Bełchatów, Poland - '45 Aid Society

Background

Bełchatów is 50km south of Łódź. Jews had lived in the town since the 18th century. On the eve of World War II, the town was home to a Jewish community of around 6,000, who made up nearly half the local population.

World War II

In 1939, Bełchatów was occupied by the Germans during the first week of the war during the Jewish High Holy Days. Antisemitic persecution began immediately, with the destruction of synagogues, looting, and forced labour. Although a formal ghetto was never established, Jews were confined to designated streets and subjected to increasing restrictions. In August 1942, the community was liquidated: approximately 1,000 Jews were deported to the Łódź Ghetto, while around 5,000 were sent directly to the Chełmno extermination camp, where they were murdered on arrival.

Aftermath

No Jewish community was re-established in Bełchatów after the war.

Visiting Bełchatów

Bełchatów is located in Łódź Voivodeship, 160 kilometres southwest of Warsaw. The nearest station is in Piotrków.

There is little to see of the town’s Jewish heritage.

Synagogue

The Bełchatów synagogue stood at the intersection of Fabryczna and 19 Stycznia (formerly Ewangelicka) St.

Cemeteries

The first Jewish cemetery in Bełchatów was established near the today’s Kempfinowska Street. Thereafter, the necropolis was moved to Lipowa Street, not far away from the Catholic cemetery. Little pieces of the tombstones were used to set up a lapidarium here containing a comemorative plaque. This is the only remaining trace of the large Jewish community from Bełchatów.

A huge accumulation of tombstone fragments, used during the Nazi occupation to build a road and bridge on Cegielniana Street in the northern suburb of Bełchatów, was discovered by workers during the bridge’s renovation in 2019. They are currently being catalogued.

Present day Country:

Poland

1939-1945:

Third Reich

Ghetto:

Litzmannstadt Ghetto

Associated Boys:

Masha Platt

Map:

Gallery:

Photograph of Masha Platt in Manchester in 1945.