Alternate names: Maków Mazowiecki [Pol], Makov, מאקאוו-מאזאוויעצק [Yid], Makuv-Mazovyetzki, Макув-Мазовецки [Rus], Mackein (1939-1945) [Ger], Makov Mazovyetsk, Makova, Makovi. 52°52' N, 21°06' E, 43 miles N of Warszawa, 46 miles WSW of Łomża. 1900 Jewish population: 4,448. Yizkors: Sefer zikaron le-kehilat Makow-Mazowiecki (Tel Aviv, 1969) and Dzieje społeczności żydowskiej: powiatów Pułtusk i Maków Mazowiecki (Warsaw, 1993).This town in Masovian Voivodship is the powiat capital of Maków Powiat with a population of 10,850.
The town obtained its charter in 1421. Jewish settlement began in 1507. Hyman G. Rickover, admiral in the US Navy, was born here in 1900. The Jewish community, numbering about 90% [other sources say 50%] of the 5,000-6,000 population before 1939 was murdered during the Nazi occupation. A counter-attack by the Red Army in January 1945 destroyed 90% of the town's buildings. At the Green Market area and ul. Franciszkańskiej ghetto, 2000 Jews were densely packed, sometimes with three families in one room. Only three wells were opened once a day for a short time. Hygienic conditions worsened on December 8, 1941 when Jews from the surroundings area *Chorzeli, Mławy and Przasnyszawere) were added. The poor and the Jewish police were put in the synagogue, split to have 4-5 persons per one square meter. Medical attention existed, but lacked medicine and a laboratory. In November 1942, the Jews were forced to leave the city for Mlawa, where in December 1942 over a thousand went directly to Auschwitz gas chambers. The synagogue building and the mikvah remained. Two cemeteries that existed in Makow Mazowiecki both were destroyed by the Nazis, who used the gravestones for roads and pavements. Jewish history. photos. Jewish history. 19th century gravestones and a memorial-lapidarium exist in the cemetery. (Burial societies in NY and NJ.) [June 2009]
The synagogue was destroyed and now is an empty lot. Other Jewish communal bldgs have been put to other uses. Source: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [May 2012]
Old Cemetery: Located between the streets and Adamowską Przasnyska, its founding date is unknown, but mentioned in the "General Protocol of Diocese of PłockVisits" in 1781. This cemetery functioned to about 1870. Under the PRL, the old cemetery became a bus station. In 1987, in cooperation with local Wojciech Henrykowskiego, descendants of Mazowski Jews recovered gravestones from the station and built a memorial monument. [June 2009]
New Cemetery: Created in 1870, the cemetery is located at ul. Ciechanowskiej has no visible gravestones. In 1884, the Jews were forced to relocate their cemetery; they chose the site of an old cemetery outside the city and received additional land from from a Christian family that had donated the land. In the 1930's, the donor's heir claimed that the land was no longer available for rent and demanded its return. The dispute went to courtand to an appeals court where the descendants of the donors lost. Gravestones were used to build a lapidarium from gravestones from Jewish cemeteries in nearby towns. [June 2009]
MAKOW MAZOWIECKI: (I) and (II) US Commission No. 000048 and 000049 The US Commission is not furnished the rechecked files. [2000]