Diapositive.pl Jewish Identity and Culture

Yiddish: Tornev, Torne, Tarna

Tourist Attractions
The centre of Tarnow is one of the prettiest historical urban complexes in Poland. Its most precious monuments are: the 14th-century Town Hall, remodelled by J.M. Padovano in the second half of the 16th century (now the District Museum); the late Gothic cathedral church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, ca 1400, later extended, with extremely rich interior decor and furnishings; the houses (16th-19th centuries); the remnants of the city walls (14th-16th centuries); the canonries from the first half of the 16th century (including the Mikolajowski House, now the home of the Diocesan Museum containing an interesting gallery of Gothic sculpture); the former Bernardine church from 1468, remodelled in 1823, now containing a historical exhibition; the former Bernardine nunnery from the 17th-18th centuries (now converted into a monastery); the ruins of the Tarnowski castle from 1340, situated on St Martin's Hill; the mausoleum of General Józef Bem in the city park. Numerous historical monuments can also be found in the suburbs: the mansion houses (18th-19th centuries) as well as the 18th-century palace (Gumniska); the 15th-century wooden church of the Most Holy Virgin Mary (na Burku), and the church of the Holy Trinity from 1562, also wooden (na Terlikowce).

Tarnow once had one of the largest Jewish communities in the Malopolska region. First accounts of Jews settling here date from 1445. They were probably merchants trading in grain and wine. Initially the Tarnow community was abranch of the Cracow kahal. In 1581, the owner of the town Konstanty Ostrogski granted the Jews the privileges of trade from stalls, homes and on the marketplace, as well as of the production and sale of alcoholic beverages. Economic freedom was the main factor attracting Jews to the town. In the 18th century their number exceeded one thousand, which was more than 30% of the local population. They had several representatives in the Diet of the Four Lands. Towards the end of the 18th century new movements appeared: Chasidism (the influence of the Halberstam and Horovitz dynasties) and the Haskalah. In 1788, the first lay Jewish school was opened here thanks to the financial support of Naftali Herz Homberg.

At the outbreak of the Second World War, 25,000 Jews lived in Tarnow (48% of the local population). The Nazis created aghetto for 40,000 people and from here they deported their victims to the concentration camps in Belzec, Plaszow and Auschwitz. After the Second World War, asmall group of refugees from the former Polish eastern borderland territories settled here, but with the passing of time they slowly disappeared as aresult of several waves of emigration.
The history of Tarnow Jews seemingly came to an end in 1993, when the last caretaker of the house of prayer (ul. Goldhammera) passed away. The synagogue's furnishings were moved to the Regional Museum and the keys transferred to the Jewish community in Cracow. Landsmanshaftn of Tarnow Jews operate today in France, Israel, Canada and the United States.
The Jewish quarter stretched over the north-eastern part of the centre. The district of Grabowka was the area inhabited by Chasids. In 1833 the Jewish community applied to the municipal authorities for permission to extend their area of residence. Permission, however, was not granted. Therefore, aproposal was made to build "atruly Jewish town" outside the city walls. The project never materialised, but several buildings which bore testimony to the concept were erected. In particular the New Jubilee Synagogue (built between 1865 and 1908), which no longer exists, and the ritual bath (built in 1904 in Moorish style), which still remains.

The Market Square
On the doorframe of house No 21 one can still see the indentations where the mezzuzot used to be. The building now houses the Tarnów District Museum (phone +14 6212149), which has an interesting collection of Judaica. The original privilege document from 1667 and three scrolls of the Torah as well as documents and photographs from the last Tarnow synagogue (closed in 1993) are its most precious exhibits. The Market Square is also aplace of Jewish martyrology. From 11 to 19 June 1942 it was the arena for the first act of murder of 10,000 local Jews. For the Jewish Landsmanshaftn these dates are days of remembrance. In 1997 acommemorative plaque in honour of the victims of the tragedy was erected on the corner of ul. Zydowska; the pavement there having been sanctified with their blood.

Ul. Zydowska
From the Market Square walk along ul. Zydowska (Jewish Street). Many 17th and 18th-century tenement houses with typical narrow entrance halls and front walls still remain. You will easily spot the iron display windows which belonged to former shops. On the left-hand side of ul. Zydowska you will also see an enclosure made of iron bars (from 1900) and aspacious square behind it. Towering above it is the only remaining part of the oldest Tarnow synagogue.

The Bimah of the Old Synagogue
The Old Synagogue, almost certainly dating from the beginning of the 17th century, stood here until the outbreak of the Second World War. It was on the site of an even older synagogue built sometime before 1581. The Old Synagogue was burnt down in November 1939 and then demolished. Only the bimah survived. You can still see some remains of the floor as well as of stucco decorations crowning the columns. Traces of the fire are still visible.

Bima, photo

In 1987 the bimah was covered with aroof in order to protect the monument from the weather.
Ul. Zydowska, a square on the left between the market square and the little turning to the right.