From the beginning of its existence, Przysucha had a multi-ethnic population. Initially, the most visible group were Germans, who had been brought to the area to manage Przysucha’s mining and metallurgical industry. Poles and Jews appeared in the town in the early 18^th century. Each group lived in its own district.

The development of the Jewish population led to the establishment of an official community. At the end of the 1770s, a synagogue was built in Przysucha. At the turn of the 19^th century, the town became an important Hasidic centre associated with Yaakov Yitzchak ben Asher (1766-1814), known as the Holy Jew of Przysucha, the most prominent student of the Seer of Lublin. In his teachings, the tzaddik of Przysucha emphasised the study of the Torah combined with prayer; it was a doctrine similar to the teachings of Shneur Zalman from Lady, hence the Holy Jew is sometimes called the creator of the “Polish version of Chabad Hasidism”[1.1]. Formally, Yaakov Yitzchak ben Asher’s heir was his son Yerachmiel, but most of the Hasidim of Przysucha recognised the authority of Asher’s disciple Simcha Bunim (1765–1827), who emphasised the importance of meditation and fought against exaggerated displays of Hasidic spirituality[1.2]. One of Simcha Bunim’s disciples was Yitzchak Meir Alter, founder of the extremely influential Hasidic dynasty of Góra Kalwaria (Ger). Another well-known figure of the Hasidic world, Menachem Mendel Morgenstern from Kock, a student of both the Holy Jew and Simcha Bunim, was also associated with the Przysucha Hasidim.

After the collapse of the local metallurgical industry, trade and craft began to play an increasingly important role in the development of the town. This led to further development of the Jewish community, which specialised in these sectors of the economy, especially in the trade in locally produced metal and leather goods[1.3]. In the 19^th century, Jews were the fastest growing group of residents of Przysucha. At the end of the 19^th century, they constituted 75% of the town’s population. The scale of the community’s growth is reflected in the rise in the number of Jews living in the town – from 1,658 Jewish resident in 1827 to 2,168 in 1897, according to that year’s census[1.1.3].

After Poland regained independence, the Jewish population in Przysucha still constituted the majority of residents, living mainly off trade and crafts. Jewish political life developed all around free Poland, with Zionist groups and the Bund being particularly active. In local government bodies, Jews were mainly represented by professional associations. Over time, competition from Polish shops and craft workshops increased. Anti-Semitic incidents grew more and more prevalent. In the final years of the Second Polish Republic, ca. 2,500 Jews lived in Przysucha[1.1.3].

Germans entered Przysucha on 8 September 1939. A ghetto was established in 1941 or at the beginning of 1942. It housed 2,500 local Jews and nearly 1,500 people from other towns (including 108 Jewish families from Przytyk and people displaced from the areas converted into a German training ground). Taking into consideration the density of its population, the living conditions in the ghetto were very difficult. In the summer of 1942, Germans murdered all members of the Judenrat and the Jewish police. All Jews from the ghetto were transported to the death camp in Treblinka on 27 and 31 October 1942[1.1.3].

Bibliography:

• “Przysucha,” [in] The Encyclopedia of Jewish Life Before and During the Holocaust, eds. Sh. Spector, G. Wigoder, vol. II, New York 2001, pp. 1036–1037.