Alternate names: Lubawa [Pol], Löbau [Ger], Löbau in Westpreußen, Löbau an der Welle, Loebau. 53°30' N, 19°45' E, 73 miles SE of Gdańsk (Danzig), 66 miles N of Płock. Jewish population: 553 (in 1880). Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego (1880-1902), p. 384-392:
"Lubawa" is a town in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship is located in Iława County on the Sandela River, some 18 km SE of Iława. While bishops governed Chełm, Jewish settlement in Lubawa was prohibited. In the mid-18th century, one Jewish family received permission to trade. When Lubawa began part of Prussia, Jews could settle. According to documents in the State Archives in Gdansk, in 1788 a Jew lived and owned a pharmacy in the nearby village of Fijewo. 116 Jews lived in Lubawa in 1792. The synagogue was built in 1847, but a house of prayer and a private school had existed since 1833. In 1867, 532 Jews lived there and in 1910 out of 4,451, the Jews numbered 211. Lubawa had two Jewish cemeteries. The older one was established as early as the end of the 18h century on Fijewskiej Górce, a hill between between Lubawa and Fijewem, the current ul. Polnej. The cemetery surrounded with a wall with an iron gate, in 1892 had fifty graves; an iron fence surrounded three. Today, the cemetery is difficult to find. Examination on April 24 and 27, 2007 revealed seven visible gravestones including five made of granite. Unfortunately, only three are still in situ: one is broken and two have fallen with inscription side down. The very simple gravestones have Hebrew inscriptions only and no decoration. Signs of damage done in September 1939 by the Nazi troops remain. In the years following liberation, the wall surrounding the 0.2 hectare cemetery was demolished. The new Jewish cemetery in Lubawa by the road to Dąbrówko (current ul. Kupnera) was established in April 1860. Initially, the 0.15 hectares were purchased for 300 marks. In 1869, its area was extended. The beautiful gravestones have Hebrew and German inscriptions. Today, the cemetery is completely inaccessible due to houses and business premises on the site. Photos. [May 2009]
Encyclopedia of Jewish Communities: Poland [Nov 2011]
LUBAWA: (I) US Commission No. POCE000262
Alternate German name: Loebau. The town is in Olsztynslue at 53º30 19º45, 72 km from Olsztyn. The old cemetery is by the road to Omulew, on Fijewskie Hill. Present population is 5,000-25,000 with no Jews.
- Town: Urzad (Office) Miasta i Gminy (Local) Fijewo, 13-320 Lubawa, tel. 152-612.
- Regional: Urzad Wojewodzki (Province) w Olsztynu, Wydrial Gospodarki Terenovej, ul. J. Pilsudskiego 7/9, tel. 232-276, 10-959 Olsztyn. Mgr. inz Elzbieta Szyguta-Zielinska, tel. 33-29-22, ul. Switezianki 6/3, 10-435 Olsztyn.
- Interested: Panistwova Stuzba Ochrony Zabytkov, Ocldriat w. Olsztyuni, ul Podwale 1, tel 27-21-36. Mgr. Wiktor Knercer, Oddziat w Olsztyni, ul. Podvale tel. 27-21-36, 10-076 Olsztyn.
The earliest known Jewish community was the second half of the 18th century. 1931 Jewish population was 38. The unlandmarked old Progressive/Reform cemetery was established at the beginning of the 19th century with last known Jewish burial 1939. The isolated suburban hillside has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all with no wall, fence, or gate. The approximate size of the cemetery both before World War II and now is 0.17 ha. No stones are visible. There are no known mass graves. The cemetery property is now used for recreation and is visited rarely. The cemetery was vandalized during World War II.
Wiktor Knercer, 10-685 Olsztyn, ul. Bareza 33m 16 tel. 33-86-07 completed survey in November 1991 using documentation from Gustav Liiek, Stadt Lubau in Westpreuben-1892.
LUBAWA (II): US Commission No.
The unlandmarked "new" Orthodox and Progressive/Reform cemetery is located by the main road to Dabrowno. The last known burial in this cemetery was 1939. The isolated suburban flat land has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all, with no wall, fence or gate. Both before and after World War II, the cemetery size was 0.15 ha. No stones are visible. Used for recreation, the cemetery visited rarely. The cemetery was vandalized during World War II. No additional information given. Survey information same as Lubawa (I).