Metadata: Jawor (Jauer) town records
Collection
- Country:
- Poland
- Holding institution (official language):
- Archiwum Państwowe we Wrocławiu Oddział w Legnicy
- Postal address:
- al. Marszałka J. Piłsudskiego 1 59-220 Legnica
- Phone number:
- 4876 856 34 78
- Web address:
- https://www.ap.wroc.pl/legnica/kontakt
- Email:
- legnic@ap.wroc.pl
- Reference number:
- 85/2
- Title:
- Jawor (Jauer) town records
- Title (official language):
- Akta miasta Jawora
- Creator/accumulator:
- Administrative authorities, town records and municipal administration
- Date(s):
- 1326/1944
- Language:
- German
- Extent:
- 60.50 mb, 1790 folders
- Type of material:
- Textual material
- Physical condition:
- Good
- Scope and content:
-
In the Middle Ages, Jews were mentioned in Jauer/Jawor as early as the 14th century. In 1364, a synagogue was mentioned. A ban on Jewish settlement was mentioned in 1420, but a permanent privilege “de judaeis non tolerandis” was not enforced until after 1453. Temporary visits by individual Jews were permitted in the 18th century. Resettlement began only after 1812 and the issuance of the emancipation edict by Prussia, and subsequent settlement was relatively small: in 1812 - 10 Jews; 1840 - 55 Jews; 1850 - 109 Jews; 1858 - 106 Jews; 1890 - 99 Jews; 1933 – 72 Jews; 1939 - 17; 1947 – 300; and there are no Jewish residents currently. A cemetery was established in the town (in the first half of the 19th century), and prayer services were held in rented rooms. After World War II, the community was temporarily revived due to the influx of Polish Jews, but they were nearly all gone by the 1950s.
Judaica are few and scattered, the vast majority dating from the 19th and 20th centuries. The most interesting are:
ref. no. 392 - Annehmung der Bürger; 1750 - 1847 - Acceptance of the citizens
ref. no. 394 - Erteilung der Bürgerrechts; 1820 – 1860; including: (pagination only on sheets with writing on them) the document is dated 30th November 1820 on p. 46 – “Aus Acvisition des hiesigen Burgerrechts hat sich […] […] 3/ der jüdische Handelsmann und bereits Staatsbürger Meyer Kaufmann aus Frankfurth a/O um Betriebung von Handelsgeschäften gemeldet und um Ertheilung desselben Ansuchung gethan. Da von Seiten unseren Vorhaben nichts zu entgegen ist, so ersuchen wir Eure Wohlöbl. Stadtverordneten Versammlung ergebenst den diesfälligen Beschluß über die Bürgerrechts Annahmen uns gefälligst zukommen zu laßen. Jauer den … - Regarding the acquisition of the local civil right the Jewish tradesman and citizen Meyer Kaufmann from Frankfurt/Oder has registered and requested permission to conduct commercial trade. Since there is nothing to oppose this from our side, we request the Very Honourable assembly of city councillors to confirm the resolution about the acquisition of civil rights. Jauer, [date missing]; the document is dated 31 Juli 1821 on page 72; […] 6/ der mosaische Glaubensgenosse und Handelsmann Samuel Abraham Fraustadt aus Liegnitz ; on page 202 An einen Wohlöblichen Magistrat hieselbst. in Verfolg einer mündlichen Vortrags In unseren heutigen Versammlung wird ein Wohllöblichen Magistrat hiermit ergebenst erteilet, die Gebrüder Guhrauer zum Bürger werden ..(?)zu halten jeden beide selbstständigen Geschäfte treiben; auch eine strengere Beaufsichtigung der beiden; Jauer den 7ten August 1848 die Stadtverordneten B. Mayer…
ref. no. 395 - Namentliches Verzeichniss der In Jauer zugegangenen Personen; 1861–1896 - a list of the names of the inhabitants of Jawor, including Jewish residents
ref. no. 400 - Juden Toleranz; 1752 – 1778 – documents relating to special laws that permitted certain Jews to reside in Jawor; including: p. 1, 1v 3 K. Pr.- Glogausche Kriegs und Domainen Cammer an dem Magistrat in Jauer, (dated) Glogau den 19. Januarii 1742 (original.) – “Dem Magistrat zu Jauer wird hiemit aufgegeben, auf das genauste und nach dem besten Wissen und Gewißen, wegen der daselbst bestendilichen Juden über die beÿkommende Fragen die zuverleßige Auskunft binnen 8. Tagen a die recepti … einsenden… - Glogau War and Interior Office to the Magistrate in Jauer, dated Glogau 19 January 1742. – The Magistrate in Jauer is hereby instructed, precisely and to the best of their knowledge, to give reliable answers to the enclosed questions about the Jews in this location, to be sent within eight days of receipt; on sheets 5-18 printed material entitled: „Reglament, wie es mit dem Tolerantz-Wesen In Ansehung der Juden