Chronology of Jewish Kolno


Date
Event
Source
1795 3rd partition of Poland. Kolno becomes part of Prussia. 6
17 Apr 1797 Surnames required for all Jews in South & New East Prussia. Many families escape name assignment. 6
Jul 1807 Napoleon defeats Prussia. Peace Treaty of Tilsit establishes Grand Duchy of Warsaw. All Polish territories acquired by Prussia in 1793 & 1795 pass to Russia. 4, 6
1808 98 Jews out of a total population of 1100 2
3 May 1815 Congress of Vienna creates Kingdom of Poland under Russian control. 4, 6
27 Mar 1821 Governor of Kingdom of Poland proclaims Jews must assume surnames. 6
1827 784 Jews out of a total population of 2083 2
1843 Jewish hereditary surnames required in the Kingdom of Poland. 6
1857 2084 Jews out of a total population of 3350 2
1863 Rabbi Dov Aaron ben Moshe Joseph Breizman born in Kolno. 5
1889 Rabbi Moshe Joseph Breizman, Rosh Yeshivah, dies. 5
1897 2763 Jews out of a total population of 4876 2
1900 Jewish illiteracy 0%, non-Jewish approximately 80% 5
World War I
1915 Kolno occupied by German troops 4
11 Nov 1918 German Army evacuates Kingdom of Poland territory. 4
14 Nov 1918 Kingdom of Poland territory given to new Polish Republic from Russia. 4
Between the Wars
1918 No Jewish professionals in Kolno. Moses Goldberg is the only Jew from Kolno in secondary school. His father Samuel, who is self-taught, is the only licensed advocate in Kolno. 5
After 1918 Jewish illiteracy 0%, non-Jewish approximately 30% 5
28 Jun 1919 Treaty of Versailles. 4
1922 Government secondary school, Kolno Gynasium, opens. 5
mid 1920's Hashomer Hatzair Zionist youth movement opens branch 5
1921 2216 Jews out of a total population of 4494 1,2
1927 Polish government closes Kolno Gymnasium - majority of students were Jewish. 5
1928 Electricity comes to Kolno. Only used for lighting. 5
1932 Fire destroys town center including both synagogues, Talmud Torah building, & the library. 5
1939 Approximately 100 Jewish academicians & professionals. 5
World War II
Sep 1939 Occupied by the USSR. 4
Sun 22 Jun 1941 
1:30 PM
Germans attack USSR. Kolno bombed. German parachutists occupy all strategic points around Kolno. Germans occupy Kolno. 5
15 Jul 1941 First Action : Germans take all Jewish men 16 & above towards Kolimagi. Mass grave in forest on way to Zabiela. 5
18 Jul 1941 Second Action : Parents and wives of men in first action taken. Mass grave in Meshchevoya near Stavisk. 5
Late Jul 1941 Third Action : Jewish women taken to Meshchevoya. Men taken to Kolimagi. Rabbi Kaplan was among them. About 90 Jews remain in Kolno. 5
Early Aug 1941 Remaining Jewish women taken to Meshchevoya. Men taken to Kolimagi. Kolno is Judenrein. 5
8 May 1945 World War II ends in Europe. 4
Post-World War II
1960 Only remnants of Jewish life : ruined cemetery & shell of the House of Prayer. 5

Sources :

  1. Mokotoff, Gary and Sallyann Sack. Where Once We Walked. Avotaynu; Bergenfeld, N.J.
  2. Danuta Dabrowska, Abraham Wein, & Aharon Weiss, eds. Pinkas Hakehillot (Encyclopedia of Jewish Communities) : Poland - Vol. 2 Eastern Galicia. Yad VaShem; Jerusalem : 1980. Pages 158 - 160.
  3. Gottleib, Scholom N. Ohole-Schem. Pinsk: 1912.
  4. Davies, Norman. G-d's Playground. A History of Poland. Vol. 2 Columbia Univ. Press; New York : 1982.
  5. Remba, Isaac and Benjamin Halevy. Sefer zikaron li-kehilat Kolnah. Irgun yotsey Kolnah; Tel Aviv : 1971.
  6. Beider, Alexander. A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames From the Kingdom of Poland. Avotaynu; Bergenfeld, N.J.: 1996.

(Link to JewishGen Home Page)    (Link to ShtetLinks Home Page)
(Return to main page)
 
Copyright © 1999 David Sotkowitz and Nathan Apkon, all rights reserved