Alternate names: Skwierzyna [Pol], Schwerin [Ger], Schwerin an der Warthe [Ger], Skwirzyna. 52°36' N, 15°30' E, 63 miles WNW of Poznań (Posen). Jewish population: 640 (in 1871), 80 (in 1933). Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego (1880-1902), X, pp. 748-754: "Skwirzyna".
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Skwierzyna is a town with 10,339 inhabitants in 2005 in Lubusz Voivodeship, western Poland between the town of Międzyrzecz and the city of Gorzów Wielkopolski at the confluence of the rivers Obra and Warta. Until 1793, the town was part of the Kingdom of Poland, then Kingdom of Prussia, then in 1919, according to the Treaty of Versailles, the town was left in a small, most western part of Greater Poland that did not return to the recreated Polish state and predominantly Ethnic German until the end of WWII when the German population was expelled and replaced by Poles who had been expelled or left Ukraine and Lithuania. This area is a particularly green part of Poland, heavily forested with numerous lakes. [July 2009]
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Jews lived in the town of Skwierzyna since the 14th century. Located along an important trade route was probably the primary attraction, which encouraged many Jews and Germans to settle. By the end of the 18th century Jews accounted for more than 30% of Skwierzyna's population in this, one of the largest and most influential in the Poznan region. Skwierzyna's Jewish population in the western part of the town with a synagogue included prominent people like Professor Gassel Simon ben Israel, Eliakim ha-Kohen Schwerin Goetz, David Mayer, and Jacob Cohn. Jewish population began to decrease at the end of the 19th century due to difficult economic conditions, assimilation, movement to larger cities, and immigration overseas until in 1936, on 44 Jews remained and were killed in the Holocaust. [July 2009]
CEMETERY: The sadly neglected 2+ hectare Jewish cemetery situated on what is known as Jewish Hill (Judenberg) on Mickiewicza St, a difficult to access site on a high hill with steep sides and heavily wooded, contains several hundred graves and over 200 mostly sandstone gravestones. The oldest visible tomb dates from 1747. Many carved symbols and Hebrew and German inscriptions are evident.Some of the gravestones have either been removed or damaged. In November 2003, the cemetery was vandalized with 19 matzevot were overturned and anti-Semitic graffiti painted. The investigation was discontinued because the vandals were not found. Photos. Gravestone photos. Photos. [Jully 2009]
US Commission No. POCE000343
Alternate German name: Schwerin. The town is located at 52º36' 15º31' in GORZOW Wlkp. region, 20 km from Mieozyrzecz. Cemetery: ul. Mickiewierz. Present town population is 5,000-25,000 with no Jews.
- Local: Urzad Miasta I Gminy w Skwierzynie and mgr. Wladyslaw Chrostowski, Wojewodzki Konserwator Zabytkow, 65-413 Gorzow Wlkp., ul. Jagielloniczyka 8, tel. 75-295.
- Regional: Panstwowa Slurba Ochrony Zabytkow Oddriat w Gorzowie Wlkp, mgr. Jwowa Drzewiecka at above address.
1921 Jewish population was 200. The Progressive/Reform Jewish cemetery was established in the beginning of the 18th century. Murzynowo, about 6 km away, also used this unlandmarked cemetery. The suburban crown of a hill, separate but near other cemeteries, 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 pre-and post-WWII cemetery size is about 1.8 ha. 20-100 stones, some in original location with 25 to 50% toppled or broken, date from the 1832-20th centuries. The marble or sandstone rough/boulder tombstones, flat-shaped stones, flat-shaped stones with carved relief decoration, double tombstones, and finely smoothed and inscribed stones have Hebrew and/or German inscriptions. The municipality owns the property used for Jewish cemetery. Adjacent property is the communal cemetery and agriculture. Rarely, local residents visit. It was vandalized during WWII. No maintenance, care, or structures. Vegetation overgrowth in the cemetery is a constant problem, disturbing graves. Security, weather erosion, and vandalism are a moderate threat.
Henryk Grecki, 70-534 Szczecin, ul. Soltysia 3/13, tel. 377-41 completed survey on 14 Aug 1991 and visited the site on 31 July 1991.
BOOK: Author: Lewin, Isaac, collector. Title: Lewin collection, [ca. 1200]-1942, [ca. 1700]-1942 (bulk) Description: ca. 22.5 linear ft. Notes: Contains variety of records of Jewish communities in Central and Eastern Europe especially in Posen, Silesia and other German-speaking areas, including pinkasim (record books) of communities and societies, memorial books with lists of deaths, ..., cemetery registers, society statutes, synagogue seat records, and other documents of communities at ... Schwerin, [Skwierzyna] 1819-1869; ... Location: Yeshiva University. Special Collections. Rare Books and Manuscripts, New York, NY. Control No.: NYYH88-A76 [December 2000]