Alternate names: Dzierżoniów [Pol], Reichenbach [Ger], Rychbach [Pol, until 1946], Reichenbach in Schlesien, Reichenbach im Eulengebirge. 50°43' N, 16°39' E, in Lower Silesia, SW Poland, 31 miles SSW of Wrocław (Breslau). 1880 Jewish population: 155. The town is in SW Poland in Lower Silesian Voivodeship and from 1975-1998 was in the former Wałbrzych Voivodeship. The seat of Dzierżoniów County and of Gmina Dzierżoniów but not part of that gmina, the town is a separate urban gmina. 2008 population was 34,396. The landmarked synagogue protected against illegal entry is in bad shape with almost all windows broken and visible water damage on the walls. One of the few Silesian synagogues not burned by the Nazis, preservation stalled as of 2002 because of property disputes. Jews began to settle as early as the 13th century. The Jewish population was expelled about 1,453 but returned in the early 19th century. The Jewish community dates from 1816. At the end of the war in the city ocalało only 17 Jewish families lived there. After the war, Jewish population increased marketly. Among the arrivals were prisoners from "Sportschule"- a branch of the German labor camp, Gross-Rosen, from Polish Central, the Soviet Union and other countries. May 1945 ewish population was 2622. In 1948, when the total number of 24,000 inhabitants Dzierzoniow had 6,224 Jewish inhabitants. The gradual emigration of Jews to Israel and the United States began in the 1950s; now, just a few remain. [April 2009]
REFERENCE: They Lived Among Us: Polish Judaica , a travel brochure: Arline Sachs, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
REFERENCE: Ruth Ellen. Jewish Heritage Travel: A Guide to East-Central Europe . New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1992. p. 25
CEMETERY: photo. The cemetery at ul. Bielawskiej 18 near the junction with Szpitalna Street opened in 1826 or 1846. The synagogue on ul. Krasickiego, was built in 1857. 2002 photos: "Opened in 1825, the cemetery is well cared for. ... Mr. Mojzesz Jakubowicz, a remarkable man, a veteran of the Polish Army and defender of Warsaw in September 1939. Mr. Jakubowicz, now the only Jewish citizen of Dzierzoniów, maintains a rich correspondence with former German residents and their descendents and post-war Jewish residents of Dzierzoniów, who now live in all parts of the world." The fenced, 0.27 hectares Jewish cemetery was established in 1843. About 100 matzevot remain. Currently about 0.4 hectares surrounded by a fence, about 100 graves, some beautiful examples of art cemetery, remain, partly neglected. A preburial house remains. [April 2009]
US Commission No. POCE000507: The US Commission is not finished rechecking this file. [2000]