80th anniversary of the liquidation of the Ostrowiec Jewish Ghetto Event
The city of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski in cooperation with the Jews of Ostrowiec Memorial Project will be commemorating this year the 80th anniversary of the liquidation of the Ostrowiec Jewish Ghetto and the tragic end of the Jewish Community of Ostrowiec, exterminated by the Nazi murderers.
While the events leading to the liquidation of the Ghetto and deportation to Treblinka began on October 11, 1942, this year the city will honor the day with a special event according to the Hebrew Calendar since October 11 this year is a Jewish Holiday of “Sukkot”.
On October 11, 1942, under the German occupation of Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski, over 10,000 Jews were forced to leave their homes and gather in the Rynek (market square). The employed ones were sent to the labour office located on the Florian Square, near the City Council, while the non-employed remained in the Rynek. Old people and children were shot on the spot, children shot in front of their parents, and parents in the presence of their children; sick people in the hospital were shot lying in their beds.
Later the non-employed Jews were brought to the courtyard of the Polish elementary school in Sienkiewicza Street and left there in the open for a couple days without a water or food. They were later marched to the train station and sent to their deaths in cattle train transports to the Treblinka death camp.
This year, several activities have been made in honor of the 80th year of the liquidation of the Ostrowiec Ghetto:
- Discussions with government officials regarding improvements to the Jewish Cemetery and Lapidarium including cleaning and gardening improvements
- Coordination with Rabbinate in Warsaw of future marking of mass grave at the Jewish Cemetery
- Educational activities including speaking event in local High School.
- Improvements at the Ohel of Rabbi Meir Yechiel Halstock
- Translation and publication of Yiddish poem “Departure” describing events of the liquidation of the Ostrowiec Ghetto.
- Display of Holocaust theme and photographs relating to former Jewish resident of Ostrowiec at the local BWA Art Gallery