Przytyk pogrom

The Przytyk pogrom or Przytyk riots^[1] occurred between the Polish and Jewish communities in Przytyk,^[2] Radom County, Kielce Voivodeship, Second Polish Republic, on March 9, 1936.^[3] Previously, on January 28, authorities had suspended the weekly market for four weeks because of the fear of violence from the violent anti-Semitic Endek (sic, Endecja) party.^[4] The disorder began as a small dispute between a Jewish baker and a Polish farmer selling his wares.^[5][6] Disturbances took on such a severe dimension as a result of the use of firearms by Jews.^[7] According to historian Emanuel Melzer, it was the most notorious incident of antisemitic violence in Poland in the interwar period, and attracted worldwide attention, being one of a series of pogroms that occurred in Poland during the years immediately before the outbreak of World War II.^[8] The term pogrom is contested by some sources, who are asserting that the word "riot" might be more suitable as the violence was unplanned and some Polish historians hold the opinion that the Jewish side might have started the disturbance.^[1]

Background

In the interwar period of 1918-1939 Przytyk was an urban settlement. In 1930 it was inhabited by 2302 people, 1852 of whom were Jews (80 percent of the total population) who dominated the local economy.^[2] The Jews owned and operated credit union, power station, transportation companies, bakeries, slaughter houses, tailoring shops, breweries, tobacco manufacturing plants, and groceries. Central markets were organized once a week, always on Mondays, drawing in crowds from nearby towns and villages.^[2] The competition for market shares between Jews and a much smaller community of gentile Poles was intense.^[2] In 1935 local Poles created 50 small companies allowing Polish farmers to bypass Jewish merchants, undercutting trade by Jewish locals.^[9]

Jewish cemetery in Przytyk

David Vital, a historian of Tel Aviv University, writes that local peasants were stirred by antisemitic propaganda spread by Endecja (National Democracy) politicians.^[10] A boycott of Jewish shops was organized, and escalated into a wave of violent attacks on Jewish shops, which resulted in the creation of a Jewish self-defense group. Piotr Gontarczyk, historian at the Polish Institute of National Remembrance, however, argues that the target of the Polish Endecja campaign was to improve the standard of living of Poles and to support Polish businesses. An economic conflict between Poles and Jews began, in which both sides used all means possible, including violence.^[11] At the same time, the Second Polish Republic remained in an economic slump, and Polish peasants, whose profits had been drastically reduced, began to look for other means of supporting themselves. In mid-1935, Polish right-wing political activists in Radom County declared a general boycott of Jewish stores. Local Endecja sometimes resorted to violence, with activists urging Poles to stop buying at Jewish stores.^[12] In response, Jewish merchants begun flooding the market with their goods, pushing prices down so that newcomers couldn't compete with them.^[1]

In December 1935, a group of some 20 young Jews created their own armed and illegal self-defense unit, headed by a former officer of the Polish Army, Icek Frydman. Frydman organized military training for its members. The group was armed with illegally purchased guns, iron bars, and batons. Their task was to mobilize Jewish community in case of a violent conflict.^[13]

In the interbellum period, an annual kazimierzowski^{[clarification needed]} fair took place at Przytyk. In 1936, some 2,000 peasants attended, and since Polish police officers were aware of the possible conflict, the local department, which consisted of 5 officers, was strengthened by additional 11 officers, which later turned out to be an inadequate number. Furthermore, the police at Radom were on alert, ready to intervene. Jewish merchants of Przytyk, a town with a 90% Jewish majority,^{[clarification needed]} hoped that the early spring fair would help to improve their financial situation, but the armosphere in the town was tense, according to the official report of the voivode of Kielce: "We have to emphasize the fact that the idea of an economic boycott of Jews, put forward by the National Democracy, was embraced by the local peasantry, which feels hatred towards the Jews (...) The boycott itself leads [Jewish] merchants to despair, because the economic basis of their existence is threatened".^[12]

