Warszawa
Polska / mazowieckie
 | Synagogues, prayer houses and others |  | Cemeteries |  | Places of martyrology |  | Judaica in museums |  | Other |
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History
Justyna Laskowska
First traces of Jewish presence in Warsaw can be found at the beginning of the 15th century or even earlier. The first documented references about the Jews come from 1414 (Czersk Books) and mention money obtained by Lazar Judeo de Varschovia. Next pieces of information already come from town books. The oldest one from municipal books (1421) mentions only ten Jews, so we can assume that the Jewish community was in fact very small. The existence of Jewish inhabitants in the city in 1414 can be confirmed by the oldest aldermen’s books from that time.
The Jews inhabited Żydowska Street, where they had their own synagogue, mikveh and cemetery situated outside the city walls near present-day Krakowskie Przedmieście. This serves as evidence that they formed a well organized, though small, community that numbered 120 members.
Unfortunately, the knowledge of Jewish activities in the 15th century town is quite poor and not specific. It does not allow to draw unambiguous conclusions. Some historians, E. Ringelblum among them, are of the opinion that the Jews suffered persecutions in the 15th century on the side of the Benedictines. They are said to have been expelled from Warsaw in 1483 by prince Bolesław and could not return since 1486. However, a majority of contemporary researchers (e.g. H. Węgrzynek) disagree with this view and emphasize that there is not enough evidence to formulate such a hypothesis.
We know for sure that the situation of the Jewish community was not easy. The City Council and the townsmen efficiebtly fought for rights, afraid of the competition with the Jews. In 1483, they made the Masovian priest to issue a law that would limit Jewish share in trade. Only the city dwellers could trade on weekdays. It should be stressed that this restriction was also harmful for Christians who were not citizens of Warsaw.
When Masovia was incorporated into the Kingdom of Poland in 1527, Warsaw was granted the “de non tolerandis Judaeis” privilege. King Sigmund I forbade the Jews to live neither in the Old nor in the New Warsaw as well as on its outskirts.The subsequent prohibitions were confirmed and frequently extended on new regions by other monarchs, including Sigmund August (1570), Stefan Batory (1580) and Jan III Sobieski (1693).
Initially, only individuals were permitted to settle in
Summary
| Province: | mazowieckie / Miasto st. Warszawa (before 1939) |
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| County: | Warszawa / warszawski (before 1939) |
| Community: | Warszawa / (before 1939) |
| Other names: | Varshe ווארשע [jidysz] Varshava Варшава [j. rosyjski] Warschau [j. niemiecki] Warsaw [j. angielski] Varšava [j. czeski] Varsó [j. węgierski] Varsavia [j. łotewski] Varsovie [j. francuski] Varšuva [j. litewski] |
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Location
Justyna Laskowska
It is the capital and largest city of Poland as well as the seat of the Masovian Province authorities.
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