Skalbmierz | Swietokrzyskie Voivodeship

/ Marianna W., born in 1934, saw the execution of one Jew on the Jewish cemetery. ©Cristian Monterroso – Yahad-In Unum Memorial on the Jewish cemetery for the Jews killed by Nazis. ©Cristian Monterroso – Yahad-In Unum Jewish cemetery where many Jews were killed by the Nazis. ©Cristian Monterroso – Yahad-In Unum Yahad’s team. ©Cristian Monterroso – Yahad-In Unum

Executions of Jews in Skalbmierz

1 Killing site(s)

Kind of place before:
Jewish cemetery
Memorials:
Yes
Period of occupation:
1939-1944
Number of victims:
About 100

Witness interview

Marianna W., born in 1934, recalls: “There was an old building in Skalbmierz where the Jews lived. They used to rent the rooms. One day, they started to deport the Jews. They were rounded-up and taken by cart. The old ones were most probably taken to Miechow We don’t know what happened with them, perhaps they were shot there.” (Witness n°555, interviewed in Skalbmierz on April 4th, 2016).

Polish Archives

“1/ Date and place of execution: August 5, 1944 in Skalbmierz.

2/ Type of execution: Shooting, hanging, burned alive.

3/ Data regarding the killed people:

Poles, Jews, foreigners: Poles

How many people: 104.

Where did they come from: locals

5/ Who did the execution: Gestapo and SS.” [Questionnaire on mass executions and mass graves n°473; Miejscowosc: Skalbmierz, Gmina: Skalbmierz, Powiat: Pinczow, Wojedztwo: Kieleckie]

Historical note

Skalbmierz is located 67km south-west of Kielce. The first Jews settled down in the town in the 1880s. Their proportion grew up over time, and in 1885, they represented almost 30% of the total population. According to the census in 1921, 609 out of 1,715 inhabitants were Jewish. In 1939, the number decreased up to 400 Jews. The Jewish community had a synagogue and their own cemetery. The majority of them lived off small scale trade and handcraft.

Holocaust by bullets in figures

Skalbmierz was occupied by Germans in September 1939. Straight after the anti-Jewish measures were implemented and those Jews fit to work were enrolled forced labors. The Jews continued to live in their houses until the moment they were deported. Besides the local Jews about 1,000 Jews were displaced here from Cracow. From the historical sources we know that all the Jews were deported on August, 29th 1942 to the transit camp in Słomniki and then to the death camp in Bełżec. However, as a result of the field research Yahad-In Unum found out that some Jews, mostly elder, were taken from Skalbmierz to Miechow, where they were murdered afterwards. Some Jews fit to work were taken for forced labor to arm factory. Moreover, there were several isolated executions conducted at the Jewish cemetery.  Besides the Jews, about 104 Poles were murdered on August 5, 1944, as a reprisal action after the partisans had killed 8-10 German soldiers.

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