The riot

Two days before the events some of the Jewish inhabitants assembled in the town square in anticipation of the attack by the farmers, but nothing happened on that day.^[3] Two days later, however, on a market day, according to historians Martin Gilbert and David Vital, the farmers attacked the Jews; the fight ended with two Jewish and one Polish casualty.^[3][10]

Polish historian Piotr Gontarczyk writes in his book "Pogrom? Zajścia polsko-żydowskie w Przytyku 9 marca 1936 r. Mity, fakty, dokumenty" (lit. 'Pogrom? Polish-Jewish incidents in Przytyk on March 9, 1936: myths, facts, documents') that the first incident took place early in the morning of March 9, when Jewish merchants destroyed a stall which belonged to a Polish hat-maker. Police intervened, but on the same day, at 15:00, a member of Endecja, Józef Strzałkowski, appeared in front of a stall of a Jewish baker, urging Polish peasants not to buy any products from Jewish merchants. The baker kicked Strzałkowski's crutch, and in return, the Pole hit him in the arm. The baker reported the incident to the police that resulted in Strzalkowski's arrest. The consequence generated outrage amongst the Polish farmers, who encircled the police station, demanding the release of Strzałkowski. During the subsequent 20 minutes, the peasants and Jewish youth, which also began gathering in the town square, were dispersed by the police.^[14]

According to a report by Ksawery Pruszynski, the cause of the riots was a fight over a stall, Pruszynski noting that one likely cause for these events was extreme poverty of both local sides of the conflict.^[15]

Polish peasants, aware of their numerical superiority, began gathering on the other side of the Radomka river. Near the bridge, another riot began, when Jewish stalls were turned over. A group of Jews arrived and armed with revolvers and clubs started attacking random bystanders.^[16] Both sides threw rocks at each other, and the police had to divide their forces into two groups. One was busy dispersing the peasants, while another one was trying to restrain the Jews, who kept on throwing rocks. When the police seemed to have settled the situation, a Jewish member of the Mizrachi movement, Szulim Chil Leska, began shooting at Poles from the window of a house. Leska killed a peasant named Stanisław Wieśniak.Two other Poles were shot as well.^[16] This infuriated the Polish crowd of some 1,000, which the police were unable to control.^[17]

Altogether, the riot lasted for some 45 minutes. A crowd of peasants, enraged by the killing of one of their own, beat up several Jews, smashing several stores and stalls, including a store which belonged to Fajga Szuchowa. Among others, the house of a woman named Sura Borensztajn, where a number of Jews hid, was attacked. A Jewish couple, Chaja and Josek Minkowski were killed during the riot, while their children were beaten up. Josek, who was a shoemaker, was probably killed by an axe in the hall of his house. His wife was severely beaten and died in hospital in Radom. Furthermore, 24 Jews were injured.^[18] A secret report, written after the riot by regional authorities from Kielce to the Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs, claims as follows: "The incident turned out into such a serious riot only after the Jews used guns, killing Wieśniak, which caused further bloody events".^[14]

Aftermath

Officially, three people were killed and more than 20 injured, but the number of the injured Polish peasants was probably larger, as many of them decided not to go to hospital. An investigation was immediately started, with arrests of Szulim Chil Leska, his father and one peasant. At first, the police did not believe the peasants, who presented their version of the riot, and 22 Poles were soon arrested. On March 16 however, with the investigation still going on, three members of Jewish self-defence group were incarcerated: Icek Banda, Luzer Kirszencwajg and Chaim Świeczka.

