History

Przemysław Maksymiuk

First Jews started to settle in Siedlce in the middle of the 16th century. A synagogue was built in 1794. 3723 Jews lived in Siedlce in 1839, which made up 71% of the whole population and in 1858 there were already as many as 5153 Jews in the town. In 1859, a new synagogue was erected. In 1890, a huge Jewish hospital was opened. Two Jewish newspapers were published : “Szedlesker Wochnblat” and "Dos Szedlesker Lebn".

During the 1905-1907 revolution in Siedlce, which had been annexed by Russians, a bloody pacification action of the Jewish people was carried out by the troops of the Russian Empire army. Before this, the secret political police Okhrana had failed to provoke the Polish community of Siedlce to attack the Jews who were accused of some revolutionary activity that was detrimental to the state.

During the 1906 pacification action that lasted for a few days, between 26 (according to the police) to 100 (according to unofficial sources) people were killed, several dozen were wounded and several hundred arrested. Many families were left with no roof over their heads. About 40 shops and many flats were plundered. As the Jewish historian, I. Kaspi wrote, there were signs of sympathy coming from everywhere right after the pogrom. Especially warm was the reaction of the Polish society and press. All newspapers called for fund raising and some of them even managed to raise quite big amounts of money. In the Russian governmental press an announcement was published that expressed thanks from the Warsaw governor Skałon to lieutenant colonel Tichonovsky, the commander of the pacification action.

In 1921, there were 2 synagogues, 3 houses of prayer and 20 Hasidic prayer facilities in the city.

In the interwar period, 14 685 Jews lived in Siedlce in 1921, constituting 48% of all inhabitants.

During World War II, Siedlce was taken by the German army in September 1939. In the night from 24 to 25 December 1939, the Germans burnt the synagogue. In 1940, Jews from Kalisz were deported to Siedlce. In August 1941, the Germans established a ghetto where they locked over twelve thousand Jews.

In August 1942, the Germans moved about ten thousand Jews to the extermination camp in Treblinka and the rest of them were left at the forced labor camps. All Jews had been executed at the local Jewish cemetery until

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Izhak Goffer (born 1932) about his live in Siedlce and other Polish cities, Soviet Union, Europe and Israel

An English resume of an interview in Hebrew that took place in Israel, as a part of the Polish Roots in Israel project. Interviewee name: Izhak Goffer...

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Local history

Izrael badacz

The settlement existed here in the 10th century. In 1547 Siedlce obtained its town charter based on that of Magdeburg. Since the mid-17th century the Czartoryski family seated here. In 1692 great fire destroyed part of the town. 

Since 1795 Siedlce was under Austrian rule, since 1809 it transferred to the Duchy of Warsaw, and since 1815 it became part of the Kingdom of Poland (Congress Poland). 

During World War II , in September 1939, Siedlce was occupied by the German Army. In Siedlce there were 2 camps for Soviet prisoners ( with on average 5.000-20.000 prisoners of war, 10.000 of whom died) and 4 forced labour camps ( with over 40.000 prisoners). Polish guerilla groups were active near Siedlce. The town was liberated in July 1944. 

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Summary

Location

Izrael badacz

Siedlce is the capital of Siedlce County, Masovian Voivodeship, with 77.100 inhabitants(as of 2008).

It is situated on Siedlce Upland, on the Muchawka River (left-bank tributary of the Liwiec river).

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