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Establishing the Jewish Community in Lodz, Poland
Lodz went from 11 Jews in 1793 to 259 by 1820 -
Restrictions on Jews
Restrictions were eased on the Jewish population but they had to assimilate -
Limitations Lifted
the Czar of Russia lifted limitations on Jewish settlement but many chose to stay in the Jewish quarter (Alstadt) -
Population Growth
By 1897, Lodz has a population of 99,000 Jews. -
Zionism
Spread to Lodz in the early 1900s. It was a revival of the Hebrew language and culture. -
The "Manchester of Poland"
By 1914 there were 175 factories owned by Jews in Lodz; including I.K. Poznanski who owned the largest plant in Europe -
Devastation of Lodz during WWI
Lodz was devastated during WWI and Jewish Industrialists were not given money to rebuild. -
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Interwar Years
In spite of anti-Jewish policies, Jews in Lodz continued to make progress; trade unions formed and Socialist movements like Bund and Po' alae Zion thrived. -
First Democratic Elections for a Jewish Council
The Jewish community maintained a thriving council, a mikva, a soup kitchen, a bikur holim (visiting the sick) society, schools, and a kosher slaughterhouse. -
Diverse Educational Network
The community had Yeshivas & schools teaching Polish and Yiddish. The Yiddish school for boys opened in 1918 and the school for girls opened in 1924. -
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Antisemitism
Attacks in 1933, 1934, & 1935 -
German Army Enters Lodz
Force Jews to leave and enter other cities. -
Lodz Ghetto
200,000 are forced to live here. Factories in the ghetto generated $14 million profit for the Germans during the war. Political and social groups met secretly to discuss ideology and organize demonstrations. -
"Bloody Tuesday"
Germans organized a pogrom to drive the Jews out of the ghetto.
