Memorial Book to the Holocaust Victims of the City of Pshaytsh

Przedecz, located in central Poland, had a vibrant Jewish community

for some 600 years, starting at the end of the 14th century. In

Yiddish, the city was known as Pshaytsh; in Hebrew, Pshedetz.

Most Jews worked as tradesmen, artisans, merchants and small traders.

The community supported a synagogue, a bet midrash, a mikva, Jewish

schools, a Yeshiva, a bikkur cholim society caring for the sick, and a benevolent

fund which granted interest-free loans. The town had a Jewish library

where people could meet to read books, attend dances, hear lectures, and

see theatrical performances.

Nazis occupied the town in October 1939. Changing the town's name to

Moosburg, they burned the Synagogue and began the persecution and

killing of Jews. Nearly half were sent to forced

labor camps, where most of them died of hunger

and disease. In Przedecz, Jews were forced

to live in a ghetto under horrific conditions.

In early 1942, they were packed into the local

church and left for three days without food or

water. On April 24, 1942, the remaining Jews

were sent to the Chelmno death camp.

As the Editors wrote: This book is meant as

a memorial and yahrzeit candle... revealing

events and deeds in the lives of our dear ones up to the years of the Holocaust