Sports Competition Among the Jewish Population in Łódź in the Years 1945–1949
Sports Competition Among the Jewish Population in Łódź in the Years 1945–1949

Summary/Abstract: The liberation of Łódź from German occupation enabled a revival of the Jewish culture, includ-ing physical culture. In the years between 1945 and 1949, Jewish people living in the city of Łódźreactivated their sporting movement. Jewish sport in Łódź did not achieve the pre-war level. Themain reason was migration and a smaller Jewish population. The development of Jewish sport wasadversely affected by lack of sports facilities and equipment and costly renovations of club roomsand sports fields. This resulted in the periodic suspension of sports training. The clubs that wereformed: The Jewish Sports Club, Jewish Sports Club “Makabi”, Jewish Chess Club, Jewish SportsClub “Jedność” (“Unity”), Jewish Workers Sports Club “Gwiazda” (“Star”) competed as part ofsports associations. The players of the Jewish Chess Club of Łódź were a match for the best in thecountry and the region. They won the Polish team championship twice (1946, 1947) and the Cityof Łódź championship (1947). Individually, the most successful player was Isaac Grynfeld, whowon the 3rd place in the Polish championship (1946) and was 2-time Polish team champion. Amongwomen, the Polish championship in 1949 was won by Róża Herman, PhD. The changes in Polishsport and the loss of cultural autonomy for Jews led to the dissolution of Jewish sports clubs in1949. They were incorporated in Union Sports Club “Spójnia Solidarność” in Łódź and blended intothe sporting movement created by the communist authorities.

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