Alternate names: Pszczew [Pol], Betsche [Ger], Betsche-Stadt. 52°28' N, 15°46' E, 50 miles W of Poznań (Posen). Jewish population: 173 (in 1840), 28 (in 1933). Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego (1880-1902), IX, pp. 253-255: "Pszczew". This village located in Lubuskie Voivodship and in 1975-1998 administratively in the Region Gorzowski, 18 km east of Międzyrzecza on Lake Kochle (Pszczewskim), Duży Szarcz Lake, and Mielno (currently wetlands). Normal 0 Jews lived here in the 18th century with the synagogue erected in 1854. In 1840, 173 Jews (12%) lived here, but in 1938 only 28 Jews remained. During WWII, the Nazis deported the Jews to death camps, but by some reports, most survived. The city destroyed the synagogue and cemetery located on the way to Trzciel. Wanda Stróżczyńskiej visited the cemetery in the 1990s and found no gravestones although the Nazis had not destroyed them. Rather, it was abolished in the 1960s by the government. The Pszczew Society of Friends finally managed to find one matzevah in the roots of trees, that of Joseph Posner ben Meir, who died on August 7, 1861, was legible in Hebrew and German. Wanda P. Stróżczyńskiej, members of the Society of Friends, and the mayor set the single gravestone beside a large boulder with a Mogen David as a memorial with the inscription: "The Jewish Cemetery. 1730 - 1939." The unveiling was on October 28, 1995 in the presence of a survivor from Tel-Aviv, Leonhard Deutschkrone. [June 2009]
Cemetery photos [May 2006]
US Commission No. POCE00342
Alternate name: Betsche in German. Pszczew is in Gorzow WLKP at 52º29N 15º47E, 14 km from Miedzyrzecz. The cemetery is located 500 meters out of the town by road to Tczciel. Present population is 1000-5000 with no Jews.
- Town: Urzad Gminy w Pszczewie, mgr. Wladyslaw Chrostowski, region Konserwator Zabytkow, 65-413 Gorzow WLKP ul. Jagielwnczylia 8, tel. 75-295. Panstwowa Sluzba Ochrony Zabytkow Oddziat w Sorzozne WLKP mgr. Jwona Drzewiecka, address as above.
1921 census reported 28 Jews. The Progressive-Reform cemetery was established in the second half of the 18th century. Kowyn, about 10 km away, also used the isolated rural flat land. Access is open to all by turning directly off the public road. The size before and after WWII is.13 ha. 1-20 stones, none in original location with less than 25% toppled or broken, date from 1810 (5570)-19th century. The sandstone, flat, with carved relief decoration have German insciptions. The municipality owns property used as Jewish cemetery. Properties adjacent are agricultural. Rarely, local residents visit. The site was vandalized during World War II. No maintenance. Erosion and vandalism are moderate threats. Vegetation is a slight threat.
Henryk Grecki, 70-534 Szcrecin, ul. Soltysia 3/13, tel. 377-41 completed survey August 14, 1991 without a site visit.
[UPDATE] Photos by Charles Burns [April 2016]