Alternate names: Zduńska Wola [Pol], Zdunske Volye, זדונסקעוואליע [Yid], Zdun'ska-Volya, Здуньска-Воля [Rus], Freihaus [Ger, 1943-45], Dinskivola, Zdunska Vola, Zdunska Volye. 51°36' N, 18°56' E, 25 miles WSW of Łódź, 8 miles E of Sieradz. 1900 Jewish population: 7,257. Yizkors: Pinkas ha-kehilot; entsiklopediya shel ha-yishuvim le-min hivasdam ve-ad le-aher shoat milhemet ha-olam ha-sheniya: Poland vol. 1: The communities of Lodz and its region (Jerusalem, 1976) and Zdunska Wola (Tel Aviv, 1968). JOWBR burial list: Jewish Cemetery. This town in central Poland with 44,671 inhabitants in 2004 in Łódź Voivodeship since 1999 and previously in Sieradz Voivodeship (1975-1998) is the seat of Zduńska Wola County. We Remember Jewish Zdunska Wola! [July 2009]
"Poland: A Lost Culture, Found Online": "...For 11 years, Kamila Klauzinska has cared for the Jewish cemetery by her home in Zdunska Wola, in central Poland, on a volunteer basis. A doctoral student in Jewish history at Krakow's Jagiellonian University, she has painstakingly identified every grave...She leads cemetery tours for school groups and has helped create a local organization to host cultural activities, such as an essay contest on the Jewish history of Zdunska Wola or a celebration of its Jewish community's founding. ... She is one of the many non-Jewish administrators in Poland for an online effort launched in June called the Virtual Shtetl." [August 2009]
US Commission No. POCE000679
The town is located in Sieradz region at 51º 36' 18º 56', 50 km from Lodz. Cemetery is located on Kacza St. Present town population is 25,000-100,000 with no Jews.
- Local: Urzad Miejski, ul. PKWN 12, 98-220 Zdunska Wola, tel. 41 61.
- Regional: Wojewodzki Konserwator Zabytkow, ul. Kosciuzcki 3, 98-200 Sieradz, tel. 849-3815. Urzad Wojewodski w Sieradz, Plac Wojewodzki 3; 98-200 Sieradz, tel. 849-71666.
- Interested: Zydowski Instytut Historyczny w Polsce, ul. Tlomackie 315; 00-090 Warszawa; tel. 27-92-21.
The earliest known Jewish community was 19th century. 1921 Jewish population was 7885 (47.6%). Jewish cemetery was established in 19th century with last known Orthodox, Conservative or Progressive Jewish burial in1942. The isolated urban flat land has a broken masonry wall and non-locking gate. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. The size of the cemetery before World War II and now is about 2.0 ha. 100-500 gravestones, all in original location with 25 to 50% toppled or broken,. Stones date from 1843 (?) -20th century. Location of removed stones is known but unreported. The cemetery is not divided into special sections. The granite, limestone and sandstone finely smoothed and inscribed stones or flat stones with carved relief decoration have Hebrew, Yiddish, and Polish inscriptions. Some have traces of painting on their surfaces. The cemetery is slightly smaller than it was before World War II. [Sic] There are no known mass graves. The municipality owns property is used only as a Jewish cemetery. Adjacent property is commercial/industrial, agricultural and residential. Occasionally, organized Jewish tour group, organized individual tours, private visitors and local residents visit stop. The cemetery was vandalized during World War II, but not in the last 10 years. There has been no maintenance. Serious threats include security and vandalism. There are also moderate threats from weather erosion, pollution, vegetation, incompatible existing development and proposed development.
Adam Penkalla, deceased, completed survey in Nov. 1992. He used private documentation, visited the site, and conducted interviews (details not given).
Cemetery information and information. [October 2000] and photos [2007].
(ZDOOYN-skah VAW-lah") In 1806, four Jewish families resided here: Abram Wroclawski, Berek Potocki, Mordka Dajcz and Hilel Bergman. Z-W belonged to the gmina (district) [commune] of Wlask. Shortly, a rapid development of industry began, attracting many Jews. From 1826, an independent commune existed with a wooden synagogue. In 1828, a burial fraternity Chevra Kadisa formed its own cemetery. In 1858, a brick synagogue was constructed. The first Rabbi was Lewi Cybis. During the period between the two World Wars, two Hebrew schools, three Jewish bank cooperatives, a magnificent Kahal building (housing the commune administration and a Talmud-Tora school) existed. In 1939, about 10,000 Jews were among the city's population of 25,000. The synagogue, built next to the railroad station in 1858, is presently a warehouse. The cemetery, founded in 1828, is in Kacza ["Duck"] Street and has an area of 2 hectares. Surrounded by a brick wall, about 400 tombstones were preserved, the oldest dating from 1844. The caretaker is Mrs. Barcz of Z-W. Source: Dan Kij (pron. "Key"); This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Burchard's book is useful, but full of errors and omissions. Also, much of the information is out of date, as he used (without permission) notes by Jagielski from the seventies and eighties. Nonetheless, I often consult the book as a check; and he has information on monuments that we do not. (US Commission) Source: Samuel Gruber This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [date?]