wolf Kneller	272
The Lanzut cemetery in 1945	274
Zvi Simha Leder	275
Going home from Synagogue	281
The Paster family	294
Leaders of Lanzut Hehalutz	295
Womens’ section of the Trumpeldor Sport Club	278
Table-tennis section of the Trumpeldor Sport Club	278
“Poalei Zion”, 1923	301
“Freiheit” Youth Movement 1930	303
Active members of the Young Mizrahi 305	305
Agudat Israel Hachschara (training for Israel) Group in Lanzut	306
Aaron Kerner	307
A group of Girls	308
Childrens’ Society	309
Members of “Hashomer Hatzair”	310
Halutzim at Hachshara, Lanzut, 1933	312
Shomer Hatzair members, 1930	313
Lanzut Shomer Hatzair group, 1931	314
Poalei Zion members in Lanzut	316
Football team, Shimshon Sports Club	318
Haoved Org Lanzut “Poalei Zion”	319
Active “Freiheit” members in Lanzut	320
“Father, Mother – Trouble” actors in the performance	321
Freiheit Youth Movement of the right-wing Poalei Zion	322
Members of the Yehudit Group	323
Members of the Devora Group	324
Akiba (two photos)	325
Akiba in 1930	326
Childhood in the village; picture by Yossel Bergner	328
Reb Berish Melamed (Einhorn)	329
A group of pupils	330
Amateur actors present “Day and Night”	332
Participants in the performance of “Mirele Efros”	333
Hanukka party for Youth	334
Hazamir orchestra beside the large Bet Hamidrash	336
Seal of the Hazamir orchestra	337

[Page XIV]

Title	Page
At the opening of the Bet Haam,1930	398
At the closed doors of the Bet Haam	340
Festival of First Fruits for children at the Bet Haam	341
Trumpeldor Sports Club(5 pictures)	342-343
Eliezer stempel speaking	344
Engineer Abraham Spatz	348
The family of Hirsch Ramez	349
Eight comrades	351
Dr Wladyslaw Balicks	352
The destroyed graveyards in 1955	353
Freiheit children of the Bet Yaakov School	354
Last children’s party in Lanzut Bet Haam	355
Facsimile of a letter by the poet HLeivik	356
D. The Destruction
Yaar Hakedoshim (the Martyrs’ Forest)	361
A youth group	364
Sheindel Kesztecher (Frieder), NY	367
Mother and child	370
Shoshana Atlasovitch (Rozfeld)	377
The shield of David on their arms	384
Leah Wiener	385
Exhumation of Jewish Martyrs	388
Part of a street	388
Joel Puderbeitel	397
Reb Naphtali and Rachel Sternheim	398
Levi Sternheim	399
The last road	399
The last days of the town – by Yossel Bergner	403
E. Lanzut Jews in the world
Benjamin Zauerhaft, president of the USA Lanzut Relief in 1963, with his family	406
Active Lanzut Folk in NY	407-408
A group of Lanzut survivors	409
Yaar Hakedoshim (The Martyrs’ Forest)	411
DrNathan Kudish welcomes the guests, Charles Buch and his wife	412
Reception for Bezalel Sternheim and Leib Feigenbaum	413
Reception for Eleazar Stempel and wife	415
Lanzut folk at a Memorial meeting	416
Memorial for Lanzut Martyrs (Praesidium)	417
Memorial to the Lanzut Martyrs in Martef Hashoah	418
Memorial pages	419
Part Three – English
Charles Buch; Dr Nathan Kudish	XV
Michael Walzer	XVII
Yeshiva students	XIX
Summer camp of Lanzut youngsters, 1928	XXI
Young Agudat Israel members, 1932	XXIV
Zionist youth in Lanzut say goodbye to Hayyim Hebenstreit when leaves for Eretz Israel Martef Hashoah, Mount Zion, Jerusalem	XXXII
Memorial meeting for Lanzut martyrs	XXXIX
Morris Frieder	XI
Active members of Lanzuter Society	XLI
Active members of Lanzuter Society	XLII
Active members of the Lanzuter Society	XLIII
Unveiling of Mass Monument to the Lanzut Martyrs at New MT Carmel cemetery, NY	XLIV
Executive of Lanzuter Farband in NY 1963	XLV
Charter Members of the Lanzuter Ben Ass’n	XLVII
Taken while the Rabbi Rubin and his wife were visiting Israel	LI
Devorah Tuchfeld-Lipshutz	LII
Hayvim Levanon speaking at a reception for the guests Eliezer and Inga Stempl, Argentina and Isaiah Stempel, Jamaica	LIV

[Page XV]

From right: Charles Buch, Dr. Nathan Kudish

There once was a Lanzut Community but it is no longer there. German murderers cut it off from the branchy tree of Polish Jewry. Its memory will pulse in the hearts of a few hundred survivors who are scattered all over the world, and most of whom have gathered together in the Homeland in the State of Israel.

