German Occupation
In September 1939, Germany entered Poland and the Second World War began. A few weeks later on the night of the Festival of Shemini Atzeret, 4 October 1939, the Germans set fire to the Przedecz synagogue. On the day after the Festival, the Germans summoned the Rabbi of the city together with some of the leaders of the community and they were forced to sign a statement that the Jews themselves had burnt down the synagogue and in addition they had to pay a fine for so doing.
The Germans changed the name of the city to Moosburg.
In 1940 there were 769 Jews in Przedecz and nearly half of them were sent to forced labour camps. The majority of them died there from hunger and disease. The Germans set up a ghetto in Przedecz which was situated in the Old Market. In early 1942, the Germans packed the remaining Jews into the local church, where they were left with no food or water for three days. Many of them died from lack of air. On 24 April 1942 - 7 Iyar 5702, the remaining Jews were sent to the Chełmno extermination camp and the Jewish community of Przedecz was thus finally liquidated.
The 7th of Iyar has become the Memorial Day for this community.
The Rabbi of Przedecz managed to escape to Warsaw, where he took an active part in the Warsaw Ghetto uprising.
Read more about this topic: Przedecz (Jewish Community)
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