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The Jewish Community of Veszto

Vésztő 

Small town in the Bekes district, south east Hungary.

Jews first came to Veszto in the second half of the 19th century, mainly from the surrounding villages. The majority were engaged in commerce, beginning as peddlers. Later there were industrialists and members of the free professions. They won the trust of their neighbors. Several Jews were elected to the municipal council and they were also active in the culture of the town. Relations with their neighbors were generally good. There were, in the town, a hevra kadisha, women's association and school. A synagogue was built in 1934 to replace the one destroyed in a flood. Also, Zionist activities were started (mainly the mizrachi movement), under the influence and leadership of the writer Ida Lang.

In 1930, 159 Jews lived in Veszto. In 1939, after the promulgation of "Discriminatory Laws", the purpose of which was to limit Jewish participation in the economic and cultural spheres, Jews were denounced by the protestant minister (Bela Gonczi) in his weekly sermon. Christians of the town opposed all anti-Semitic manifestations and boycotted the actions of the fascist political party.
In May 1944, after the German occupation, all the Jews were herded into two buildings in the center of the town, which were declared to be a ghetto. Several of the Jews were employed in agricultural work on nearby farms, but they were returned to the ghetto after a few weeks; the ghetto was seriously overcrowded.
On June 21, all the Jews of Veszto were sent to the Szolnok ghetto, where the writer, Ida Lang, was murdered, the result of torture. Most of the Jews were transported from Szolnok to Auschwitz and the others to labor camps in Austria.

After the war, 34 survivors returned to Veszto, in the main from the labor camps in Austria. They were joined by some 20 others from the surroundings. They renewed communal life and erected a memorial to the 55 martyrs, but dispersed after the anti-Russian revolt of 1956, with the leaders going on Aliyah to Israel.

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The Jewish Community of Veszto

Vésztő 

Small town in the Bekes district, south east Hungary.

Jews first came to Veszto in the second half of the 19th century, mainly from the surrounding villages. The majority were engaged in commerce, beginning as peddlers. Later there were industrialists and members of the free professions. They won the trust of their neighbors. Several Jews were elected to the municipal council and they were also active in the culture of the town. Relations with their neighbors were generally good. There were, in the town, a hevra kadisha, women's association and school. A synagogue was built in 1934 to replace the one destroyed in a flood. Also, Zionist activities were started (mainly the mizrachi movement), under the influence and leadership of the writer Ida Lang.

In 1930, 159 Jews lived in Veszto. In 1939, after the promulgation of "Discriminatory Laws", the purpose of which was to limit Jewish participation in the economic and cultural spheres, Jews were denounced by the protestant minister (Bela Gonczi) in his weekly sermon. Christians of the town opposed all anti-Semitic manifestations and boycotted the actions of the fascist political party.
In May 1944, after the German occupation, all the Jews were herded into two buildings in the center of the town, which were declared to be a ghetto. Several of the Jews were employed in agricultural work on nearby farms, but they were returned to the ghetto after a few weeks; the ghetto was seriously overcrowded.
On June 21, all the Jews of Veszto were sent to the Szolnok ghetto, where the writer, Ida Lang, was murdered, the result of torture. Most of the Jews were transported from Szolnok to Auschwitz and the others to labor camps in Austria.

After the war, 34 survivors returned to Veszto, in the main from the labor camps in Austria. They were joined by some 20 others from the surroundings. They renewed communal life and erected a memorial to the 55 martyrs, but dispersed after the anti-Russian revolt of 1956, with the leaders going on Aliyah to Israel.

Written by researchers of ANU Museum of the Jewish People