Figure 1.--The Germans chose the poorest sections of Polish cities with few sanitary and other facilities for theghettos. This is a scene in the Szydłów Getto that appeared in American newspapers (December 1940), part of a series on German-occupied Poland. The press caption read, "The littered street, lined with old brick and stone houses, is in the Szydlow Ghetto. The white arm band on man at left must be worn by every Jew over 10 years old in German occupied Poland." The photo was dated December 20, 1940, but that was probably when the photograh was transmitted, not when it was taken. It looks to us at this eraly stage of the Ghetto, there were efforts to make improvements.

We hace limited, somewaht contradictory, information on the Szydłów Ghetto. The village is today a small community in southeastern Poland. It had a long history of Jewish life. The Szydłów synagogue was built in 1538 and is one of the oldest surviving synagogues in Poland. With the third partition of Poland (1795), Szydłów became part of the area annxed by Austria. During the Napoleonic era, Szydłów became the seat of a county in the Duchy of Warsaw (1809). After Napoleon's defeat, it became part of Congress Poland (1815). After the 1848 Revolutinsm, Russian authorities liquidated Szydłów County, merging it with Stopnica County (1850). The Riussians than as a punishment for participation in the January Uprising, Szydłów was reduced to the status of a village (1869). Much of the small population (only about 1,000 people in he 19th century was Jewish. With the creation of the independent Polish state after World War I, Szydłów becane part of Kielce Voivodeship. The population has increased to 2,200 inhabitants, of which some 30 percent were Jews (1929). They operated almost all of the village shops. The Germns opened a small ghetto in Szydłów for Jews in the village and surrouding area. We are not sure when the Ghetto was opened, but we know it was operating by December 1940. The Germans forced Jews from Radom into the Szydłów Getto, but it was not enlarged (late-1940). Jews from Plock arrived (February-March 1941). This meant that the population of the Ghetto was larger than that iof the village. The Germans began reducing the Ghetto in 1942. Some sources say that the Germans established the Ghetto (January 1942). More likely that was when they closed the already exisgting Ghetto. The Germans deported some 2,000 Jews to Jędrzejów (April 1942). Subsequently tey were transported to Treblinka where they were murdered. Some Szydłów Jews were transported to the Chmielnik Ghetto. The Germans in a series of Aktions arrested and deported the remaining Ghetto population to their death in Treblinka (October 1942-January 1943). Much of the village was subsequently destroyed in German anti-partisan operations and then resisting the Red Army advance. After the War, six Jews who had survived and tried to return were killed by the Poles.

Background

We hace limited, somewaht contradictory, information on the Szydłów Ghetto. The village is today a small community in southeastern Poland. It had a long history of Jewish life. The Szydłów synagogue was built in 1538 and is one of the oldest surviving synagogues in Poland. With the third partition of Poland (1795), Szydłów became part of the area annxed by Austria. During the Napoleonic era, Szydłów became the seat of a county in the Duchy of Warsaw (1809). After Napoleon's defeat, it became part of Congress Poland (1815). After the 1848 Revolutinsm, Russian authorities liquidated Szydłów County, merging it with Stopnica County (1850). The Riussians than as a punishment for participation in the January Uprising, Szydłów was reduced to the status of a village (1869). Much of the small population (only about 1,000 people in he 19th century was Jewish.

World War I and Independent Poland

Russian Cossacks attacked Szydłów Jews during World War I. The village was seized by the Austrains and held by the Austrians during much of the War. With the creation of the independent Polish state after World War I, Szydłów becane part of Kielce Voivodeship. The population has increased to 2,200 inhabitants, of which some 30 percent were Jews (1929). They operated almost all of the village shops.

Germans Open the Ghetto (1940)

Germany invased Poland, launching World War II (September 1939). The Germans soon began forcing Jews into Ghetto. The Germans opened a ghetto in Szydłów for Jews in Szydłów for the Jews in the village and surrouding area. We are not sure when the Ghetto was opened, but we know it was operating by December 1940. The Germans forced Jews from Radom into the Szydłów Getto, but it was not enlarged (late-1940). Jews from Plock arrived (February-March 1941). This meant that the population of the Ghetto was larger than that of the village.

Ghetto Life

The Jews cramed into a small area lived in squalor and became even worse when Jews from surrounding villages were frced into the Ghetto. The Ghetto was not cloed for some time. That mean that Jews coud come anf go, probably meaning the food situation was better than in many ghettoes. We have not yet, however, found a descrotion of the Ghetto and Ghettom life.

Reducing the Ghetto (1942)

The Germans began reducing the Szydłów Ghetto in 1942 as part of Operation Reinhard. Some sources say that the Germans established the Ghetto (January 1942). More likely that was when they closed the already exisgting Ghetto. The Germans deported some 2,000 Jews to Jędrzejów (April 1942). Subsequently they were transported to Treblinka where they were murdered. The Germans in a series of Aktions arrested and deported the remaining Ghetto population to their death in Treblinka. The Germans transported about 1,000 Jews from Szydlow and 270 from Drugnia (around Chmielnik) to the Chmielnik Ghetto (October 3, 1942). Three days later a special German and Ukrainian police formation from Kielce conducted an Aktion forcing some 8,000 Jews on transports destined for the Treblinka death camp (October 6). The Germans organized a second deportation at Szydłów (November 5, 1942). The the remaining Jews in the Ghetto by this time aware of the fate of the earlier deportees, fled into the forests or attempted to hide in the Ghetto. Only a handful managed to survived in hiding. One source reports that during these Aktions, four Jews were saved by a German living in the neighborhood called Mikołaj Kręcisz. Another report describes a German soldier for some unknown reason dragging a Jewish woman to the Jewish cemetery where he shother. The woman, however, survived and started to crawl out of the cemetery. A Pole reported this to the Germans. They returned to the cemetary and killed her.

Subsequent Events

Much of the village was subsequentky destroyed in German anti-partisan operations and then resisting the Red Army advance. After the War, six Jews who had survived and tried to return were killed by the Poles.

Created: 5:41 AM 6/8/2010
Last updated: 9:42 PM 10/29/2013