Und derer von denselben an die Königl. Cassen abzugebenden Scutz-Gelder und andern Gebühren im Erb-Herzogthum Schlesien, exclusive der beyden Städte Breßlau und Glogau gehalten werden soll. De Dato Potsdam den 2. Decembr, 1751. Breslau, bey Johann Jacob Korn” - Regulation regarding the tolerance of Jews and the protection and other fees to be paid by them to the royal accounts in the archduchy of Silesia, with the exception of the cities of Breslau and Glogau. Dated Potsdam, 2 December 1751. Breslau, [? printed] by Johan Jacob Korn -- an interesting print that regulates the manner in which Jews were treated in such Silesian towns as, for example, Jawor. Various details and procedures for behavior in different circumstances were provided, including standards for keeping statistics, writing tables for reports, etc.; on card 36 - a letter issued in Glogau on January 10, 1762 - notification that the king issued to the Jews Ephraim and his sons and Daniel Itzig and his descendants the right to acquire all real estate and lifting all professional restrictions; therefore, the required letter was sent to the military and domestic offices to send them further down the administrative later, which was done, and they sent to the Jawor Excise Office; p. 88 ProMemoria Morbach, a document issued in Jawor on 17 December 1766 - mentions that two Jews (Famulit. Juden) named Abraham Salomon and Tobias Feibel have been living here for 6 years, they deal in money and trade, which the municipal authorities are aware of, not to mention the fact that it is not tolerated that any Jews should live in Jawor and these “Famulitz Personen” should have a special passport issued in the place where their patrons come from, and they should identify themselves with such. But with the Jews living here, it is not possible to enforce these regulations and impose penalties or remove them.
ref. no. 401 - Juden Toleranz; 1778 - 1818 - continuation of documentation on special laws allowing certain Jews to reside in Jawor; here, for example: pp. 182-183 - From Legnica, they request that they be sent tabular information Jews residing in Jawor. Dated Liegnitz 12 Maärz 1812 - Response on March 13, 1812 about: Nehemias Löhenstein with his wife Carolina, their 4 sons and 2 daughters, and one Jewish servant girl; second person named Joseph Tobias, single; pp. 200, 201 - after a warning from Legnica (October 9, 1812) that they should send quarterly information about the number of Jews living in Jawor, the magistrate replies (Jawor, October 26, 1812) that it sent a table similar to the previous one, and 1 tutor was added to the servants; Pp. 235 et seq. - about the arrival of the next Schlesinger family
ref. no. 402 - Nachweisung über die Juden und .... Schulbesuch der jüdischen Kinder; 1827 - 1859 - documentation on compulsory education for Jewish children; here, among others: p. 69 a list of families in Jawor with the number of boys and girls of school age in each of them in 1855.
ref. no. 403 - Bevölkerungs-Listen der jüdischen Gemeinde zu Jauer, ingleich Nachweisung über die bei benannter Gemeinde vorgekommenen Zwillings- und Drillings-Geburten - Population lists of the Jewish community in Jauer, including documentation of the births of twins and triplets in the above-mentioned community 1832 - [1864]; here, among others: p. 1 K. Regierung (Liegnitz). Abtheilung des Innern Hackendorf (?) To (Magistrat in Jauer, (dated) Liegnitz den 18ten October 1832 - “Der Magistrat enthält anliegend ein neues Formular zu der alljährigenden Bevolkerungs Liste der dortigen mosaischen Glaubensgennossen 18 auch den fünfünfj - The magistrate receives attached a new form for the annual population list of members of the mosaic faith in this location. Liegnitz, den 18ten October 1832.
ref. no. 404 - Juden in Jauer; 1853 - [1936]
ref. no. 405 - Begräbnisplatz der Juden; 1816 - [1932] - Jewish cemetery in Jawor
- Archival history:
- The materials included in the collection were created and collected by the municipal administration. The "Jawor town records" collection in its present shape was established after World War II. The original town records were taken over by the County State Archives in Legnica. The collection was catalogued into book inventories (without access to the collection) by Eugeniusz Kobzdaj and entered into the IZA database in 2005 by Roman Stelmach. It is made up of 1790 archival units from 1326-1944 (books and records) and parchment documents.
