40 Jewish Merchants Listed - Do Your Recognize The Names?
There are, in modern Klodawa, at least two non-Jewish residents who have sought to preserve what remains of the Jewish history of the town. I will tell you more about Mr. Jan Grzegorzewicz and Dr. Barbara Ganowyk in future posts. They are amazing individual worth their own posts.
When I visted Klodawa in July 2001, they showed me a list they had compiled of 40 Jewish merchants who townsfolk remembered as having had pre-War businesses. No one claims the list is complete, but it is a very important document that exists nowhere else.
I didn't have a photocopy machine, so I photographed the list. It fills one page and part of a second. I'm posting the two photos here. But if they are too hard to read, email me at dean@klodawa.org and I'll email you a larger size jpeg photo of the lists.
If you do locate family members on this list, please let us all know.
When I visted Klodawa in July 2001, they showed me a list they had compiled of 40 Jewish merchants who townsfolk remembered as having had pre-War businesses. No one claims the list is complete, but it is a very important document that exists nowhere else.
I didn't have a photocopy machine, so I photographed the list. It fills one page and part of a second. I'm posting the two photos here. But if they are too hard to read, email me at dean@klodawa.org and I'll email you a larger size jpeg photo of the lists.
If you do locate family members on this list, please let us all know.
#27 in your list of business people APPEARS to be ROJEWSKI, which is also family
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Rojewski was my Great Grandmothers name
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Dean-
#'s 5 & 30: "Przedecki" is my family name. My great-grandfather Sender Przedecki owned a clothing manufacturing company that was very successful, for that time. His address was 10 Rynek. I actually have an original envelope w/ his address on inprinted on it. I'm sure that was very high end for those days. (it contains a letter from my grandfather to my grandmother who was in the States).
#8-"Buks" also in our family. My great-great grandmother was a Buks, and many of her descendants married into the Przedecki family. This is probably someone from that family, although I cannot say for certain.
#20-Rzeszewski--Isn't that YOUR family?
One of my great-Uncle's married Gnendel Rzeszewski--which I recall you telling me was your mother family name?
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My grandmother, on my father's side, who lived and/or was born in Klodawa, was Hannah Eidel Reshewski, who married Hillel Chelminsky, my grandfather.
Enrique Chelminsky, Mexico City
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Enrique, I'm so glad that you found this site. My father's mother was a Reshevsky, from Klodawa. Her family was quite large in the area, so I suspect that Hannah Eldel was related to my grandmother. Can you tell me anything more about Hannah or Hillel? What happened to them? How did you end up in Mexico City? Please share their stories (and photos) with us. DEAN
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Dean-
As I mentioned before, I recognize Przedecki--they're actually listed 3 different times, #'s 5, 30 & 36, also Operchinsky is a relative by marriage, and my family was very close w/ that whole family, and Buks.
In addition, as I have written to you, I have sent a copy of this list to my cousin in New Jersey. He recognizes all the names, and is adding some more of his own. He also is correcting the spelling of the ones already listed. You and I understand how invaluable it is just to have the list--here's someone who will do spellcheck, too!!!--and NOT by comp1uter!
A couple of names he mentioned right off the bat were:
1) NIEHAUS-stationary store. (I didn't ask him, but the other man he and my Uncle escaped Klodawa with was Henyik Niehaus--this was probably his family.)
2) RESYK-grocery store
3) Szechinsky--
4) Dawidowicz--which he mentioned off the top of his head before seeing the list. The name did come appear on your list, as well.
Anxiously awaiting his reply to the list of names. He is working a little at a time, and will return when he's done. Of course, if I can get to New Jersey to visit, we can go over some of these things in person.
Judy M.
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Dean--I don't know what happened to my last comment, and hit a button and it disappeared. Let me know if you got the beginning, and I'll finish it up.
I was about to tell that my cousin tole me the story that my great, great grandfather, Mordchai Przedecki, was supposed to have been even more educated than the RAV--but, did not want that role.
It was the custom of that time, in the early-mid 1800's that the oldest son would not work, but would study the Talmud. Thus, Morchai being the oldest was a scholar. Even after being married and having children, he stayed home and studied while his wife and children worked.
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Dean--
Do you know what the words mean after the names? Ie: "sklep", or "chandel"?
I tried a few on-line translators and they were not listed. I initially thought the words would identify the type of merchant they were. Since I could not find the words when I searched, I'm thinking they are names of the location?? It very well could have been the way I was searching, but I tried a few different sites, and came up empty each time.
Thanks.
Judy
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Our mother, Paula Zysling Kempinski, passed away May, 2007. I only wish we had known about this site before her death. Her father, Boruch Zysling, farmed fish. He is not listed as a merchant. He did sell fish for Passover to the Jews and for Easter to the rest of the population. I am also wondering that our grandmother, Sara Skowronski Zysling, has no family members listed. Joe Francis' cousin provided my mother with a picture of my grandmother when we lived in Passaic, NJ. It was a prize possession of my mother's. It is also interesting to me that Joe Francis did not recognize my mother in the 1945 picture of 24 survivors. I knew Joe, had many window treatments made by him. My mother and I went to his place of business several times. Sara Ross
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Sara and Elaine-
Thank you both so much for writing in. Sara, I will add the information about Zysling busiess to the merchant list, as well as to their information on klodawatributesite. In speaking with my Uncle, he also told me that he thought the Zysling family had a horse and carriage that transported townspeople to the local train station that was about 4 km away.
