The Jewish Community of Resita
Reșița
In Hungarian: Resicabánya; in German: Reschitz; in Serbian: Решица / Reshitsa
A city and the capital of Caraș-Severin County in the historical region of Banat, Romania. Until 1919 it was part of Austria-Hungary.
21st Century
In early 2010s there were about 80 Jews living in Resita. In early 2020s there were plans for the renovation of the building of the synagogue, which is listed as a historic monument. The synagogue is located at 8 Mihai Viteazu St.
History
It seems that Jews began settling in the area after mid-18th century. Their settlement was restricted as at the time this was a border area of the Austrian Empire and under the direct control of the army.
In 1789, Jews were banned from practicing trades and trading in mining districts, Resita included, but they were allowed to trade at the local fairs. Only during the first half of the 19th century Jews were allowed to settle in the city of Resita.
The Jewish community, belonging to the Neolog movement, could be organized only in 1871, after the Jews of Austria-Hungary were granted equal civil rights in 1867. The community opened its first synagogue in 1871, followed by the establishment of additional community organizations that included a burial society and a women association that was in charge of cultural and charitable activities and as of the beginning of the 20th century joined the Zionist movement. Delegates of Mizrahi Resita association were among the participants to the 6th Zionist Congress in 1903. The local Jewish cemetery was established in early 1870s and the first burial took place in 1875. The oldest surviving gravestone dates from 1897.
The synagogue of Resita, built in a Moorish-style, was completed in 1880, but the inauguration took place 27 years later, in 1907, due to limited funds of the Jewish community. This is one of the first buildings in south-eastern Europe boasting an all-metal dome. Another innovation for that time was the heating of the building provided by electrical resistors embedded in the floor and which is still working today.
In 1880 there were 93 Jews living in Resita, a number that increased to 244 in 1900. In 1920, after the city became part of Romania, there were 419 Jewish residents in Resita. The 1930 census recorded 348 Jews that constituted 1.8% of the general population. The Jewish population continued to decline during the 1930s and in 1941 there were 302 Jews living in Resita.
The decrease of the Jewish population was a result of migration to larger cities or emigration to other countries. It was accelerated during the late 1930s by an increase of anti-Semitic incitement, including the vandalisation of the local Jewish cemetery in 1937, particularly by members of the large German community in Resita, many of them supporters of the Nazi ideology.
The rise to power of the Goga-Cuza government in December 1937 led to the enactment and implementation of official anti-Semitic policies in Romania.
In September 1940, a government headed by General Ion Antonescu was formed in Romania. This government included the Iron Guard Party - a nationalist party that advocated violent anti-Semitism. Ion Antonescu's government changed Romania's foreign policy and Romania joined the alliance between Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. This government increased the persecution of the Jews and led a regime of terror against them.
Following anti-Semitic attacks by members of the Iron Guard, the synagogue was closed in September 1941. Jewish owned shops were closed allegedly because of their poor hygiene level and the owners pressed to sell them at a minimal price. Since Jews refused to sell their properties, fourteen Jewish businessmen were arrested and beaten until they signed the selling acts of their properties. Other Jewish businessmen, shop owners and landlords were threatened with a similar treatment if they continue to refuse selling their properties at a loss. By the end of December 1940, all Jewish property in the city was confiscated.
After Romania joined the war against USSR in June 1941, the Jews of Resita were expelled from the city, but contrary to the Romanian policy of concentrating the Jewish population in a number of larger cities, the Jews of Resita were transferred to the small town of Oravita.
The Jewish cemetery is located on Victoriei St.