Four days earlier, on March 12, Senator Moses Schorr publicly mentioned the riot, accusing local government and police of supporting the peasants. As Piotr Gontarczyk claims, Schorr's words, in which he talked about three brutally killed Jewish victims, without mentioning that one of the victims was Polish, resulted in complete distortion of the description of the events, as his words were immediately repeated worldwide, resulting in a wave of anti-Polish feelings among Jewish diaspora. Furthermore, Kraków daily "Nowy Dziennik" published an article of Sejm deputy Ozjasz Thon, in which he for the first time used the word pogrom, writing about "two human victims" at Przytyk. Gontarczyk claims in his book that among Jewish newspapers in Palestine, only Davar stated that Jews were responsible for the riots, as it was a Jew who first killed a peasant.^[19]

The trial following the events started on June 2 and involved 43 Polish and 14 Jewish defendants, the latter charged with aggressive behavior towards Polish peasants. The verdict was pronounced on June 26, with eleven of the Jews sentenced to prison terms of from 6 months to 8 years (the person sentenced for 8 years was Szulim Chil Leska, the killer of Stanisław Wieśniak. Later, Leska's sentence was reduced to 7 years), while 39 Poles received sentences from 6 months to 1 year. The accused Jews claimed they were acting in self-defense, but the court rejected those arguments. The verdict outraged the Jewish community in Poland, leading to a number of nationwide strikes.^[8]

News of this pogrom horrified the Polish Jewish population, as well as Jews around the world, and contributed to significant emigration from Poland of Jews.^[3] A one-day nationwide strike, supported by left-wing parties Bund and PPS was organized, and in other parts of the country, street fights took place. In June 1936 in Mińsk Mazowiecki, after Jan Bujak, a Wachtmeister of the local 7th Uhlan Regiment was shot by a Jewish resident Judka Lejb Chaskielewicz, riots erupted in which several Jewish stores were smashed.^[20] The situation in Przytyk itself remained tense. Local Jews were supported by their American diaspora, which sent money and food to Przytyk. According to Piotr Gontarczyk, collection of money for Jewish residents of the town resulted in a growing negative propaganda aimed at Poles. As Gontarczyk wrote, volunteers, while collecting funds, presented the picture of Poland as a "wild country of pogroms", hoping to collect as much money as possible. The tendentious information about the situation of Jews in Poland created false stereotypes of antisemitic Poles.^[21]

The poem/song S'brent was written by Mordechai Gebirtig in 1938 about this pogrom.^[22]

References

1. Green, David B. (2016-03-09). "1936: Pogrom Erupts in Przytyk, for Which Jews Would Be Blamed". Haaretz. Retrieved 2018-05-19.
2. Virtual Shtetl (2017). "Historia społeczności żydowskiej" (in Polish). POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews.
3. Gilbert, Martin (1986). The Holocaust: A History of the Jews of Europe During the Second World War. Henry Holt and Company. p. 51. ISBN 978-0-03-062416-2.
4. "Two Jews Killed In Poland Rioting", Jewish Telegraphic Agency report, March 9, 1936, in The New York Times, March 10, 1936.
5. Problematyka żydowska na łamach prasy akademickiej w okresie międzywojennym Agnieszka Graboń Małopolskie Centrum Doskonalenia Nauczycieli w Krakowie, 2008 page 119
6. Między dwoma światami: Żydzi w polskiej kulturze ludowej Ewa Banasiewicz-Ossowska Polskie Tow. Ludoznawcze, 2007, page 33
7. Gontarczyk (2000), pp. 70, 193
8. Melzer, Emanuel. No Way Out: The Politics of Polish Jewry 1935-1939. Monographs of the Hebrew Union College 19. Cincinnati: Hebrew Union College Press, 1997.
9. "Historia społeczności | Wirtualny Sztetl" (in Polish). Sztetl.org.pl. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
10. Vital, David. A people apart: the Jews in Europe, 1789-1939, Oxford University Press, 1999, ISBN 0-19-820805-7, Google Print, p.784
11. Gontarczyk (2000), pp. 28-36
12. Osęka, Piotr (25 March 2011). "Z żyletkami na sztorc: Antyżydowskich pogromów było w Polsce lat 30. co najmniej kilkadziesiąt" [With razor blades on the edge: There were at least several dozen anti-Jewish pogroms in Poland in the 1930s]. Polityka (in Polish). No. 13.2011 (2800). Warsaw. p. 66. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
13. Gontarczyk (2000), p. 58
14. Piotrowski, Tadeusz (1998). Poland's holocaust: ethnic strife, collaboration with occupying forces and genocide in the Second Republic, 1918-1947. McFarland & Company. pp. 42–43. ISBN 07-86-40371-3. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
15. ""Przytyk i stragan" - reportaż, W.Literackie, 1936". Retropress.pl. 22 November 2014. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
16. "Z żyletkami na sztorc". Polityka.pl. 22 February 2018. Retrieved 2022-04-18.^{[author missing]}
17. Przytyk Pogrom, The YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe
18. Gontarczyk (2000), pp. 65-68
19. Gontarczyk (2000), pp. 69-83
20. History of Jews in Mińsk Mazowiecki (in Polish)
21. Gontarczyk (2000), pp. 78-83
22. "Our Town Is Burning (Undzer shtetl brent)". Music of the Holocaust. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. n.d. Archived from the original on 27 July 2009. Retrieved 26 July 2009.