- Administrative/biographical history:
-
Jawor is a town on the Chojnowska Plain, on the Nysa Szalona River (right tributary of the Kaczawa River) that has 23,000 inhabitants (2017). Magdeburg law granted municipal rights around 1242, although it had existed as a Slavic settlement earlier. From 1278, Jawor was the capital of an independent principality, under the rule of the Świdnica-Jawor Piasts, which granted the town a number of economic privileges that contributed to its development. After the death of prince Bolek II (1368), his widow, duchess Agnieszka, resided in Jawor. With her death (1392), the principality came under Czech rule, and Jawor became the seat of royal governors. In 1429, the town defended itself against the Hussite invasion. In 1526, Jawor came under the rule of the Austrian Habsburgs. In the same year, the first Protestant service was held here, and soon most of the population adopted the new confession.
The 16th century was a time of development based on the production and trade of linen cloth. The Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) interrupted the period of prosperity. Jawor was occupied many times by various armies, and in 1648 it burned to the ground. The Peace of Westphalia allowed the Protestants to erect a church in Jawor, the so-called Peace Church (1654). In 1742, the city came under Prussian rule. It burnt again during the Silesian wars (1744 and 1745). Another fire on August 2, 1776 destroyed 137 buildings. King Frederick II provided financial aid (106,000 thalers), and his architect rebuilt the city in its present shape. In 1856, a railway was connected to Jawor, and in 1919 an electric network was installed. The Soviet Army entered the town on February 12, 1945. The townhouses in the Market Square were destroyed at that time. On April 28, 1945, a group of representatives of the Polish authorities appeared in Jawor.
- Access points: locations:
- Jawor
- System of arrangement:
-
The collection consists of books and loose handwritten and printed materials. It had a chancellery that was typical of Silesian towns in the Middle Ages and the early modern period. Archivists designated the following categories of records after World War II:
Jawor town records [pre-Prussian period] (1326-1752) (391 archival units)
ref. nos. 1-165 - Towns and court books; ref. nos. 166-282 - Accounts and tax books; ref. nos. 283-292- Miscellaneous books and records; ref. nos. 293-364- Public records and regional council affairs; ref. nos. 365-377- Patents and regulations; ref. nos. 378-382 – regional council registers; ref. no. 383-385 - Privileges; ref. nos. 386-391 - Annex
Prussian period (III): city population 1750-1936, ref. nos. 1-20; elections to legislative bodies 1854-1893, ref. nos. 21-37; military 1743-1933, ref. nos. 38-112; matters of order and security 1812-1931, ref. nos. 113-166; court and litigation matters 1830-1937, ref. nos. 167-216; purchase, lease and use of real estate 1756-1913, ref. nos. 217-237; records, foundations 1785-1896, ref. nos. 238-250; trade matters 1742-1899, ref nos. 251-281; craft and craft guilds 1745-1899, ref. nos. 282-312; brewing and distilling 1741-1889, ref. nos. 313-342; industry 1742-1885, ref. nos. 343-377; economy: agricultural 1853-1887, ref. nos. 378-381; forest 1717-1938, ref. nos. 382-401; report: construction 1743-1936, ref. nos. 402-431; school 1727-1923, ref. nos. 432-457; church 1742-1916, ref. nos. 458-467; cultural 1728-1894, ref. no. 468-477; social welfare 1745-1937, ref. nos. 478-492; Health care facilities and health care 1726-1897, ref. nos. 493-514; matters relating to administrative officials 1742-1938, ref. nos. 515-535; matters relating to workers 1811-1938, ref. nos. 536-542; organization of municipal government and matters relating to internal administration 1743-1937, ref. nos. 543-600; municipal plants 1674-1936, ref. nos. 601-636; urban landscaping, cemetery 1747-1936, ref. nos. 637-645; town financial matters [1551] 1742-1927, ref. nos. 646-689; taxes, excise duties, customs 1740-1936, ref. nos. 690-780; Municipal Savings and Loan Fund 1765-1900, ref. nos. 781-807; annex (including matters of the military garrison, plans for the route of the Młynówka river 1805-1944, ref. nos. 808-830
- Access, restrictions:
- The collection is currently accessible in the reading room of the State Archives in Legnica.
- Finding aids:
- There are three printed inventories available in the archive
- Links to finding aids:
- https://www.szukajwarchiwach.gov.pl/zespol/-/zespol/87023
- Yerusha Network member:
- The Taube Department of Jewish Studies of the University of Wrocław
- Author of the description:
- Leszek Ziątkowski, Marcin Wodzinski University of Wrocław, 20-10-2018