I did get more into Skorwonski on the other site. There is a photo of Schmael and Michael who were friends and peers of Michael Pizer and Joe Francuz.
Elaine--Thank you for the translation! I actually did end up finding somebody to translate the entire list, and need to post that. Thanks for the reminder! The interesting thing I found, was that the man Pole who provided the information described the Jewish merchants as "Citizens of Moses". I came across that description another time, as well.
I hope this clears some of your questions, and thank you again for writing in. Again, if something is missng, it's probably on the other site. It's a bit redundant to enter the same information on two places, but I can certainly understand how it can be less than clear. We'll work on that!
Judy
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THE FOLLOWING LIST IS A TRANSLATION OF THE ORIGINAL KLODAWA JEWISH MERCHANTS LIST SUPPLIED BY DEAN ROTBART. THE TRANSLATION WAS PROVIDED BY MONIKA SZPERKA.
Citizens of Moses’ faith in Kłodawa, those providing their own services:
1) KREWACKI___ (flour) mill and colonial store.
2) OPOCZYNSKI___store.
3) BAJTEL___ fuel warehouse.
4) HAIM [SENDOWSKI]___ bakery.
5) PRZEDECKI___ tailor.
6) PIASECKI___ shoemaker.
7) MAJOREK___ creamery.
8) BUKS___ beef trade.
9) WIDMAN___ beef trade.
10) WIDMAN___ owned a (flour) mill at Łęczycka St.
11) REZYK___ colonial store and greyhound breeding trade.
12) TABACZYNSKI___ hardware store.
13) TOLBE___ baker.
14) SENDOWSKI___ baker.
15) MARCZAK___store and sale of bicycles and their parts.
16) LANGE___ pastry shop.
17) MARKEWICZ___ creamery.
18) KRYGIER___ repair of bicycles and clocks.
19) JAKSZLOK___ (flour) mill co-owner.
20) RZESZEWSKI___ poultry and eggs’ buyer.
21) PIASKOWSKI___ shoemaker trade.
22) KOLNE___ tailor.
23) GRIN___ carbonated water manufacture.
24) CZONSTKOWSKI___ colonial store.
25) CZONSTKOWSKI___ tombstone manufacture.
26) NOSEK___ tailor.
27) ROJEWSKI___ colonial store.
28) KREL___ baker.
29) SWINKA___ lingerie shop.
30) PRZEDECKI___ tailor.
31) KOLNE___ tailor and quilt maker.
32) DAWIDOWICZ___ bicycle store and gold jewelry trade.
33) RUSAK___ bakery sale.
34) SLAMOWICZ___ purchase of poultry and eggs.
35) JAROCHOWSKI___ beef store.
36) PRZEDECKI___ tablecloth trade.
37) MANAJ___ fuel warehouse.
38) RACHWALSKI___ building timber warehouse.
39) HOLZMAN & NOJMAN___building timber warehouse _? (last word was cut off at the end – it might be somebody’s name or the name of the place).
40) KERBLUM___ school supplies and bookstore.
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Not: 19) JAKSZLOK___ (flour) mill co-owner. correctly: WAKSZTOK
not: chandel. correctly: handel - business, market, shop
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As my mother says in her testimony For Spielberg's Shoah foundation, her father, mine and Sara's grandfather farmed fish for a CHURCH congregation in a pond on CHURCH property. He also kept the books for the firehouse, which was used as a venue for parties and benefits. His main source of income, as my mother explained to me some years ago, was as a wholesale food merchant. He bought farm crops and then sold them to larger concerns, sometimes in bigger cities.
The business seemed to provide his wife and family of four children a comfortable income—sufficient to host nice holidays with extended family. They couldn't have been rich-rich, because my mother's step uncle, Samuel Skowronski spoke disparagingly of his step sister's (my grandmother's) degree of affluence.
Here is my transcription of my mother's remarks about her father's work:
The priest took care of the fire department and there were a lot of parties...to earn money for poor families. My father kept the books [on this money]. He was the treasurer for the fire department.
...I was constantly going to the priest’s house, because when the priest need[ed] certain things, he always ordered through my father. There were a couple of acres of land with the church...[and a big pond]...In April, my father would stock the pond with carp, and then at Christmas he would catch them. Because the Polish people made a big thing for Christmas. So my father used to do fishing under the ice. Which is really— You don‘t see it around here. And then the priest had a lot of ducks and turkeys and my father used to buy [them] from the priest.
Be well,
Elaine
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sklep, store
sklep kolonialny, colonial store....
piekarz, baker
kupiec, tradesman
krawiec, tailor
naprawa, repair
skup, purchasing center (wholesale mart?, broker for something?)