Bibliography

• Gontarczyk, Piotr (2000). Pogrom?: zajścia polsko-żydowskie w Przytyku 9 marca 1936 r.: mity, fakty, dokumenty [Pogrom? Polish-Jewish incidents in Przytyk on March 9, 1936: myths, facts, documents] (in Polish). Oficyna Wydawnicza Rekonkwista (lit. 'Reconquest Publishing House'). pp. 70, 193. ISBN 978-83-86379-62-0. Retrieved 2 March 2013.

Further reading

Complete set of the Przytyk Case Court Reports published in the Goniec Częstochowski daily, June 1936:

Day 1. "The beginning of a grand court case – about the bloody riots in Przytyk. Jews shooting pistols, villagers responded with (horse-cart) stanchions. – Jews on the provoking side" [Początek wielkiego procesu o krwawe zajscia w Przytyku. Żydzi strzelali z rewolwerów, wieśniacy odpowiadali kłonicami. – Żydzi stroną zaczepną.] (PDF). Radom: Goniec Częstochowski. Dziennik Polityczny, Społeczny, Economiczny i Literacki. (Goniec Częstochowski. Political, Social, Economic and Literary Daily) Nr 128/1936. June 4, 1936. pp. 2–3. – Among the accused are 57 individuals including 14 Jews. There are 359 witnesses ... nobody feels guilty. Original: Na ławie oskarżonych zasiadło 57 osób w tem 14 Żydów. Świadków jest obecnie 359 ... nikt do winy się nie poczuwa. — Accused (named): Józef Strzałkowski, Wacław Kacperski, Szczepan Zarychta, Józef Pytlewski, Józef Olszewski, Franciszek Wlazło, Józef Czubak, Jan Wójcik, Feliks Jan Bugajczyk, Franciszek Kosiec, Stanisław Ślizak; Jankiel Abram Haberberg, Lejzor Feldberg, Jankiel Lejbuś Zajda, Rafał Honik, Moszek Ferszt, Szoel Kręgiel, Moszek Cukier, Lejbuś Łęga, Icek Banda, Icek Frydman; Luzer Kierszencwajg, Jankiel Kierszencwajg, Szulim Chil Leska, Jankiel Borensztajn. — Named victims: Moszek Dalman, Józef Szymański, Franciszka Sobolowa, Stanisław Kubiak, Stanisław Popiel, Stanisława Regulska, Stanisław Wieśniak (killed), Josek Minkowski (killed), Chaja Minkowski (killed), Gabryś Minkowski, Izrael Icek Przybysiewicz, Fajga Szuch, Berek Tober, Jochwet Palant, Szmul Minkowski, Majer Tokier, Lejbuś Tokier, Giedale Hempel, Sur Borensztajn, Hinda Borensztajn, Moszek Bojmał, Estera Frydman, Chana Bass. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Day 2. "Second day of the Przytyk events court case. The accused Christians refuse to testify. Jews deny guilt" [Drugi dzień procesu o zajścia w Przytyku. Oskarżeni chrześcijanie odmawiają zeznań. Żydzi wypierają się winy.] (PDF). Radom: Goniec Częstochowski Nr 129/1936. June 5, 1936. pp. 1–2. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Day 3. "Third day of the Przytyk events court case" [Trzeci dzień procesu o zajścia w Przytyku.] (PDF). Radom: Goniec Częstochowski Nr 130/1936. June 6, 1936. pp. 2–3. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Day 4. "Eyewitness testimonies in the Przytyk events court case. Killing of villager the cause for the events" [Zeznania świadków w procesie o zajścia w Przytyku. Zabicie wieśniaka powodem zajść.] (PDF). Radom: Goniec Częstochowski Nr 130 (131)/1936. June 7–8, 1936. pp. 4–5. Archived from the original on 2016-08-14. Day 5. "Eyewitness testimonies in the Przytyk events court case. Day five of deliberations" [Zeznania świadków w procesie przytyckim. Piąty dzień rozprawy.] (PDF). Radom: Goniec Częstochowski Nr 132/1936. June 9, 1936. pp. 2–3. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Day 6. "What do eyewitnesses say in the Przytyk process" [Co mówią świadkowie z procesu przytyckiego.] (PDF). Radom: Goniec Częstochowski Nr 133/1936. June 10, 1936. pp. 2–3. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Day 7. "How the Jews beat up and fired shots, testify eyewitnesses in Przytyk case" [Jak Żydzi bili i strzelali; opowiadają świadkowie w procesie przytyckim] (PDF). Radom: Goniec Częstochowski Nr 134/1936. June 11, 1936. p. 3. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Day 8. "From the Przytyk process. The confronting has failed" [Z procesu o zajścia w Przytyku. Chybione konfrontacje.] (PDF). Radom: Goniec Częstochowski Nr 135/1936. June 1936. p. 2. – The confronting of the accused does not help. The Jewish witnesses for the defense want to blame, but fail to recognize, and point out the perpetrators. Original: Konfrontacje nie udają się w procesie w Przytyku. Świadkowie oskarżenia Żydzi chcą obciążyć oskarżonych, ale nie mogą ich wskazać i rozpoznać. Archived from the original on 2016-08-14. Day 9. "Day of revelations in the process for the Przytyk events" [Dzien rewelacyj w procesie o zajscia w Przytyku] (PDF). Radom: Goniec Częstochowski Nr 136/1936. June 14, 1936. p. 4. – Questioning of Gawryś Minkowski, age 16, the oldest son of murdered Józef Minkowski and his wife (translation): On 24 March the witness testified that he recognized the boy who hit him with the stone, but did not recognize other people shown to him. Today he recognized four... Original: Dnia 24go marca świadek Gawryś M. zeznał, że rozpoznaje chłopca, który go uderzył kamieniem, ale nie rozpoznał nikogo z ludzi z którymi go wówczas skonfrontowano. Dziś zaś rozpoznaje czterech... Postponement of the hearing till Friday, when witnesses speak of the first, morning assault on a hatter's stall by a group of young Jews including Icek Banda and his two brothers. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Day 10. "From the case for the Przytyk events. The witnesses exonerate the accused Poles" [Z procesu o zajścia w Przytyku. Świadkowie odciążają oskarżonych Polaków.] (PDF). Radom: Goniec Częstochowski Nr 137/1936. June 16, 1936. pp. 2–3. – To the Jews, it mattered most that their prices collapsed as a result of the boycott. Original: Żydom najwięcej chodziło o to, że ceny im pospadały wskutek bojkotu. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Day 11 "Would there be a crime scene investigation in Przytyk? Conclusions of prosecution and defense in the court case for bloody riot" [Czy dojdzie do wizji lokalnej w Przytyku? Wnioski prokuratora i obrońców w procesie o krwawe zajścia.] (PDF). Radom: Goniec Częstochowski nr 138/1936. June 17, 1936. p. 3. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Day 12 "All witnesses examined in the Przytyk court case" [Wszyscy świadkowie zbadani w procesie przytyckim.] (PDF). Radom: Goniec Częstochowski nr 139/1936. June 18, 1936. p. 3. – On the request of prosecution, the courts questioned also three constables ... the Case postponed till Wednesday, when deliberations will likely end. Original: Na wniosek prokuratora, sąd przesłuchał dodatkowo trzech posterunkowych ... rozprawę przerwano do środy. W dniu tym przewód sądowy zostanie prawdopodobnie zakończony. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Day 13 "Jewish hatred for the Poles; testimonies of accused of the bloody riots in Przytyk" reveal" [Nienawiść żydow do Polaków. Ujawniają zeznania oskarżonych o krwawe zajścia w Przytyku.] (PDF). Radom: Goniec Częstochowski Nr 140/1936. June 19, 1936. p. 4. – The accused Jozef Olszewski claims that, similar to the accused Pytlewski's, [Lejbuś / Leib] Zajda blames him out of spite. Original: oskarżony Józef Olszewski wyjaśnia, że podobnie jak oskarżonego Pytlewskiego również i jego [Lejbuś] Zajda wskazuje przez złośliwość ^[paragraph 8]. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Day 14 "In Przytyk process court proceedings are finished; on Friday, statements of prosecution and the defense" [W procesie przytyckim przewód sądowy skończony. W piątek przemówienie prokuratora i powodów cywilnych.] (PDF). Radom: Goniec Częstochowski Nr 141/1936. June 20, 1936. p. 2. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Day 15 "Shots fired by the Jews in Przytyk – caused the subsequent bloody riots – stated the prosecution" [Strzały Żydów w Przytyku – zapoczątkowały dalsze krwawe zajścia – stwierdza prokurator.] (PDF). Radom: Goniec Częstochowski Nr 142/1936. June 21, 1936. p. 4. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Day 16 "Speeches by prosecution and by the defense in the Przytyk process" [Przemówienie prokuratora i obrony – w procesie przytyckim.] (PDF). Radom: Goniec Częstochowski Nr 143/1936. June 23, 1936. pp. 2–3. – The accued Leska stressed that in the rabbinical school they don't even teach them the Polish language. Original: oskarżony Leska podkreślił, że w szkole rabinackiej nawet nie uczą języka polskiego ^[paragraph 5]. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Day 17 "The court case for the events in Przytyk is coming to an end. – The defense for the accused Jews has assured: Jews in Poland are there to stay" [Proces o zajścia w Przytyku dobiega końca – "Żydzi w Polsce pozostaną," woła adwokat oskarżonych Żydów.] (PDF). Radom: Goniec Częstochowski Nr 144/1936. June 24, 1936. pp. 2–3. – The court case is scheduled to end on Wednesday or Thursday. Original: Zakończenie procesu nastąpi w środę lub czwartek. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Day 18 "Further defense speeches in the Przytyk process" [Dalsze przemówienia obrony w procesie przytyckim.] (PDF). Radom: Goniec Częstochowski Nr 145/1936. June 25, 1936. p. 3. – The [Polish] lawyers Petruszewicz and Szumanski were the first in the courtroom to call the events in Przytyk a pogrom. Even the Jewish lawyers didn't say that. Original: Adwokaci Petruszewicz i Szumanski pierwsi na tej sali określili zajścia przytyckie jako pogrom. Nie zrobili tego nawet adwokaci Żydzi. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. Day 19 "Sentences in the Przytyk court case to be announced on Friday" [Wyrok w procesie przytyckim ogłoszony będzie w piątek.] (PDF). Radom: Goniec Częstochowski Nr 146/1936. June 26, 1936. pp. 3–4. – Jews as well as Christians ask in their final statements to be exonerated. Original: ... zarówno Żydzi jak i chrześcijanie w ostatniem słowie proszą o uniewinnienie. Archived from the original on August 14, 2016. "Goniec Częstochowski rok 1936. Dostępne numery." [Goniec Częstochowski daily. Year 1936. Online catalogue: Scans of all available issues]. Częstochowa Public Library. 2016. Archived from the original on February 5, 2017.