Where is that stretch of land which soaked up the blood of Lanzut Jewry and contains their holy ashes? Where is a memorial to be found for them? Does it merely mean that the Jewish historian now has one more of the holy congregations which have been utterly destroyed across the pages of Jewish history?

Will the memory of this small Jewish town come to an end with the last of those survivors of Lanzut who was born there only to spend the latter part of his life somewhere else?

May these few lines be added to the memorial which is being erected for the Lanzut Martyrs through this present volume. Here were two crowded districts filled with houses, some tall and some low, surrounding two squares which served as markets from which a number of streets and alleys branched off. That was the little town which slowly grew, in the course of centuries, from a tiny hamlet of the middle Ages nestling at the foot of the mansion of some gentile nobleman.

It was one of the many Jewish settlements which took root across the plains of southern Poland, amid villages of peasants who thirsted for Jewish blood and property.

In the decades before its complete destruction, the Jewish community of Lanzut reached the height of its national and public vitality with all its lights and shades, with all the assets and liabilities which assumed form in the effort to achieve a Jewish life in Exile.

This small Jewish town, at first sight sleepy and quiet, was a lively cell in the large body of Polish Jewry and reflected all the manifestations of our people's life during the period immediately before the Holocaust.

During the last fifty years before the overwhelming of East European Jewry, epoch conflicted and intertwined with epoch to produce a concentrated period of Jewish history and life with cultural and spiritual values, national and social forms of life whose roots were sunk deep in the long centuries spent by Jewry in Poland.

[Page XVI]

Here was a Kabbalist whose like could doubtless have been seen hundreds of years ago in one of the Kabbalist centres of Spain or Safad. And here was the fervent Hassid whose way of life and aspirations remained identical with those of the Hassidim at the time of Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov, more than two hundred years ago. And again, there there was the shrewd Mitnaged, versed in the Talmud and the Halachic Authorities who might have stepped out of the Vilna of Rabbi Elijah the Gaon, a hundred and fifty years back.

Here you would find the young Hebrew intellectual walking about and debating in the streets of Lanzut just as his intellectual forerunners went about in the mid-nineteenth century, in the days of Smolenskin and Yehuda Leib Gordon. And standing apart from this small and colourful group, or so it seemed at first glance, were the half and quarter-assimilated Jews, just as their predecessors once stood in the assimilationist centres of Western Europe.

During the final decades, the Jews of Lanzut had been inspired and invigorated by all the many currents coursing through the broad channel of Jewish life in Eastern Europe. From the mighty current of the national, social and political movements of Polish Jewry, little tributaries and rivulets ran into Lanzut, reaching the most extremely observant as well as the cultural and political assimilationist.

Before our eyes pass a succession of types and characters. Here were the wardens and communal workers of the congregation; Rabbis and Dayanim; the various types of Hovevei Zion and Zionists; Beth Hamidrash students on the one hand and students of the Polish gymnasium on the other; the melamed or old-fashioned Hebrew teacher with his class; the more modern Hebrew teacher with his improved classes, and those who studied modern Hebrew in the various Youth Movements. Then there were the Socialists and the Communists who sought salvation among the gentiles in the outer world. And in addition, Lanzut swarmed with Halutzim and Zionists preparing to go to Eretz Israel where they sought redemption in their homeland.

Like the characters of Lanzut were its institutions. There was the gloomy Hekdesh (charity home), the Bathhouse, the Kloiz (small house of study), the Rabbi's prayer quorum, the House of Study and the magnificent and aged Synagogue, the charity institutions and Gemilut Hassadim (free loan) Fund, the new congregation, the Zionist Organization with all its various parties, committees of every kind, Youth Organizations implementing their aspirations; various enterprises of the national, social and public revival, artistic, cultural, economic, sports and other institutions.

This gallery of characters and institutions covered the entire spectrum of classes and groups within the community from the poorest of the poor and included the craftsmen, shopkeepers, merchants and householders and the members of the liberal professions.

Within the little town of Lanzut, they lived their full and ample lives, imbued with a yearning for human and national redemption. Their community was but one of the many that have been completely destroyed.

May this Memorial Volume be a tombstone in print on which are engraved the life and struggles of our Holy Congregation; in order that the survivors of Lanzut and their offspring who follow after may bear them in mind together with the whole House of Israel.

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