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The town of Staňkov (Stankau) is located 20 kilometres north-east of Domažlice in South Bohemia. After the relaxation of discriminatory laws in 1848, Jews began to move to large urban areas, gradually leaving the small rural settlements, such as Staňkov. Around the middle of the 19th century, a large number of Jewish families moved to Staňkov, which at the time comprised two parts. After the turn of the 20th century, some of them began to relocate to large towns. Right up until the 1930s, there were still members of a few Jewish families living in Staňkov, namely the Bloch, Kohn, Lederer, Wilhelm, and Weil (Bruml and Schwarz) families. These families had a similar life experience. In the middle of the 19th century, some of their relatives moved to Staňkov, where they began to prosper both socially and economically. Few, however, had the foresight to leave the country by the end of the 1930s; some tried, but it was too late by then. In November 1942, they were deported to the Terezín/Theresienstadt ghetto. Later, they were sent on to concentration and extermination camps in the East. Most of the members of these families perished, apart from a few individuals who managed to survive the war. Alžběta (Elisabeth) Ledererová returned to Staňkov from the Mauthausen camp. The Wilhelm siblings Otto, Helena and Aloisie (Louisa) Wilhelm survived the war abroad.
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This biographical study presents amicro-portrait of Joachim Deutschmann. He served in various rabbinic positions in Bohemia and Moravia at a time of dramatic social change in the Habsburg Monarchy at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. He not only gained a reputation within traditional rabbinic circles, but also enjoyed extraordinary respect among the younger generation of representatives of the Jewish Reform movement in Bohemia, Moravia, and Hungary. Although he left no comprehensive work, his homiletic sermons in Hebrew were preserved in manuscript copies by students who attended his private yeshivot in Hořice (Horschitz), Jevíčko (Gewitsch), Třebíč (Trebitsch), and Kolín, where he served as rabbi.
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Bernard Schütz was born in 1878, the son of Jakob Schütz, a butcher in Lukavec (Lukawetz) near Pacov (Patzau), a small town with a strong Jewish community. In 1901, after learning the gingerbread-making trade and apprenticing as a journeyman, he became a self-employed baker in Jindřichův Hradec (Neuhaus). In 1903, after marrying Emilia Löwy from Vysoká Pec near Příbram, he moved to Pardubice (Pardubitz), where he opened a bakery specializing in matzah products and later founded the Mellekta gingerbread company, which became noted for its honey-marzipan gingerbread and chocolate toppings. On 7 May 1942, Bernard Schütz and his wife were deported to the Terezín/Theresienstadt ghetto, where he ran the bakery until May 1945. Unlike most of their family, they both survived the Holocaust. After the war, Bernard Schütz became chairman of the restored Jewish religious community in Pardubice. He died in Mariánské Lázně (Marienbad) on 18 August 1958.
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Richard Glazar (29 November 1920, Prague – 20 December 1997, Prague) is known to the general public as one of the few people who managed to escape from the Treblinka death camp. As one of the last witnesses to the mass murders at Treblinka, he exerted a great deal of effort and energy to provide testimony about what happened there. He also wrote his story down and had it published as a book. Richard Glazar’s family roots are linked to the central Bohemian town of Kolín; his father was a member of the Goldschmid family, whose presence in Kolín was documented from the second half of the 18th century. He retained memories of his grandparents from Kolín, as well as his childhood experiences and his two years at high school there. How these roots in Kolín influenced the personality of Richard Glazar is a question that this paper seeks to answer.
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The year 2019 saw the 100th anniversary of the birth of Karel Berman (14 April 1919, Jindřichův Hradec – 11 August 1995, Prague), who was a leading Czech operatic bass-baritone, composer, opera director, librettist, translator, teacher and, from 1953, member of the National Theatre Opera in Prague. In connection with this anniversary, this paper acquaints us with extant sources relating to Karel Berman’s parents (Rudolf and Anna, née Kačerová) and brother (Josef, b. 18 April 1924, Jindřichův Hradec – d. 12 August 1942, Majdanek). It is also seeks to reconstruct the pre-war life of the individual members of his family and to reflect on Karel Berman’s relationship to his home town.
