Felicjanów (Felicjanow)/Koluszki | Łódź Voivodeship

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May / June 1942:

11 Jews were executed, because they got out of the limits of the Koluszki ghetto. The execution was conducted by policemen at the Jewish cemetery of Felicjanow. The bodies were buried there.” [Source : AGK, Ankieta GK “Egzekucje” Felicjanow, pow. Brzeziny, woj. Lodzkie; AGK, Ankieta OKBZH “Egzekucje” Felicjanow, pow. Bzreziny, woj. Lodzkie; AGK, ASG, sygn. 20, k,8].

Felicjanów is located 33 km north-east of Lodz. There is not much information about Jews living in Felicjanów. From the historical sources, we know that a bigger Jewish community lived in the town of  Koluszki, located  3 km north-west. The first Jews settled down in town in the 18^th century. The majority of Jews lived off of trade and handcrafted items. As a result of the newly built railway station, the town became an important trade center. In 1921, about 30% of the total population was Jewish, including 387 Jews living in the town. By 1939,  there were only about a hundred left. 

The Germans occupied the town on September 9, 1939. The ghetto was created on April 10^th, 1941, and numbered about 3,000 Jews from the town and its surroundings.  The inmates fit to work were forced to perform forced labor. Due to overcrowding and bad living conditions, a typhus epidemic broke out. The ghetto was liquidated in October 1942 when the majority of the inmates were rounded-up and deported to the Treblinka death camp. About 40 Jews, mostly sick and elderly people, or those who attempted to resist or hide, were killed on the spot. Their bodies were taken to be buried in  Felicjanów.