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The Jewish Community of Baltinava

Baltinava

A settlement in the Abrene district, Latgale region, Latvia.

In the 19th century Latvia was part of the Russian Empire, and Baltinava in the Liutsin district of the province of Vitebsk. Latvia became independent in 1920 and remained so until 1940. The USSR annexed Latvia in 1940 and in 1991 Latvia once more became independent.

 

History

Jews settled in Baltinava in the late 19th century. During World War I (1914-1918) about half of the Jewish homes were damaged. After the war a committee was elected by the community, which with the help of the Joint Distribution Committee, a humanitarian relief organization sponsored by American Jewry, renovated the damaged buildings. In 1920 there were 212 Jews living in the town, comprising 56% of the total population.

Baltinava had a synagogue and a mikveh (ritual bath).  A shochet (ritual slaughterer) served the community, and then in the 1920s a rabbi was appointed. For a short time during this period the community had a Jewish school with six classes. Cultural activities were organized by the Baltinaver Kultur Verein (Cultural Society of Baltinava), which also maintained a library. A branch of the Betar youth movement was also organized.

Most of the Jews were engaged in commerce, while some were artisans. The majority owned their homes which stood on reasonably sized plots of land. In 1935 the Jewish community numbered 164. In the years preceding World War II, Jews made up over a third of the town’s total population.

 

The Holocaust Period

After the Ribbentrop-Molotov accord signed in August 1939 between Germany and the USSR, the Red Army conquered Latvia and in the summer of 1940 a Soviet regime was installed. Many Jewish businesses were nationalized.

After the outbreak of war between Germany and the USSR (June 22, 1941), the majority of the Baltinava Jews decided to remain in the town.  Only four families succeeded in escaping to the Soviet interior.

The Nazi troops captured Baltinava early in July of 1941. Within a few days several Jews were murdered by local Fascists. On July 19 a further 40 Jews, including the Rabbi of Baltinava, were taken to the forest at Svatune Lake (8-9 km from Baltinava) where they were shot. A considerable number of the remaining Jews were taken for forced labor with farmers in the surrounding villages.

On August 11, 1941 they were brought back to the town, assembled in the town square, and taken by cart to the Baltnice forest, (about 24 km distant). There they were murdered along with the Jews from the surrounding villages (about 105 persons in total).

In the summer of 1944 the Russians liberated Baltinava.

 

Postwar

After the war the community was not renewed. A monument was set on the site of the massacre at Svatune Lake. It bore a five-pointed star and an inscription in Latvian which at present is no longer legible.

Abrene

In German: Neulattgalen

A town in the Latgale region, eastern Latvia.

Between 1920-1940 Latvia was independent, and between 1940-1991 - part of the Soviet Union.

In the past, Abrene was joined with the district of Pskov, and was called by the Russian name, Pitalovo. The town developed as a commercial center for the production of grains and linen.

In 1935 the community numbered 61, comprising 5% of the town’s population.

The religious needs of the Jews were handled by a committee. A heder was founded, which was also used as a house of prayers with a holy ark and Torah scroll. In the middle 1930s the Zionist youth organization, "Herzlia", was active.


The Holocaust Period

As a result of the Ribbentrop-Molotov accord signed in August 1939, between Germany and the U.S.S.R., the red army entered Latvia and in the summer of 1940 a Soviet regime was installed. On the outbreak of war between Germany and the U.S.S.R. (June 22, 1941), thousands of refugees who fled from the Germans passed through the town to the interior of Russia. The Jews of Abrene fled with them, and several of them were saved.

Only one Jew remained in the town.

A family, that hid in a neighboring village was discovered and murdered by the Germans in the first week of July 1941.

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The Jewish Community of Baltinava

Baltinava

A settlement in the Abrene district, Latgale region, Latvia.

In the 19th century Latvia was part of the Russian Empire, and Baltinava in the Liutsin district of the province of Vitebsk. Latvia became independent in 1920 and remained so until 1940. The USSR annexed Latvia in 1940 and in 1991 Latvia once more became independent.

 

History

Jews settled in Baltinava in the late 19th century. During World War I (1914-1918) about half of the Jewish homes were damaged. After the war a committee was elected by the community, which with the help of the Joint Distribution Committee, a humanitarian relief organization sponsored by American Jewry, renovated the damaged buildings. In 1920 there were 212 Jews living in the town, comprising 56% of the total population.

Baltinava had a synagogue and a mikveh (ritual bath).  A shochet (ritual slaughterer) served the community, and then in the 1920s a rabbi was appointed. For a short time during this period the community had a Jewish school with six classes. Cultural activities were organized by the Baltinaver Kultur Verein (Cultural Society of Baltinava), which also maintained a library. A branch of the Betar youth movement was also organized.

Most of the Jews were engaged in commerce, while some were artisans. The majority owned their homes which stood on reasonably sized plots of land. In 1935 the Jewish community numbered 164. In the years preceding World War II, Jews made up over a third of the town’s total population.

 

The Holocaust Period

After the Ribbentrop-Molotov accord signed in August 1939 between Germany and the USSR, the Red Army conquered Latvia and in the summer of 1940 a Soviet regime was installed. Many Jewish businesses were nationalized.

After the outbreak of war between Germany and the USSR (June 22, 1941), the majority of the Baltinava Jews decided to remain in the town.  Only four families succeeded in escaping to the Soviet interior.

The Nazi troops captured Baltinava early in July of 1941. Within a few days several Jews were murdered by local Fascists. On July 19 a further 40 Jews, including the Rabbi of Baltinava, were taken to the forest at Svatune Lake (8-9 km from Baltinava) where they were shot. A considerable number of the remaining Jews were taken for forced labor with farmers in the surrounding villages.

On August 11, 1941 they were brought back to the town, assembled in the town square, and taken by cart to the Baltnice forest, (about 24 km distant). There they were murdered along with the Jews from the surrounding villages (about 105 persons in total).

In the summer of 1944 the Russians liberated Baltinava.

 

Postwar

After the war the community was not renewed. A monument was set on the site of the massacre at Svatune Lake. It bore a five-pointed star and an inscription in Latvian which at present is no longer legible.

Written by researchers of ANU Museum of the Jewish People

Abrene

Abrene

In German: Neulattgalen

A town in the Latgale region, eastern Latvia.

Between 1920-1940 Latvia was independent, and between 1940-1991 - part of the Soviet Union.

In the past, Abrene was joined with the district of Pskov, and was called by the Russian name, Pitalovo. The town developed as a commercial center for the production of grains and linen.

In 1935 the community numbered 61, comprising 5% of the town’s population.

The religious needs of the Jews were handled by a committee. A heder was founded, which was also used as a house of prayers with a holy ark and Torah scroll. In the middle 1930s the Zionist youth organization, "Herzlia", was active.


The Holocaust Period

As a result of the Ribbentrop-Molotov accord signed in August 1939, between Germany and the U.S.S.R., the red army entered Latvia and in the summer of 1940 a Soviet regime was installed. On the outbreak of war between Germany and the U.S.S.R. (June 22, 1941), thousands of refugees who fled from the Germans passed through the town to the interior of Russia. The Jews of Abrene fled with them, and several of them were saved.

Only one Jew remained in the town.

A family, that hid in a neighboring village was discovered and murdered by the Germans in the first week of July 1941.