The Jews in Piatra Neamț during the Holocaust

The presence of Jews in Piatra Neamț dates back at least to the 18th century, when the “wooden synagogue” was built (1766). The data shows an increase in the community in the 19th century. The number of Jews increased from 120 in 1803 to 8,489 in 1894. In the 20th century, in the interwar years, there was a demographic decline, the number of Jews falling to 7,595 in 1930. The occupations of Jews were mainly in the field of crafts, and some of them also engaged in animal husbandry. The poorest of them worked as servents on the properties of rich Jews.

Existing information shows that Jews have fallen victim to violence as early as the 19th century. In 1821, they were the victims of a pogrom organized by Greek revolutionaries, and between 1841 and 1848 several Jews were arrested on charges of ritual murder, accused of drinking the blood of Christians. Violent actions against Jews intensified after the legionaries came to power in September 1940. During the national legionary state, several Jewish shops were looted. Moreover, wealthy Jews were picked up by the police and forced by violence to sign documents giving large sums of money to torturers. At the same time, Christian customers were forbidden to buy from Jewish stores. Available sources also state that Jews were forbidden to bury their dead in the local cemetery if they did not pay a fee for “Legionary Aid”.

In June 1941, Jews from neighbouring rural areas were evacuated to Piatra Neamț, and several Jews from the city were deported to the political internment camp in Târgu Jiu. The other Jewish citizens were required to wear the “yellow star”, and their freedom of movement was restricted. They were forbidden to be on the streets between 20.00 and 7.00 in the morning, and access to the market for supplies was allowed only after 10.00 in the morning.

The repressive provisions continued in the following years. About 600 Jewish men, aged between 15 and 66, were used for forced labour, and another 500 were mobilized in external labour detachments.

After the Second World War, there were about 8,000 Jews in Piatra Neamț. During the communist period, most of them emigrated. In 2003, only 153 Jews still lived in the city.

Lucian-Zeev Herşcovici, Piatra Neamț, accessible online at https://yivoencyclopedia.org/article.aspx/Piatra_Neamt

„Piatra Neamt” - Encyclopedia of Jewish Communities in Romania, Volume 1, accessible at https://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/pinkas_romania/rom1_00208.html 

Matatias Carp, The Black Book. The Sufferings of the Jews from Romania 1940-1944. The Legionary Movement and the Rebellion, vol. I, București, The Socec Publishing House, pp. 71, passim.