[Pages 358-359]

Year	Number	%
1735	4
1802	14
1840	25
1869	352
1880	519	5.8
1900	541	5.7
1910	580	5.8
1920	636	4.8
1930	910	3.6
1941	549	2.6
1946	110	0.6

The start of the Jewish settlement in M. is dated to the beginning of the 18^th century, but already during the 17^th century Jews settled in the region, as we learn from various documents from that time.

In the year 1678 Jewish butchers were instructed to pay the required tax on selling meat. In a document dated 1712, instructions to register the Jews in the region for the purpose of taxation were given. A year later the Jews (and Gypsies) were prohibited from being involved in small trade. And in 1747 the Jews were requested to pay a special tolerance fee. An account from the 18^th century is reporting that only 2 Jews had financial means while all the others were in dire economical situation.

The Jews of M. preferred to reside in Ostermaier St. that was called because of that the Jewish St.

The economic status of the Jews in M. was generally good; in 1929 there were 84 merchants, 5 wholesalers, 30 craftsmen, 4 lawyers, 8 physicians, an engineer, a teacher and 14 farmers. One of the Jews was the owner of a big estate, and another had a big factory with 300 workers.

The first community registration book was established in 1851 but the congregation was organized before that date. The book, by the congregation's request, was managed by the catholic pasture, Haldenfeld Ferenc, he did that voluntarily, till his death, in 1857 and saw that as an honor. He did that in German.

During the division between the different Jewish congregations the one in M. declared itself as “status quo”.

From the year 1926 on there was no Rabbi.

The congregation had a 'Chevra Kadisha' (burial), 'Talmud Tora' and a women charity organization.

In 1862 the congregation purchased an empty lot and later built a synagogue that was dedicated by Rabbi Azriel Hildesheimer, the Rabbi of Eisenstadt, or Kismarton. Until then the prayers were conducted in a rented house that housed also the 'Mikveh' (public bath), and apartments for the congregation employees.

The Jewish school was opened around 1860 and in 1864 moved to a new building. In 1878 the school closed and the students moved to the public school. The congregation was allowed to supply one teacher that served also as the religious teacher for the Jewish students.

During World War I 18 of the congregation members fell.

Until the war the relations between the Jews and the non-Jewish citizens were quite good but after the war the Anti-Semitism strengthened, especially among the students of the town's agriculture school.

From 1938 on the German party “Folksbond” became more affluent and with it the Anti-Semitism, more so than in any of the other Hungarian towns. For that reason many Jews left town.

In the middle of May 1944, following the capture of Hungry by the Germans, the town's Jews were put in the Ghetto, plus Jews from the nearby villages.

Here is the number of Jews that lived in them in 1930.

Arak (1), Halaszi(4), Horvatkimle(2), Lebeny'( 33), Level(6), Lipot(3), Magyarkimle(23),Mosonszentpeter(50),Pusztasomorja(5),Kisbodak (14).

Shortly after that the men were drafted into forced labor. In June 6^th all the Jews that were still in M. were transported to the Ghetto in Goyor and from there to Auschwitz.

After the war about 30 of M. Jews returned and with them some of the forced labor workers and Jews who resided in the nearby villages. They renewed the congregation and renovated the synagogue. In 1848 a memorial to those who died was erected but

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slowly the Jews left the town and after the revolt of 1956 only few remained.

From the Yad Vashem Archive – E-7-4/36;44

Mon. Hun. Jud., V. pp. 1123-1124
Zsido Lexilon. Pp. 610, 614-615.
Hoffner, E.: A mosonyi… In: Barna-Csukasi : Magyar… iskolainak Monografiaja, II.pp. 50-54.

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