To a large extent, Dąbrowa Białostocka's development was due to the Jews there who were engaged in trade and other activities. There were more Jews in the Podlasie region than in any other region in the country. The first mention of Jews living in Dąbrowa dates back to the early 18th century. By then a Jewish Community Council already existed in the town, responsible to the Jewish Community Council in Grodno.
In 1806, Jews constituted more than half of Dąbrowa's population and, eighty years later, that figure was 85%. Jewish people mainly settled around the market square. Economic, religious and cultural life flourished there. Jewish households dominated around the town's main streets: Kościuszki Square, ul.Szkolniej, ul.Kamieńskiej and ul.3 Maja. Two brick synagogues and several prayer houses were built in Dąbrowa. In 1874, a brick synagogue was erected by the river, but it was destroyed during World War II. A ritual bathhouse was located north of the market square, by the river bank.
In 1921, 1,218 Jews lived within the municipality of Dąbrowa Białostocka which had a total population of just over 3,000 people. However, Jews made up 90% of the population of the town itself. Just prior to World War II, a little less than 1,200 Jews lived there[[ref:|Dąbrowa Białostocka (aka Dąbrowa Grodzieńska), [in:] Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1939–1945, vol. II, Ghettos in German-Occupied Eastern Europe, ed. P. Megargee, M. Dean, Bloomington 2012, p. 880.]].
In September 1939, the Germans occupied the town for less than two weeks, eventually giving way to another invader – the Red Army. They returned to Dąbrowa at the end of June 1941 and, within the first few days of their return, they had aready accused Jews of murdering a German officer and set fire to the town. Many Jews were killed in the fire and some fled to the neighbouring towns of Nowy Dwór, Sokółka and Suchowola. After a week, around 300-600 of them returned home. In the beginning of July, the Germans murdered 27 young men who had been supposedly sent to forced labour[[ref:|Dąbrowa Białostocka (aka Dąbrowa Grodzieńska), [in:] Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1939–1945, vol. II, Ghettos in German-Occupied Eastern Europe, ed. P. Megargee, M. Dean, Bloomington 2012, p. 880.]].
The ghetto was probably established in September 1941. Many Jews were forced to settle in the basements of houses which had been previously burnt out. Came the winter, and the Germans closed off the ghetto, reducing its area to two buildings which were fit for habitation. Jews kept in the ghetto were forced to work, mainly on the widening of the road from Sokółka to Janów Podlaski. Liquidation of the ghetto took place on 2nd November 1942. The Jews, who remained alive, were forced to march to the transit camp in Kiełbasin (28 kilometres from Dąbrowa). Those who could not keep up with the pace were shot on the spot. Later, the Jews of Dąbrowa were transported to the death camp at Treblinka. Only one person survived, namely Sonia Grabińska-Lewkowicz, who was employed in the camp laundry to wash and iron the uniforms of the Ukrainian guards. She is also the only woman who survived the armed uprising that took place in Treblinka in August 1943[[ref:|Dąbrowa Białostocka (aka Dąbrowa Grodzieńska), [in:] Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1939–1945, vol. II, Ghettos in German-Occupied Eastern Europe, ed. P. Megargee, M. Dean, Bloomington 2012, p. 880.]].
Bibliography
- Dąbrowa Białostocka (aka Dąbrowa Grodzieńska), [in:] Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1939–1945, vol. II, Ghettos in German-Occupied Eastern Europe, ed. P. Megargee, M. Dean, Bloomington 2012, p. 880.