Alternate names: Aleksandrów Łódzki [Pol], Aleksander [Yid], Aleskandrów, Aleksandrova, Aleksandor. Russian: Александрув-Лодзинский. אלכסנדר ע"י לודז-Hebrew. 51°49' N, 19°18' E, 9 miles WNW of Łódź, 5 miles SW of Zgierz. Jewish presence dates from 1818. 1900 Jewish population: 1,673. 1921 Jewish population: 2635 (31.9%). Yizkor: Aleksander (a. y. Lodz) (Tel Aviv, 1968). Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego (1880-1902), I, p. 27: "Aleksandrów" #1. First under the Lutomiersk kahal, but an independent Jewish community from 1830. A lot of knitting companies were founded in the late 19th century and early 20th century leading to Aleksandrow being called the birthplace of the Polish stocking industry and also gained the nickname "Sock-city" among the citizens. This trade still dominates their economy. Aleksandrów was a town of three cultures and three religions: Protestant German knitters, Hasidic Jews in trade and Catholic Poles mainly craftsmen and factory workers. Until 1945, the wealthiest and most numerous group were Germans. In WWII, the ghetto set up from 1940-June 1942. Next, the Jews were deported to the Głowno ghetto, then Chełmno on Ner - June 1942. The synagogue was destroyed in 1942. photo of town in 1939. program in Polish. [March 2009]
CEMETERY: Address: Górna Str. Dating from 1822, forty gravestones are visible. No Holocaust memorial exists. Jewish settlement began inthe nineteenth century with an independent Jewish community established in 1822. Jews were about 30% of the population and before the outbreak of WWII, about 3,500 and one of the most important centers of Chasidism in Poland (Danzigerów). Aleksandrów Jews were deported to ghettos in other cities and from there to death camps. Almost all died. The destroyed cemetery on Upper Górnej Street was established in Aleksandrowie in 1822 and is the resting place of local rabbis and tzaddikim:
- - Enoch Henich Aleksandrów Kohen, rabbi of the Aleksandrowie and Neuhaus from 1866, leader of the Chasidic of Mount Calvary, and author of a work issued posthumously, entitled Haszawa le-Tor
- - Jechiel Danziger, Died in 1894. The son of Szlagi Fajwla Grojec Danziger, founder of Hassidic dynasty.
- - Jeremiach Izrael Izaak z Aleksandrowa (died 1910),son of Jehiel. Student of Menahem Mendel of Warki and co-work "Jiszmach Jisrael".
- - Samuel Cwi Aleksandrów Danziger, son of Jehiel, died in 1923.
- - Becalel Jair from Łodzi
- - Jair Becalel from Lodz, Poland, the son of Jehiel, tzaddik mainly in nearby Lodz, popular folk preacher, co-work "Jiszmach Jisrael". [March 2009]
US Commission No. 000656: No information.