Alternate names: Pobiedziska [Pol], Pudewitz [Ger]. 52°28' N, 17°18' E, 14 miles ENE of Poznań (Posen). Jewish population: 84 (in 1880). Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego (1880-1902), VIII, pp. 340-42: "Pobiedziska". Gmina Pobiedziska is an urban-rural administrative district in Poznań powiat in Greater Poland Voivodeship, in west-central Poland with its seat is the town of Pobiedziska, 27 km (17 mi) NEof the regional capital Poznań. The gmina 2006 total population was 16,382 (town Pobiedziska: 8,329). Apart from the town of Pobiedziska, the gmina contains the villages and settlements of Bednary, Biskupice, Bociniec, Borowo-Młyn, Bugaj, Czachurki, Główna, Gołunin, Góra, Jankowo, Jerzykowo, Jerzyn, Kocanowo, Kociałkowa Górka, Kołata, Kowalskie, Krześlice, Łagiewniki, Latalice, Podarzewo, Polska Wieś, Pomarzanowice, Promno, Pruszewiec, Stara Górka, Stęszewko, Tuczno, Uzarzewo-Huby, Wagowo, Węglewo, Wójtostwo, Wronczyn, Zbierkowo and Złotniczki. The first Jewish settlers arrived at the end of the 17th century and started inns, stores and dress shops at the market square. No trace of the red brick, Neo-Gothic synagogue remains because after 1918, the Jews started to leave the village for America, Germany, and Palestine. The last Jew died in 1935; two years later Poles tore down the closed synagogue. [June 2009]
CEMETERY: photo. In the old district of Poznan at ul 22 Stycznia at the foot of the nunnery of the Sisters of Sacre-Coeur, the cemetery was established in the 18th century. The now well-maintained, fenced area holds 24 19th century gravestones. Matzevot are two types: sarcophagi and simple gravestones with a stylized form of traditional pillar crowned by a full arc and topped with straight or flattened pyramid. In the cemetery is a monument shaped as an antique temple. Inscriptions are both in the Hebrew and German. The oldest nun remembers how the Nazis demolished the wall surrounding the cemetery using the German settlers to take the gravestones. Locals, who stole the matzevot for a bridge to the lake, did the rest of the damage to the cemetery after the war. Young people played among them. A few matzevot are in the Catholic cemetery reused for other burials. Someone diving in lake Dobra found a marble matzevot fragment. Later a gravestones was found with Hebrew inscriptions. Under the supervision of Krzysztof Robakowski, chairman of the Society of Divers and Rescuers "Podwodniak", divers found gravestones dating from the 18th century. Robakowski informed the Jewish community in Poznan of the find and searched for other matzevot. Local villagers showed where other tombstones were located. Dvers found and brought out over twenty matzevot so far. . Formal re-opening of the cemetery took place on July 22, 2002 attended by local authorities, residents of Pobiedziska, rabbis from Warsaw and Lodz, Catholic representatives, Archbishop Stanislaw Gądeckiego, and Israeli ambassador Shevach Weiss. Photos. Photos. [June 2009]
US Commission No. POCE000436
(Alternate name: Pudewitz in German) Pobiedziska is located in the province of Poznaiskie at 52º2817º18, 28 km from Pozania. The cemetery is located at 22 Stycznia Street. Present town population is 5,000-25,000 with no Jews.
- Local: Urzad Miasta I Gminy Pobiedziska, ul. Shierciewskiego 5, tel. 164.
- Regional: Wojewodzki Konserwator Zabytkow, 61-716 Poznan, ul. Kosciuszki 93, tel. 696464.
1921 Jewish population was 24, 0.7%. Conservative and Progressive/Reform Jews used the cemetery, about 0.5 km away from the congregation. The isolated suburban area by water has no sign or marker. A broken masonry wall without gate surrounds it. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. 1-20 gravestones, some not in original location with less than 25% toppled or broken, date from 1831. The tombstones are made of granite and are rough stones or boulders with inscriptions in Hebrew. The cemetery contains no known mass graves. Municipality owns site. and is used for animal grazing. The cemetery is located opposite the church cloister. Compared to 1939, its boundaries enclose the same area. It was vandalized during W.W.II. No maintenance. There are very serious security, weather erosion, pollution, and vandalism threats. Vegetation is a seasonal problem, preventing access.
Pwiewski Stascomi, Poznan, ul. Prybyszevoskiego 97/4 completed survey in August 1991 and visited the cemetery in 1990. A 1940 German map was used.