| 2012 |
Legionowo
Jan III Sobieski High School Complex No 2 in Legionowo
Jan III Sobieski High School Complex No 2 in Legionowo
| 2012 |
Territorial changes in the nearby town of Jabłonna, development of railways and replacements of train station names, which may cause confusion, make researching the history of Legionowo quite a challenge. However, it is likely that Jews came to the area of today’s Legionowo at the turn of the 19th and 20th century, although the town itself showed dynamic growth from the 1920s.
In 1920, a camp for officers of the Polish army declaring their Jewish nationality, known as the “camp in Jabłonna”, was established in the barracks in Legionowo. It was disbanded after 25 days thanks to the protests of the then Deputy Prime Minister Ignacy Daszyński.
Jews from Legionowo were initially subordinated to the community of Nowy Dwór Mazowiecki, and in the 1930s they erected their own wooden synagogue, but burials still took place outside the town. The Chassidic dynasty, called the Jabłonna dynasty, whose founder was Dawid Cwi Hirsz from Nowy Miasto, was also connected with this area.
The Germans occupied Legionowo in September 1939. A contribution was imposed on the Jewish inhabitants. In spite of ransom paid, people were taken hostage and sent to the Dachau and Sachsenhausen camps.
In mid-November 1940, a ghetto was established on the area of the former Ludwisin manor farm. It was not surrounded by a wall. At its peak it housed about 3000 Jews. The Judenrat was headed by Chil Rosenberg.
In October 1942, about half of the population was deported to Treblinka. About 200 Jews were murdered by the Germans in the ghetto.
Less than 40 people survived the war. Several residents of Legionowo were also honored as Righteous Among the Nations.
During the “School of Dialogue” workshops, young people from Legionowo not only discovered Jewish culture and the history of their town, but also learned how to work in a group. Students appreciated the value of integration and the opportunity to work in a team. It allowed them to create a very interesting project. Their involvement resulted in an engaging walking tour for their fellow students, to whom they showed many places connected with the history of Jews in Legionowo.
The walking tour started with an introduction presented at the local library. The walk itself was divided into two parts. From the first part, the invited guests learned about pre-war life, and in the second part about the ghetto and the fate of Legion’s Jews during the Holocaust.
The tour included the following stops: a townhouse formerly owned by Blusztejn and Fajga Pejsach murdered by the Germans, building depots of Lipszyc, a townhouse of Jerzy Petersburski, probably built for money he earned on the song “Tango Milonga”. The guides also presented this song. Next, they told the stories of Jews living in townhouses at the Town Square, including the story of Ick Rozenberg. They also did not forget to show the house where the Szklark family lived – honored as the Righteous Among the Nations for hiding the Jewish family of Zawiesiński. The participants also learned where the synagogue stood before it was destroyed by the Germans during World War II. At the end, the tour participants went to the former ghetto area, as well as to the seat of the former Judenrat. There, the guides talked about the Holocaust at the local level – about the liquidation of the ghetto, about deportations to the death camp in Treblinka, and the Jewish cemetery which was in use at that time.
At the end, the guides invited all the participants to their school, where they summed up the event. There was also an artistic performance – the students performed “Sunrise sunset” from the musical “Fiddler on the roof”. The guests could test their knowledge in a quiz prepared by the students and placed on the Kahoot! website, visit an exhibition on the history of Legionowo Jews, as well as try traditional delicacies.
In addition, the group organized workshops for junior high school students and prepared a petition addressed to the Mayor of Legionowo to commemorate the Jewish community. Beforehand, they had collected around 400 signatures on the petition.
All the activities undertaken by the students were summarized in a multimedia presentations and a film made available on the Youtube channel, which also included an interview with Teresa Gosiewska, a witness to history.
Students also promoted their project on the school’s website, Facebook and in the local media. They also took part in broadcasts conducted by Radio Hobby and Radio Four.
The hard work of students was very appreciated by the tour participants. This is how one of them summed up his impressions from the trip: “I was shocked at some moments of the tour, but I think that these topics need to be discussed!”.
School:
Jan III Sobieski High School Complex No 2 in Legionowo
Students:
Ia
Educators:
Szymon Cymer, Gosia Nowicka
In appreciation to the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany (Claims Conference) for supporting this educational program. Through recovering the assets of the victims of the Holocaust, the Claims Conference enables organizations around the world to provide education about the Shoah and to preserve the memory of those who perished.
In appreciation to Friends of the Forum for supporting the School of Dialogue educational program.
