Rabbis & Roshim Mesivta in Kraków

The following data has been extracted from The Jewish Encyclopedia, Volume IV, "Cracow," pages 325-331 (published in 1902?):

(Data extracted by Ben Weinstock)

Rabbis and Roshim Mesivta:

R. Jacob POLLAK (d.1532).
R. Perez (from Bohemia).
R. Asher.
R. Moses Storch.
R. Isiah Menachem ben Isaac: first Av Beth Din from 1591-1599.
His successor was R. Meshulum Phoebus (Feivish) of Brest; was in Krakow from 1605; died 1617.
R. Moses ISSERLES (d.1572).
The brother -in-law of ISSERLES was R. Joseph ben Mordechai Gershon Kohen (died 1591).
Eliezer ASHKENAZI (d.1586).
Isaac ben David SHAPIRA died 1582).
R. Mordechai SINGER (died 1576).
R. Joel (stepson of R. Joseph ben Mordechai Gershon Kohen).
R. Eliezer TREVES.
R. Meir ben Gedaliah.
R. Moses Mordechai MARGOLIOT.
Natan ben Solomon SHAPIRO was Rosh Mesivta from 1617-1633.
He was succeeded by R. Joshua HESCHEL ben Joseph of Vilna (died 1648) .
The community rabbi at the time was R. Joel ben Samuel SIRKES (died 1640).
R. Yom Tov Lipman HELLER succeeded him and was also Rosh Mesivta; died 1654.
He was succeeded by R. Joshua HESCHEL ben Saul of Lublin (died 1664).
He was succeeded by R. Aryeh Leib ben Zachariah (died 1671).
He was succeeded by R. Samuel Kaidanover of Vilna (died 1676).
He was succeeded by R. R. Isaac Harif LANDAU of Opatow (died 1683).
He was succeeded by R. Aron TEOMIM (chosen in 1687, but did not arrive until 1690; but he died 4 months later).
There was no regular community rabbi for 10 years, but R. Saul KATZENELLENBOGEN of Pinczow attended to some duties.
Sometime between 1693-1700, R. Jehudah Leib, son of R. David ben Samuel ("Ture Zahav") of Lemberg, was chosen; he either died or left for Brest.
R. Saul, son of R. HESCHEL, succeeded him. R. Saul died in 1707.
There was a vacancy for 7 years.
The next rabbi was R. Jehudah Leib ben Isaac of Shidlov; he came to Krakow 1714. He died sometime between 1730 and 1732.
He was succeeded by his son R. David Samuel Schmelka (died 1741).
He was succeeded by R. Isaac Joseph TEOMIM; he left in 1745 to Breslau to succeed his father.
There was a vacancy for 9 years.
In 1754 R. Isaac LANDAU of Zolkiev was chosen; he died in 1767.
He was succeeded by R. Aryeh Leib ben Samuel of Tarnow; died 1776.
He was succeeded by R. Isaac ha-Levi of Lemberg; died 1799.
He was succeeded by R. Moses Solomon of Warsaw (or Brody?). formerly rabbi of Koretz. He preached only one sermon in Krakow and left for Warsaw, where he stayed until his death in 1815. During this time he retained his title as Rabbi of Krakow.
R. Zev David, son of R. Isaac ha-Levi, was acting rabbi until 1815 (while R. Moses Solomon was in Warsaw); upon the death of R. Moses Solomon, he was given the full title of Rabbi of Krakow. He died in December 1831.
He was succeeded by R. Berish MEISELS, who was rabbi of Krakow until 1856, when he went to Warsaw. However, during this time the Chassidim considered R. Saul LANDAU as the rabbi of the community. Upon his death R. Alexander LANDAU was chosen rabbi, but he died a few weeks later.
R. Simon SCHREIBER, son of R. Moses SOFER, was chosen in 1858. He remained rabbi of the community until his death on March 26, 1883.
From that time there were too many factions and no one rabbi was chosen. However, R. Chaim Nathan DEMBITZER was acting rabbi until his death in 1892 (he had a brother R. Jacob Moses DEMBITZER, who died in 1863).

Scholars and other leaders:

The kahal was abolished in 1815; but until then, the community was ruled by:

4 elected roshim (heads)
5 tovim ("best" or "chosen")
14 kahal men
3 auditors

Some of those who served: R. Abraham Israel HENDELS, who died in 1660, was a kahal leader for over 50 years; physicians: Isaac; Samuel; Solomon KALAHORA (died 1597).

Dayanim or Roshim Yeshivot:

R. Isaac ha-Kohen of Kremenetz (the father -in- law of R. Meir of Lublin).
R. Joshua Kohen; Rosh Beth Din for over 30 years; died in 1631.
R. Jehudah Selkil (son-in-law of R. Joel SIRKES).
R Berechiah SHAPIRO
R. Hirsch ha-Kohen
R. Mordechai KRASNIK (mid 1600s).

Scribes:

R. Matathia DELACRUT (early 1600s)
R. Isaac ben Hanoch (1660)
R. Jehuda Leib KALISCHEV (1738)

Community leaders, circa 1900:

The Jewish community of Krakow circa 1900 had a population of 25,000, ruled by a "Cultusrath" of 30 members, among whom were:

Dr. Leon HOROWITZ, President
Hirsch LANDAU, vice-president
Sigmund PELICAN, secretary
Ch. L. HOROWITZ, acting rabbi
Pinchas DEMBITZER
Joseph LEDERBERGER
Kalman GUTWIRTH
Abraham Moses RAPPAPORT
Samuel LANDAU
Moses LANDAU
Dr. THON
Dr. Arnold RAPPAPORT

Rabbis and Roshim Mesivta in Kraków