In the old Polish times, de non tolerandis Iudaeis privilege was in force in Goniądz. Although formally it was abolished no earlier than in 1795 by the Prussians[1.1], the first Jews had appeared in the town already during the Great Northern War (1700-21). In 1716, in Goniądz lived several Jewish families, that owned a private house of prayer[1.2].

Initially, Jews inhabited the former castle jurydyka (Latin: iurisdictio), where they could settle freely, as the ban applied only to settlements and lands owned by townsmen. The actual consent for Jewish settlement most probably resulted from war damages in Goniądz, caused by the Swedish Invasion, and an epidemic, which killed many inhabitants in the second half of the 17^th century and at the beginning of the 18^th century. According to A. Holsche, at that time “the houses stood empty”[1.1.2]. It is said that the Jews contributed to the economic revival of the town. An information from 15 February 1734 confirms that in Goniądz existed a Jewish sub-kehilla and the first synagogue was built there.

In 1735, in the town operated a Jewish tailors’ guild, which paid 20 Polish zlotys to the parish priest yearly. According to the 1765 census, 426 Jews lived in Goniądz and in the parish. They dealt mainly with trade and specialized in selling wooden ladles and bowls, the so-called kopańki.  In 1766, in customs houses in Augustów, Kolno, Osowiec, Nowogród, Szczuczyn and Wizna 24 merchants from Goniądz were registered, including 14 Jews. An undated description of the parish church in Goniądz (from the years 1755-79) provides that 64 houses were inhabited by Jews[1.3].

Further information concerning Jews in Goniądz was provided by another church inventory from 24 September 1782:

“There are no representatives of other religions in the parish, apart from Jews, who amount to 260 people in the taverns of Goniądz and as tenants in the villages belonging to the parish; thanks to the privilege of priest Kadłubowski, the then official from Grodno, and the general inspector of the year 1773. Those Jews have a synagogue built not far from the town at the river Biebrza[1.1.2].

In 1795, the Prussian authorities revoked de non tolerandis Iudaeis privilege, which caused an influx of Jewish settlers. In 1799, Goniądz had 1,373 inhabitants, including 498 Jews (36%). Over the following eighty years, the number of residents doubled, and the number of Jews increased four times[1.1.2]. In 1847, there were 1,337 Jews in the town. On 1 January 1878, Goniądz was inhabited by 2,943 people, including 1,880 Jews (64%). In 1897, Jews amounted to 2,056 people (59% of the total population)[1.4]. 

As the nearby fortress in Osowiec sought building services[1.1.1]  and later the local garrison needed provisions, Jewish settlement under Russian partition continued. At the end of the 19^th century, the Zionists began to wield influence for the first time. Even before the turn of the century the Chowewej Syjon organization sent 21 settlers to Palestine, mostly to Petah Tikva. In 1906 and 1911, the town was ravaged by two great fires, which destroyed many Jewish houses.

In the interwar period local Jews constituted almost a half of the town’s residents – 1,135 people[1.1.1]. They inhabited mostly the Old and New Market Square. Growing influence of the Zionists led to opening primary schools with Hebrew and Yiddish. The already mentioned synagogue was centre of spiritual life. The Jews owned also a mikveh located at present Nadbiebrzańska Street. The Jewish cemetery was situated 200 m away from the Catholic cemetery (nowadays 15 Mickiewicza Street), by the road to Downary town.

After the outbreak of World War II and entering of Soviet troops to Goniądz, life of the local Jews underwent only minor changes. Private shops were closed and in their place the occupant opened the so-called “cooperatives” (Polish: “kooperatywy”), which were mostly run by Jews. Giving free posts to Jews was connected with the fact that some of the adult members of the community belonged to the communist party. It was indicated that some of the Jews were directly involved in selecting Poles to be sent to the USSR. Particularly the younger Jews took part in the 1940 conscription of the Polish youth to the Soviet army structures. They also willingly cooperated with the police and NKVD. Yet the elder Jews were not satisfied with the new authorities, because it involved hampering trade and restricting freedom of speech[1.5].

Situation of the Jews in Goniądz changed drastically after the town was seized by the Germans on 26 June 1941. Then they became the main subjects of repressions of the new occupant[1.1.5]. Already when the German authorities were being established, mass executions were carried out. According to a testimony given after the war, it happened on 6 and 13 July 1941. At that time 59 Jews an 3 Poles were killed, all suspected of collaborating with the communists. Andrzej Żbikowski in his study quotes witnesses who described one of the incidents in the following way: “Balonowski called Perkowski and the police commissioner Potocki, and declared that he was ordered by the Germans to murder all Jews accused of collaboration with the communists and the three arrested Poles. A grave was dug on the cemetery (…) One of the policemen hit first two Jews in the back of their heads with a hammer, crushing their skulls, and those people fell into the pit. (…) Overall, 20 people of different age were then killed, including women”[1.6].

In the northern part of the town, the Germans established a ghetto and placed there about 900-1,300 people[1.1.1]. Guard posts were situated on the entrance and the ghetto was surrounded with barbed wire. It was liquidated on 2 November 1942. All Jews were driven onto the Market Square. The town was tightly surrounded by German troops. Poles were ordered to deliver waggons for transporting Jews. During the transportation 217 people died[1.1.1]. After searching the town, the convoy escorted by the German army headed for Bogusze, where a temporary transit camp with barracks was organized. Those detained there, 7,000 people in total[1.1.1], were selected and sent to different labour camps; some were taken to the Nazi German camp in Auschwitz-Birkenau[1.1.5]. According to The Encyclopedia of Jewish Life Before and During the Holocaust, the final dissolution of the Jews from Goniądz took place only on 3 January 1943, when they were transported to Treblinka[1.1.1].

In May 1944, German military policemen brought to Goniądz two Poles and three Jews hidden by them; all were shot dead there and their bodied were buried in a field. In May 1945, the Poles were exhumed and buried in the local Catholic cemetery[1.7]. After 1945, the local Jewish community have not revived.

Bibliographical note:

• Goniondz, [in:] The Encyclopedia of Jewish Life Before and During the Holocaust, S. Spector, G. Wigoder (eds.), vol. 1, New York (2001), p. 441.
• Goniondz, [in:] Jewrejskaja Encikłopedija, vol. VI, Sankt Pieterburg (1905), p. 682.
• J. Kloza, J. Maroszek, Dzieje Goniądza w 450. rocznicę praw miejskich, Białystok – Goniądz (1997).
• Sefer yizkor Goniadz, J. Ben-Meir (Treshansky) (ed.), Tel Awiw (1960).
• A. Studniarek, Żydzi goniądzcy w okresie międzywojennym, „Białostocczyzna” (2001), vol. 1–2 (61–62).
• Zekher le-hayeha ve-hurbanah shel k.k. Goniadz, N. Artziel (ed.), Ramat Gan (1965).
• A. Żbikowski, Pogromy i mordy ludności żydowskiej w Łomżyńskiem i na Białostocczyźnie latem 1941 roku w świetle relacji ocalałych Żydów i dokumentów sądowych, [in:] Wokół Jedwabnego, P. Machcewicz, K. Persak (eds.), Warszawa (2002), pp. 159–271.