54°01' N 20°05' E, 127.7 miles NNW of Warszawa. This town in Ostróda County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship with 2,685 inhabitants in 2004. Apart from the town of Miłakowo, Gmina Miłakowo contains the villages and settlements of Bieniasze, Boguchwały, Gilginie, Głodówko, Gudniki, Henrykowo, Kłodzin, Klugajny, Książnik, Miejski Dwór, Mysłaki, Naryjski Młyn, Niegławki, Nowe Mieczysławy, Pityny, Pojezierce, Polkajny, Ponary, Raciszewo, Roje, Różnowo, Rycerzewo, Sąglewo, Stare Bolity, Trokajny, Warkałki, Warkały, Warny and Wojciechy. T Normal 0 he first documentation of Jews in Milówka is a record of the founding meeting of the Fire Department Straży Ochotniczej on August 27, 1889, which lists two local Jewish merchants: Sigmund Silberstein as deputy chief and Straży Samuel Silberstein as treasurer. In that period, Jewish settlement increased with the opening of the railway line Zywiec - Zwardon in 1884 in the town and surroundings: Kamesznicę, Juszczynę, Żabnicę, Nieledwie and a few other nearby towns. By the end of the 19th century, the Jews had their own cemetery, ritual slaughterhouse, and synagogue located near the bridge on the Sole, present-day ul. Grunwaldzkia. The majority of Milówka were well-educated. Among them were doctors (Roosenvelt, Erna Silbertein), lawyers (Clare Salamon, Szteier ). 90% of interwar trade and crafts was in the Jewish. They also ran inns (eg Kaufman, Goldberg, Faber, Volcano), which functioned as social centers at that time. These inns became the foundation of today's tourism in the region. In the interwar period, about 240 Jews (>10%) lived there. The Jews were well assimilated, but still anti-Semitic appeared. In 1938, shops belonging to Jews were trashed and property stolen. German troops occupied in 1939. Those Jews who failed to immigrate were deported to ghettos in Silesia and then to Auschwitz-Birkenau. After the war, not one Jew returned. [June 2009]
CEMETERY: The rectangular 0.5 hectare cemetery was established about 1891 in the northern part of the village on the way to Kamesznicy on the slope to the left of the bridge on the Sole. The oldest preserved tombstone (from the 1892) is that of Sarah Brechner. Matzevot are granite, limestone and sandstone with inscriptions in Hebrew, German, Yiddish and Polish. Most matzevot was destroyed during WWII. In the 1990s, Mr. Salton (son of Bernard Salomon from the United States started work to clean the cemetery. Today a brick wall with a metal gate with Mogen Davids and menorahs surrounds the cemetery. About a hundred whole and twenty broken gravestones exist. Not all are in their original location. In the center of the cemetery is a granite monument with the inscription: "Jews Memorial Milówki, Rajczy, Kamesznicy, Bl Solomon P. Bernard, Son of Milówki Citizen". Mrs. Maria Jurasz residing at Jana Casimir 102 (about two hundred meters from the building of municipality) holds the keys. Ms. Jurasz maintains the cemetery, continuing the work of her grandfather and father, who worked as a gravedigger. [June 2009]
US Commission No. POCE000645
(Alternate name: Liebstadt in German) Milakowo is located in Olsztynskie at 20º05 54º01, 66 km from Olsztyn. Cemetery location: ul. Kaszubska (section at the Roman Catholic cemetery). Present town population is 1.000-5,000 without Jews.
- Town: Urzad Gminy, ul. Daszynsluego 8, 14-310 Milakowo, tel. 28.
- Regional: Urzad Wojewodzki w Olsztynie, Wychial Gospodarki Tevenowej, ul. Pilsudskiego 7/9, 10-959 Olsztyn, tel. 232-276. Panstwowa Sluzba Ochrony, Zabytkow Oddzial w Olsztynie, ul. Pidwak 1, 10-076 Olsztyn, tel. 27-21-36. mgr. inz. Elzbieta Szygala Zielinska, ul. Switezicinki 6/3, tel. 33-29-22; Urzad Wojewodrlu, Wyduat Gospodaolu Tererasey; tel. 232- 276; and mgr. Wiletov G?revcer, Panstoova Stiba Ochrovy Zabytkow, Odduat w Olsztyuie, tel. 97-91-36.
The earliest known Jewish community was 1849 (131 people). 1937 Jewish population was 6. The landmarked Orthodox and Progressive/Reform Jewish cemetery was established in 19th century with last burial in late 1930's. The suburban flat land, part of a municipal cemetery, has no sign or marker. Reached by turning off a public road, access is open to all without wall or gate. The size of the cemetery before WWII and now is 0.15 hectare. 1-20 tombstones in the cemetery, all in original locations with less than 25% toppled or broken, date from 19th-20th century. The marble, sandstone, and other flat stones with carved relief decoration have Hebrew and German inscriptions. No mass graves. The municipality owns property used for a Jewish cemetery only. Properties adjacent are residential. Private visitors stop rarely. Local authorities re-erected stones and cleared vegetation in 1989 with occasional clearing and cleaning since. There are no structures or threats.
Wiktor Knercer, 10-685 Olsztyn, ul. Barcza 33 m 16, tel. 33-86-07 completed survey Nov 1991. Documentation: Frederichs Seutsches Stadbuch...Stuttgart, 1939. Urzad Gminy was interviewed.