History
Jewish community before 1989 – Polska / opolskie
The first mentions of the Jewish presence in Prudnik comes from 1350[1.1], although some post-war historians give a later date, 1427[1.2]. Jews that settled there came from the West and brought with them the Western ways of socio-political organization. They also brought their traditions, religious rites, and the Ashkenazi language (Hebr. אַשְׁכְּנָזִים, aszkenazi, pertains to Germany, the country they hailed from).
Most Jews in the 15th century occupied themselves with trade and granted loans to Silesian dukes (charging interests on financial loans was then prohibited by Canon law in the whole of Christian Europe.) Some Hebrews ran small craft workshops and shops.
Good financial situation of Jews evoked increasing hatred against them and led to pogroms, whose source was related to economic issues. Kazimierz Bobowski comments on those facts as follows: “Increasing pogroms against Silesian Jews from the 15th century should be related to a growing class disparity in towns. The patriciate of many Silesian towns hoped that pogroms would defuse, only in some degree in the least, dissatisfaction of the poor with economic releations.” [1.3]
Early in the 16th century competition between Jewish and Christian merchants in Silesia intensified. Financial enrichment of Jews evoked increasing dissatisfaction and tensions among towners, who very often complained about Silesian Jews to imperial authorities in Vienna.
Taking advantage of anti-Semitic atmosphere the town of Prudnik adopted the De non tolerandis Iudaeis privilege, issued by Czech King Wladyslaw. [1.4] Yet Margrave Wilhelm Hohenzollern was trying to prevent Jews from abandoning the towns of the Opole-Racibórz Duchy reminding all the towners and merchants about a positive influence of Jewish activity on the economic situation of the state.
The town of Prudnik, using the common unfriendliness towards Jews as a pretext, accepted the privilege De non tolerandis Judaeis from Czech King Władysław[1.5].
Despite that, the margrave Jerzy Hohenzollern, who ruled the Duchy of Opole and Racibórz, opossed the expulsion of Jews from his lands and proceeded to indicate the benefits that the presence of Jews brought to the cities and the whole country.
When in 1526 the Silesia became part of the German Empire, the Silesian Jewry were in the imperial, and not Czech, jurisdiction. As the town historian relates, there were 25 Jews living in Prudnik in 1534. They were obligated to pay tribute to the prince. Also, they brought goose to the estate, and together they had to bring two pounds of pepper. In 1540, a Jewish school was established in Prudnik, and the number of Jews in the town was considered quite high. Jews lived at that time in an enclosed enclave in Dolny alley (German: Niedergasse, today’s Wąska Street)[1.6].
In 1540, the townspeople and the merchants demanded that the Jews be expelled from Prudnik, but the margrave Jerzy did not let that happen. His son Jerzy Friedrick continued this friendly policy after Jerzy died.
In 1541, the Prudnik Jews received a piece land for a cemetery from the local council, paying for it 40 Guilders,. The necropolis served the local Jews only till they were driven from the city by the emperor Rudolf II. It is not known whether there was a cemetery before in the city, but in 1540 a synagogue was built. In the years 1541-1570, some monetary transactions made by the Jews of Prudnik are mentioned several times in historical sources.
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[1.1] D.Walerjański, Z dziejów Żydów na Górnym Śląsku do 1812 roku, [in:] Pismo Muzealno-Humanistyczne Orbis, Muzeum Miejskie w Zabrzu, Katowice 2005, vol. V, p. 29.
[1.2] W.Lesiuk, Ziemia prudnicka, Opole 1978.
[1.3] K.Bobowski, Prześladowania i pogromy Żydów na średniowiecznym Śląsku [in:] Śląski Kwartalnik Historyczny Sobótka 1989, issue no 1, p. 10 [in:]D.Walerjański, Z dziejów Żydów na Górnym Śląsku do 1812 roku, [in:] Pismo Muzealno-Humanistyczne Orbis, Muzeum Miejskie w Zabrzu, Katowice 2005, vol. V, p. 30.
[1.4] D.Walerjański, Z dziejów Żydów na Górnym Śląsku do 1812 roku [in:] Pismo Muzealno-Humanistyczne Orbis, Muzeum Miejskie w Zabrzu, Katowice 2005, vol. V, p. 32.
[1.5] D.Walerjański, Z dziejów Żydów na Górnym Śląsku do 1812 roku [in:] Pismo Muzealno-Humanistyczne Orbis, Muzeum Miejskie w Zabrzu, Katowice 2005, vol. V, p. 29.
[1.6] Augustin Wetzel “Historia miasta Prudnik na Górnym Śląsku”, Wydawnictwo MS Opole 2005. p. 330
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