Jews and Grodno

Grodno and Jews

Good morning, dear guests. My name’s Kseniya Leskevich. Today you are welcome to take part in Jewish tour around Grodno.

From the point of view on Jewry history Grodno is a unique city. Jews settled in Grodno at the end of the XV century. The number of Jews in Grodno ranged from 60% to 90% of the total population. They were mostly artists, traders, photo masters, doctors, scientists, teachers. Among them – a writer and publicist Avraham Shalom Friedberg, scientist and philanthropist Felix Zadman, world-famous artist Lev Bakst, sculptor Greenzburg, writer and translator Leib Naydus.

Right now we will pass through the streets of the old city, where Jewish life used to be diverse.

Bolshaya Troitskaya or "Tesnaya Jewish" is one of the oldest streets. A significant part of the street was the oldest Jewish cemetery. It stopped to function at the beginning of the 19 century and gradually was destroyed. Now there is a parking lot here.

Next to the cemetery the German market was located. Throughout the history it was referred to as "Old", "Goat" and “Fish” market.

House # 13 was built between 1867 – 1875 as a prayer school and synagogue of Hayem Adam Hagodol. Today, the Grodno regional labor union sport school is located here.

House No. 57 was built in 1890 as a prayer house of Levinson. In the 20s of the twentieth century a seven-year school "Talmud Torah" worked there.

At 59A B. Troitskaya street a large choral synagogue is located. It was first mentioned in 1540. The first stone synagogue in Grodno was built in 1575-1580 by the Italian architect Santi Gucci. Many times it was damaged by fire. During the war, the synagogue was located on the territory of ghetto 1. In December 1992, it was passed to the Grodno Jewish society for religious needs. The synagogue is now under reconstruction. The Jewish History Museum "Na Troickoj" under the leadership of Benjamin Eruzalim is opened now here.

Here, near the castles of Grodno rises the tower of the city fire Department. It is famous because of the picture above the entrance. One can find firefighters from different times, and there is only one woman who is in the corner. If you look closely her face and smile are similar to Mona Lisa. In general, it is obvious that the fire station is located where the Jewish district used to be. The money for the construction of the tower was given by the Jewish community, which often suffered from fire.

Also on Troitskaya street today there is a restaurant "Bakst", named in honor of the famous Jewish artist Lev Bakst. His name at birth was Chaim Leib Izrailevich Rosenberg. Now it is difficult even to say where the Baxter-Rosenberg family lived in Grodno. According to some local historians, he lived in the center of the city. Lev Bakst is an outstanding figure in art and culture, painter, graphic artist, theater artist, and trendsetter.

Next to Dominican street there is Naidus street today. There were many Jewish workshops at that time. According to the historians, the famous Jewish poet Leiba Naydus lived in house # 1. He was born in Grodno on November 6, 1890, and came from an intelligent Jewish family of Isaac and Rachel Naydus. He knew several languages, and wrote in Yiddish, Belarusian, Polish, and Russian. The Poet lived a very short life. He died on July 23, 1918 in Grodno. Leyba Naidus is buried in the New Jewish cemetery, which was located on Grandichskaya street (now Gorky street). A Monument to him in the form of an angel was ruined during the destruction of the cemetery.

In 1941 the Great Patriotic War started. Two ghettos were formed on the territory of Grodno.

Ghetto # 1 was created in the square of Zamkovaya, Bolshaya Troitskaya, Vilenskaya, and Sovetskaya streets.

Ghetto # 2 was organized in the area of modern Antonov, Lidskaya, Belusha, and Polygraphistov streets.

By May 1943 two Grodno ghettos were destroyed. Only 200 Jews out of 29,000 survived. Every year, at the entrance to the former ghetto # 1, people gather to honor the memory of the dead Jews.

This year, the international Holocaust memorial day was held on January 27. It was on this day that the Red army liberated the Auschwitz camp. "Silent" performance was organized by the head of the freak theater Vasily Geksogen. Actors dressed as prisoners walked through the center of Grodno. They organized an Action to remind citizens of their compatriots who died in the death camps.

Students of our school annually take part in memorable events.

We finish our tour with the words of Swedish Prime Minister Persson - "The future that we are shaping now is the past that we will share tomorrow.”