"chandel," my analysis not conclusive, but "ch" does not look like Polish. This looks like a transliteration of a Yiddish word with "ch" as in Chanuka. In Yiddish to chandel means to be in business, to sell, and by (humorous) extension to bargain with a seller when one is a buyer.
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Hi.
My parents (now gone) were from Klodawa
I don't see their last names though.
You also have to remember that (like in my maternal grandmother's case) the men just studied Torah and the women earned a living.
My maternal grandmother Toibe Rifka Bierzwinsky ran a general store
her Husband was named Avrhamam Bierzwinsky
on my father's family they ran a coal selling and taylor shop
my grandparents on his side (who perished in the Holocaust were Eliyahu Avraham Cieplinski or Czieplinski and his wife Hanna
My older brother went looking for family traces last year on a trip to Klodawa but said He found no traces and noone wanted to talk to him when He visited
Menashe Cieplinski
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Hi Menesha-
Thank you so very much for writing in.
I have heard the name Cieplinski many times in my Klodawa research. First, in my own family, great-grandfather's brother was married to Chaya-Brana Ceiplinski from Klodawa. I do not know the details of her family, but I will attempt to get some from my cousins on that side of the family.
Secondly, both my Uncle Michael Pizer, and our cousin Joseph Francuz spoke of a Cieplinkske who ran to the Russian border with them after the Germans invaded Klodawa. I know your note says your family went to Britain around WWI. So, there may have even been a third family.
Yes, you are right about the men studying the Torah. My great-great grandfather did just that, while my great-great grandmother worked to milk cows, as well as other community jobs. I do believe, and I could be wrong, that the Torah studying was mostly left to the oldest son in a family, and so the other brothers/men were shop keepers, tradesmen.
The story of your older brother going back to Klodawa is intersesting, and sad. People who have returned have experienced different reactions--some accepting and helpful, others, like yours, people not helpful, and in addtion, not wanting to even talk or deal with anything that has to do with the extinct Jewish community.
My cousin who is a the great-grandson of Chaya Brana Ceiplinski returned to Klodawa this year. I believe he found the homes of his both his great grandparents. If he can give me the details of the Ceplisnki home, I will be more than happy to pass those on to you.
Thank you again for writing in to the site.
Best Regards.
Judy Muratore
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i live in kłodawa. It is sad, that your brother trip was like that. People in Poland, in kłodawa all the time scared about their property, I think. After war property of jewish gowerment gawe polish people. They scared about , they was rather poor people. And, after 60 yerars of live in komunism, they dont believe, that anything is sure in this country. Im 36 years old. i dont remember jewish comunity, but I feel, that old people in Poland are rather antysemits- but yonger, no.For me its to really,really sad...And sad is, that Yewish cementary in Kłodawa looking like that...I live in Kłodawa about 40 yers, but I didnt knew, where is cementary...Shalom, love is changing this world.
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http://www.message_robosi.com/
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I live in Kłodawa. My grandpa lived in home-bakery, owner was Taube Moszek.That was oryginal in court papers. He lived at Warszawska 60 street, near Rynek.
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One of the names about is Rojewski. I've seen a photograph of an ancestor (from Klodawa), and the photographer is listed as "E. Rojewski, Klodawa."
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I am a descendant of the Rojewski family, a branch that emigrated to the US in the 1880s--Solomon Rogers was my great-grandfather. It's number 28 on the list. What does "sklep kolonialny" mean? Thank you.
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sklep kolonialny - computer's translation articles imported.
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sklep kolonialny - (computer's translation) articles imported.
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Menashe!
Following Cieplinski lived in Klodawa, at Warszawska 8, in 1931:
Abram Alje, tailor, 53 years old,
Hana, wife, 50 years old,
Szmul, tailor, 24 years old,
and
Mojsze, tailor, 22 years old.
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Hi you have described my father's family My father Moishe was the younger of the mal members He did have 3 sisters older than his brother Shmuel I assume they were married and out of the house by then.
Who is "Barbara" that posted this message?
I forwarded it to my brother William
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Menashe-
I had the exact same question, and here is the answer:
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Z Flondrem wiąże się zabawne wspomnienie. Kiedy w domu nie było posprzątane i trudno b yło znaleźć jakąś potrzebną rzecz, Mama mówiła: u mnie jak u Flondra. To powiedzenie było w Kłodawie przysłowiem. Oznacza bałagan. W języku polskim flądra to ryba, ale w przenośni oznacza brudną, nieporządną kobietę. Nazwisko więc jakby odpowiadało charakterowi. Opowiada się też do tej pory tak: Flonder mówi do klienta: styczeń, luty, maj – po co panu korzuch. Chyba więc handlował odzieżą.
(Computer translation) In Klodawa was a merchant Flonder. With he associated with fun memories. When the house was not cleaned up and the yl b hard to find a needed thing, Mama said, like me Flonder. It was a saying in Kłodawa proverb. This means a mess. In Polish, flounder is a fish, but figuratively means dirty, messy, sluttish woman. The name seemed so suited to the nature. Advocates also so far so: Flonder says to the customer: January, February and May - after what you korzuch (coat with a Sheep). So I guess traded clothing.
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