Alternate names: Przasnysz [Pol], Proshnits, פּרושניץ [Yid], Pshasnysh, Пшасныш [Rus], Praschnitz [Ger], Prashnitz, Proshnitz, Prostnetz, Przashysz, Pshasnish.53°02' N, 20°53' E, 54 miles N of Warszawa, 29 miles W of Ostrołęka. 1900 Jewish population: 3,554. Yizkor: Sefer zikaron kehilat Proshnits, (Tel Aviv, 1974). This powiat is a unit of territorial administration and local government in Masovian Voivodeship, east-central Poland since January 1, 1999 with its administrative seat and largest town in Przasnysz, 90 km (56 mi) north of Warsaw. The only other town in the county is Chorzele, 26 km (16 mi) N of Przasnysz. The powiat 2006 total population was 52,948 with 17,069 in Przasnysz is 17,069 and 3,278 in Chorzele. [June 2009]
KehilaLink [Oct 2-13]
CEMETERY: memorial. On Leszno St and established in 17th century, about 20 matzevot are visible in the 1.2 ha cemetery. In 1986, a lapidarium was built. photos. [June 2009]
US Commission No. POCE00043
Przasnysz is located in the region of Ostroleckie at 53º02 20º53, 23 km from Makow Mazowiecki, 25 km from Ciechanow, 32 km from Mlawa, 27 km from Chorzele, and 109 km from Warszawa. Present town population is 5,000-25,000 with no Jews.
- Town: Mayor Henryk Napiorkowski, Urzad Miejski, 5 Zymierskiego Street, 06-300 Przasnysz, tel. 27-09.
- Regional: Ewa Kawalek, Wojewodzki Konserwator Zabytkow, Panstwowa Sluzba Ochrony Zabytkow, odolz. Wojewodzki W Ostrolece Street Pilsudskiego 38, 07-400, Ostroleka, tel. 66-829.
- Interested: Towarzystwo Przyaciok Ziemi Przasnyskiej, Przasnysz, 1 Maja Street, and the Museum Historyczne Przasnysz, 1 Maja Street.
The earliest known Jewish community was 16th century. 1931 Jewish population was 2,207. The Orthodox, Conservative, and Progressive/Reform Jewish cemetery was established in the 17th century. The last known Jewish burial was 1939-1940. The isolated suburban hillside by water has a sign/plaque in Polish and Hebrew mentioning Jews. No wall, fence, or gate surround. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. The size of the cemetery before W.W.II was approximately 1.5 hectares; it is 1.2 hectares now. 20 to 100 gravestones, none in original location and less than 25% toppled or broken, date from second half of the 19th century- 20th century. The granite and sandstone rough stones or boulders, flat shaped stones, finely smoothed and inscribed stones, or flat stones with carved relief decorations have Hebrew and Yiddish inscriptions. The cemetery contains special memorial monuments to Holocaust victims, but no known mass graves. Municipality owns site used for recreation and industrial or commercial purposes. Properties adjacent are industrial/commercial, agricultural, and residential. Compared to 1939, the cemetery boundaries enclose a smaller area due to commercial/industrial development. Frequently, organized Jewish group tours or pilgrimage groups, organized individual tours, private Jewish and non-Jewish visitors, or local residents visit. The cemetery was vandalized during W.W.II, but not in the last ten years. In 1986, Towarzystwo Przyjaciol Ziemi Przasnyskiej did re-erected and cleaned stones, patched broken stones, and cleared vegetation. Government pays for occasional clearing or cleaning. There are no structures. Vandalism was the only threat, but it was destroyed during WWII.
Wojciech Henrykowski, 06-200 Makow Maz, ul. Spoldzielcza 20 visited the site on August 20, 1991 and completed survey August 25, 1991. Photographic documentation of the tombstones was used (Panstwowa Sluzba Ochrony Zabytkow Ostroieka.
The cemetery was completely decimated by the Germans during WWII. All tombstones were removed and used as paving blocks. However, the Przasnysz Friendship Society, a group of local Polish citizens, at their own expense, erected a large memorial consisting of two large tablets on the site of the former Jewish cemetery. One tablet is inscribed in Hebrew, while the other is inscribed in Polish. The identical message reads "In Memory of Those Who Lived Among Us". Mortared to the lower section of these large tablets are reclaimed tombstones. About twenty other reclaimed tombstones are situated around the monument. This 700 square foot plot is carefully maintained by the Przasnysz Friendship Society. Source: Leonard Markowitz; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [date?]