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Town histories
Częstochowa was formed by the merging of Częstochowa village (in back of the Jasna Góra) and old Częstochowa, which lies by the river Varta. Old Częstochowa already existed in 1377. In 1502, King Alexander, on the basis of the Magdeburg Law, gave Częstochowa the rights of a city. Both parts of the city developed separately and continued to grow territorially and gradually neared each other. In 1826, the two parts were united and became one city. In 1867, Częstochowa became the county capitol. Jews were originally not allowed to live in the city of Częstochowa. When did Jews begin living in Częstochowa? It is said that a Jew once received a house in Częstochowa in exchange for a loan of 100 thaler in about 1655. A more certain date, however, is that the Jewish community in Częstochowa came into existence by about 1700. In 1765, there were 51 Jewish families living in Częstochowa. By 1821, half of the 3000 inhabitants in the old city were Jews and all but three houses in the old marketplace belonged to Jews. Jews significantly participated in the industrialization of significantly in the 19th century. Also, because of its size, the city served as one of the cultural capitals of Jewish Poland.
The German military marched into Częstochowa on Sunday, 3 September 1939, two days after they invaded Poland. The very next day, atrocities were committed against the Jewish inhabitants. On that day, which became known as Bloody Monday, some 150 persons were shot on the streets of Częstochowa. Soon after, many decrees were made against Jews. These included their expulsion from the better areas of the city (to be "relocated" to a designated Jewish area), the confiscation of radios on September 16, and the wearing of a Jewish star in December. In addition, Jews were kidnapped off the streets for forced labor. 
As in all of the Jewish ghettos, a Judenrat (Jewish Council) was instituted by the Nazis in Częstochowa to carry out Nazi orders.
On 23 April 1940, a ghetto for Jews was created. Under the threat of execution, Jews were no longer allowed to leave the ghetto, nor use the train or have business dealings with Catholic Poles. Large numbers of Jewish refugees also came to Częstochowa from nearby areas and other cities so that there were some 58,000 Jews in the ghetto. All were crammed into an area which was later called the Large Ghetto. Because of overcrowding, poor sanitary conditions, and lack of adequate food and heat, hundreds died from epidemics.
The Workers' Council was a notable and unique institution in Częstochowa, formed by members of the Zionist Labor movement. On 12 May 1940, the Workers' Council organized a hunger strike against the Judenrat because they felt it was unfairly treating forced laborers (who were generally the poorest persons). A march was organized and the Judenrat offices were occupied by the workers who refused to leave until their demands of better working conditions were met. The strike was successful and working conditions were improved. The Workers' Council was also active in creating charitable institutions to help those in need. With the mass deportations in September and October 1942, the Council ceased to exist. The remaining members then formed themselves into the Jewish Fighting Organization, which conducted guerrilla raids against Germans in Częstochowa and the surrounding area. When the Germans began the liquidation of the Small Ghetto, the organization attempted a revolt which was put down.
From 22 September 1942 (one day after Yom Kippur) until 4 October 1942, some 40,000 Jews were deported to the death camp Treblinka in five waves. 
This was accompanied by mass shootings of those who did not cooperate. The remaining Jews were forced into a smaller area which became known as the Small Ghetto. Many of those remaining, mostly young men and women, were slave laborers in four munitions plants: Hasag Peltzery, Hasag Rakov, Varta, and Tshenstokhovyanka. The Small Ghetto was liquidated 26-30 June 1943 and 1500 Jews were deported or killed, including those who participated in an armed uprising against the Nazis. Those who worked in the slave labor camps remained behind. With the approach of the Russian army, 1,200 Jews were deported to Germany in December 1944. The men went to Buchenwald concentration camp and the women went to Ravensbruck. An additional 5800 were deported to Germany on 15-16 January 1945. On 17 January 1945, the Soviet army took Częstochowa and freed the remaining 5200 Jews who were imprisoned there. In April and May 1945, the American, British, and Soviet armies freed Częstochowa Jews in Bergen-Belsen, Tirkhayt, Buchenwald, and Ravensbruck. In all, some 50,000 Jews who were in Częstochowa during the war were murdered by the Nazis and their helpers, while about 8200 Jews survived.
For further information on Częstochowa, be sure to examine these very valuable web pages:
• Translations from the Częstochowa Yizkor Jews of Czestochowa and the Supplement
• An excellent guide to the Częstochowa Jewish Cemetery
• Humboldt University's material on Częstochowa history
Radomsko existed at least as early as the 11th century, and was one of the oldest settlements in Poland. But Jews were not permitted to live in Radomsko until approximately 1780. Instead, beginning in the 16th century, they lived in the nearby village of Bugay. By 1808, a small Jewish settlement was established in Radomsko. In 1827, 21% of the town's population was Jewish (369 Jewish inhabitants out of a total population of 1,792). Just before World War II, the Jewish population had reached approximately 10,000 out of 25,000 inhabitants (40% of the total population). The Jews of Radomsko were a vibrant part of the city, establishing religious, commercial, educational, social, and philanthropic organizations and institutions. The Nazi-German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 marked the beginning of the annihilation of most of Radomsko's Jewish population. In June of 1943, the Nazis declared Radomsko "Judenrein" ("free of Jews").
For more information about the Jews of Radomsko, 
please visit these web pages:
• Translations from the Radomsko Yizkor Book
• A web page broadly covering Jewish Radomsko
Pławno, just a few minutes from Radomsko, also had quite a large Jewish population. The fate of the Jews of Pławno was sealed in 1942:
22 January 1942
It is impossible to create a residential quarter for Jews (Ghetto) within the local district because there are 460 Jews in the district of Pławno, and the Pławno borough itself is too small to lodge that amount in a body. Moreover, the farmers residing here could not be removed from their dwellings and farm buildings.
