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Remembering the Jewish Community of

Pryzemsyl, Poland

Remembered by Drorit Bogen

Natan (Haber) Antman, father of Temple member Drorit Bogen, grew up in Pryzemsyl, Poland. Pryzemsyl (pronounced Pshemishel or in short Pshemish) is a town in the region of Galicia. Prior to WWI, Pryzemsyl was the third largest Jewish community in Galicia. Between WWI and WWII, the Jewish population declined due to tougher economic conditions, as well as emigration to other European countries, America, and Israel.

The first statistics on the Pryzemsyl Jewish community date back to 1542, when 18 Jewish families lived there. In the early years, the Polish government was quite welcoming. In 1559, King Sigmund August gave them a "bill of rights," awarding the Jewish community, "full freedom in the town of Pryzemsyl when it comes to commerce and business, the same as all other residents of the town." In June 1576, King Stefan Batori published a document giving the Jewish community in Pryzemsyl total autonomy.

Pryzemsyl was a city of strategic importance. It was the converging point of two trade routes that originated in Spain, split at the Rhine River in Germany, and met once again in Pryzemsyl. From there the routes continued on to central Asia, India, and China. In addition, Pryzemsyl was a strategic army point because of its location along a major river and trade routes. Consequently, the region of Galicia was fought over by Eastern European governments and often changed hands.

For religious reasons (Kashrut and Shatnez), the Jews preferred to work in the food and clothing industries. Many were tailors and furriers. The fur industry in Pryzemsyl prospered and acquired a good reputation, with an annual fair that lasted eight days. Among the furriers was Natan's father, Tzvi Vainshtein.

Before WWII, Pryzemsyl enjoyed a rich Jewish life. There were many types of synagogues, similar to the Conservative, Orthodox, and Ultra Orthodox synagogues that we have today. In addition to Jewish day and boarding schools, hospitals, nursing homes, food kitchens and orphanages, there was a Jewish sports stadium. The complex included a track, tennis courts, soccer field with bleachers, and changing rooms for those who took a swim in the river.

In 1932, David Ben-Gurion, who later became the first prime minister of Israel, visited Pryzemsyl and commented, "There I saw youth eager to immigrate to Israel." The vibrant Jewish community supported several Zionist and youth organizations, including the JNF, Keren Hayesod, and Zionist labor movement. One of these organizations, Gordonia, re-established Kibbutz Hulda in 1930, after it was destroyed in 1929. Natan's friend from Pryzemsyl, who became like a brother during the Holocaust, had family that made aliyah as part of Gordonia. It was this friend who convinced Natan to move to Israel after the war, since the family in Israel was the only family left.

In September 1939, the Germans invaded Poland and entered Pryzemsyl two weeks later. Pryzemsyl is far from the German border, and the people there did not anticipate the German Army arriving so soon.

The Germans had an agreement to hand over Pryzemsyl to Russian occupation. At the time, Natan was a student at a commerce high school, and Russian replaced German as the foreign language taught at the school. Under Russian rule, conditions for the Jewish people in Pryzemsyl were relatively good, because there were many Jews in the Red (Russian) Army.

In August 1941, Germany bombed the town and moved the Jews of Pryzemsyl out of their homes and into a ghetto. In the beginning of 1942, the Germans came to the Jewish Ghetto with the names of 1,000 Jewish youths to be sent to the Janowska (pronounced Yanovska) labor camp. Among these 1,000 names was Natan.

After a few months, Natan escaped the camp and went back to the Pryzemsyl ghetto. His entire family was already gone. Soon after returning to the Pryzemsyl ghetto, Natan was sent with other Jews to Auschwitz to work in the Buna labor camp. On January 18, 1945, the prisoners were forced to march to Germany. So many prisoners died during this march that it is known as the March of Death.

Upon arriving in Germany, Natan was brought to the Dora Nordhaussen camp, where he worked in a manufacturing plant that produced missiles. Shortly thereafter, Natan was moved to Bergen-Belsen. On April 15, 1945, at around 2:30 in the afternoon, the British army arrived at the camp and liberated Natan. For the next four years, Natan worked for the British administration in Tzele, the town neighboring Bergen-Belsen. Through the Red Cross, Natan searched for survivors from his family. Of his entire extended family, Natan was the sole survivor. Thus, in April 1949, Natan arrived in Israel aboard the ship Atzmaut, which means independence.

Of an estimated 25,000 Jews from Pryzemsyl, 23,845 Jews perished in the Holocaust. Natan never returned to his home after the war, as there are no Jewish people living in Pryzemsyl anymore. Years later, when one of Natan's friends returned to visit Pryzemsyl, the locals were extremely hostile.

The New York Public library has online a 574 page Yizkor Book about Pryzemsyl.

There is an excellent site at jewishgen.org for this town. The web master for the jewishgen site is Temple member David Sotkowitz,  who wrote the remembrance about Delatyn. David is involved with web pages for several communities.  Here is a wonderful blog about Pryzemsyl.

Although Jewish visitors to these communities may encounter hostility, there are attempts at reconciliation, as is attested by this program that took place in Pryzemsyl. Here is a story of heroism during the Shoah. Albert Battel, a German officer was recognizes by Yad Vashem as a  Righteous among the Nations.  Read about a recent visit to Pryzemsyl.

We Remember

Antopol

Bagamer

Baranovice

Bilke

Braslav

Chudnov

Delatyn

Dokshitz

Dubina

Gusyatin

Kamin-Kashirskiy

Kavarsk

Kiev

Kosov

Kovno

Kremenets

Lechevitz

Memel

Nowy Dwor

Nowy Korczyn

Parfianov

Priluki

Pryzemsyl

Putiatynce

Radom

Radymno
Rohatyn

Sosnowiecz

Stepan

Tarnopol

Tisza Ulic

Ujfeheto

Uzhgorod

Warkaw
Zabludow

More Information

Introduction to the Memorial

History of the Program

Researching Communities

Map of Remembered Towns

Site Map