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Financial prosecutors’ offices were one of the branches of the Czechoslovak state administration in the 1950s. They were responsible for defending the interests of the state in official proceedings of all kinds. Among other things, they dealt with matters relating to the restitution of property of legal and natural persons of Jewish origin who had suffered during the years of Nazi occupation. The records of the Financial Prosecutor’s Office in České Budějovice (Budweis), which are now housed in the State Regional Archives Třeboň, contain files on specific cases in which relatives of Jewish victims of Nazi persecution sought redress for property injustices committed by the Nazis. These files provide an interesting record of the restitution proceedings and of the frequent obstacles placed in their way by the state authorities.
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Klara Fischer-Pollak, a Jewish doctor from Karlovy Vary, faced numerous hardships during and after World War II. Her life story reflects the suffering of Jews and mixed families during the Nazi occupation and the complex Czech-German relations post-1945. Despite being a capable and dedicated physician, she struggled with legal and social challenges due to her German nationality and Jewish heritage. After the war, she was nationalized and faced significant difficulties in reclaiming her property and resuming her medical practice. Her health deteriorated due to the physical and emotional toll of her experiences. Eventually, she emigrated to Bavaria, where she continued to face challenges but managed to rebuild her life and career. Klara's story is a poignant example of resilience and the struggle for recognition and stability in the aftermath of the Holocaust.
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The research on Jews in the town of Bezdružice (Weseritz) highlights the historical presence and contributions of the Jewish community in the Czech-Bavarian border region. The study began with the discovery of Jewish cemeteries and memorials in the Tachov area, leading to a deeper exploration of Jewish life in Bezdružice. The Löwenstein-Wertheim family acquired the Bezdružice estate in the early 18th century, and Jewish families, such as the Sinay family, played significant roles in the local economy. The Jewish community faced numerous challenges, including property confiscation and persecution during the Nazi occupation. Despite these hardships, the community's legacy is preserved through historical records and ongoing research efforts. The synagogue and cemetery in Bezdružice, although damaged, remain important cultural and historical sites.
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The State District Archive in Klatovy has seen increased interest in the history of the Jewish minority, despite the absence of a dedicated Jewish religious community fund. The archive primarily relies on state and municipal records, as well as parish office documents. The materials focus on Jewish communities in areas with significant German populations, which were annexed to Germany between 1938 and 1945. The most informative records are from the political districts of Klatovy and Sušice, established in 1850. Jewish communities were organized under association laws, requiring registration and approval by political authorities. The archives contain detailed records of Jewish religious communities, including membership lists, financial contributions, and property management. These documents provide valuable insights into the Jewish minority's history in the southwestern border region.
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Interest in the study of Jewish history and culture in northwestern Bohemia has grown since the late 1980s, leading to numerous publications and online resources. The region's Jewish cemeteries, often neglected and damaged by Nazi and communist regimes, have become a focal point of research. The Jewish communities in areas like Teplice, Ústí nad Labem, and Litomìøice have left behind significant historical records, including cemetery inscriptions and community documents. Efforts to preserve these sites have increased, with many cemeteries undergoing restoration funded by the European Union and local authorities. The Teplice Jewish community, once the second largest in Bohemia, has a rich history documented through various sources. The Ústí nad Labem cemetery, established in 1866, faced significant damage during and after World War II. In Litomìøice, the Jewish cemetery dates back to the 16th century, with many historical tombstones still present. The preservation and study of these cemeteries provide valuable insights into the Jewish heritage of the region. Local organizations and volunteers play a crucial role in these restoration efforts. The ongoing research and preservation work aim to honor and remember the Jewish communities that once thrived in northwestern Bohemia.
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