[In German: Es ist unmöglich innerhalb der hiesigen Gemeinde ein Judenwohnviertel (Ghetto) zu schaffen, weil die Gem. Pławno 460 Juden zählt und die Ortschaft Pławno is selbst zu klein, um in ihr diese Menge zusammen unterbringen zu können. Überdies könnten die hier wohnhaften Landwirte nicht von ihren Wohnhäusern und Wirtschaftsgebäuden ausgeschieden werden.]It would only be practicable to resettle the Jews from here to Ghetto in Radomsko.
[In German: Möglich wäre nur die Sache die Juden von hier aus nach Ghetto in Radomsko umzusiedeln.]Mayor of Pławno district [stamp]
[In German: Bürgermeister der Gem. Pławno]Signed Karl Rusche [stamp]
[In German: gez. Karl Rusche (stamp)]
19 September 1942
The resettlement of the Jews of Pławno to the jewish residential quarter of the Pławno borough has to take place on 22 September 1942, until [sic] 6 o'clock p.m. The Jews must take all things and machines with them. The police take charge of the dwellings. No Jew must be present in the borough past the 22th.
[In German: Die Umsiedlung der Juden aus Pławno in den jüdischen Wohnbezirk der Stadt Radomsko hat am 22. September 1942 zu erfolgen bis 18.00 Uhr. Die Juden haben sämtliche Sachen und Geräte mitzunehmen. Die Wohnungen werden von der Gendarmerie in Verwahr genommen. Nach dem 22. darf sich kein Jude mehr in der Ortschaft aufhalten.]
Janów
(southeast of Częstochowa)
[The information below was provided by the Mayor of Janów in December 2001. After translation and heavy editing, this history may be a little rough. It should not be considered authorative.]
1153 AD: First written mention of Złoty Potok as a developed metallurgical area. The village of Złoty Potok belongs to the Odrowąż family.
1669: Count Jan Aleksander Koniecpolski orders the clearing of forests surrounding Złoty Potok and Ponik villages, in order to establish a town.
1670: Janów is founded by Count Jan Aleksander Koniecpolski. The village is named Janów from the founder's name Jan.
1696: Janów becomes a town.
1709: The first wooden Catholic church is funded in Janów.
1765: The census of the Jewish population in the province of Kraków (which was made in Janów and Częstochowa) lists 623 Jews in both cities, about half living in Janów.
1789: Janów consists of 279 citizens (113 houses).
1791: The general census indicates 446 persons live in Janów—primarily Jews. Janów includs 110 houses. After 1791 and the fall of Poland, Janów becomes a part of Russia.
1799: Jews from Częstochowa are buried in the cemetery in Janów.
1863 (6 July 1863): During the insurrection against Russia a squad (about 200 persons) of Colonel Zygmunt Chmielinski attacks and destroys Russian forces that are stationed in Janów and intercept a transport of the tsar's gold. Three days later, Colonel Ernroth (commandant of Częstochowa) comes to Janów with his squad, and burns down the entire town. Some of citizens of Janów are killed and their bodies are thrown into a well which is located in the center of the city. Ernroth attacks Chmielinski's forces (near the village of Smiertny Dab) but Chmielinski is able to withdraw without losses.
[Note: This should explain why the L.D.S. microfilms include no records for Janów before 1863. The Janów 1884 (Akt 23) re-registration of the Janów 1863 birth of Aba Abraham Englender includes this statement by his father Fiszel Englender: "This year (1884), my son Aba Abraham has become a part of the list of draftees of Tchernogorod's Administrative District. On the basis of Article 45 of the Code of Laws of the Military Service he is subject to be drafted on the basis of the general law. He may be eligible for an exemption which was not recognized since he was unable to present a birth certificate—this because of the fire in the hamlet of Janów in June 1863 which destroyed the birth and death certificates of the non-Christian population and because the duplicates of these certificates were destroyed at the former Zarec District Court in 1870. Therefore, my son was unable to present his birth certificate. In order to determine his age, therefore, the present document (birth certificate) was made."]
1870: As a punishment for helping in the insurrection, the town of Janów (as per the tsar's order) loses its town status.
1878: Against the tsar's orders, a new church is founded in Janów, to replace the one burned in 1863.
1900: The population of Janów is 1447, mostly Jews. Janów includes a synagogue, Jewish cemetery, and school.
1906: The famous tenor Jan Kiepura goes to school in Złoty Potok. His parents work in a bakery in Janów.
1914: Janów burns down for a second time, this time during World War I.
1933: Janów's population is 1076, mostly Jews; it has 194 houses.
1939 (1-3 September): Heavy battles against the Nazis occur in and near Janów.
1944 (9 November): During an ambush (near the rock "Brama Twardowskeigo") Polish guerrilla forces kill Julian Schubert, the so-called "Bloody Julek," commandant of Żarki. The attack is well planned and executed. During World War II, guerrilla forces are active in the areas near Janów.
| | | | |1975: Janów becomes a "commune."
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Please contact:
Daniel Kazez dkazez@sbcglobal.net
President of the Czestochowa-Radomsko Area Research Group
Professor of Music, Wittenberg University, Springfield, Ohio USA
Site last updated 25 May 2008. Search engine designed by Ben Kazez.