Historical and forgotten places of our regions

GUIDE BOOK OF POLAND

Guide film about Weissenfels in Germany

Historical places of Galati:

Historical places of Weissenfels:

Heritage of Romania:

Forgotten places in Turkey:

Forgotten places of Będzin in Poland:

The Jewish haritage:

My name is Rutka Laskier. I am 83 years old. I have got short grey hair, a little bit hunched figure and a slim waist. I have got big black eyes, an upturned nose and beautiful lips. My face is covered with a net of wrinkles and in my heart I feel very young like in the past. Like I still would be the girl from the photograph I had taken for money before I got my salary. I am coming back to Będzin after almost seventy years.

I am walking through Małachowski Street. In those days we called the street Małachowska. I will surely not meet Gutka Fürstenberg and her Polish husband. To upset her father, she walked through ‘the Polish side’[1].

There are no more Polish and Jewish sides now. On the one and other side are walking people no matter what nationality or religion they are. Last time I was here, there were trams running down this street. I am very pleased to be at this place again. Today I am not scared of being displaced. I feel simply safe. I can recognize most of the buildings, although the people living there are completely unknown to me. They are dressed in a pretty way without the Star of David, they have got other haircuts and I cannot notice fear in their eyes. The old people from today’s Małachowska Street certainly remember those days. They are of my age.

I head toward the previous  House of Prayer "Mizrachi".

This small Beth Midrash, which my father was attended, as the only in Będzin survived the World War II without any destruction and damage. After the war, the main prayer hall was divided by wall into  two rooms to store coal. Thanks to the efforts of Mr. Adam Szydłowski in 2004 the temple regained its original appearance and character. With great sentiment I look at the wall paintings, recalling the childhood prayer and carelessness of those years despite of the conflagration of the war.

---

[1] According to Minka Pradelski „Und da kam Frau Kugelmann”, Germany 2005

A big gate opens the place. After a few steps I notice some graves and I remind myself of the names of those who died. Suddenly my mind provides a true refection of their faces.  I wonder if our friendship would be cultivated even today…

I am keeping on walking. It is not far to reach the former obstetric hospital where lots of my peers were born. The building was erected at the foot of the Będzin castle on the initiative of Graubard, the Rabbi of Będzin in 1906. At the times of war it used to be a community hospital for the whole Jewish population and now it is a residential building. It also adopted the role of an old people’s home. And nowadays it is only a commerative plaque that unveils its previous purpose.

The Kołłątaj Street used to be the residential place of the richest merchants. Oh, here it is, Lustiger’s tenement and  Jean-Marie  Lustiger’s Square.  He managed to go far. It was not easy indeed to change faith and become an archbishop and a metropolitan bishop of Paris. Będzin didn’t leave him  behind and the square was named after him. 

I am strolling around the Sienkiewicz street ( in 1943 Fabrikstrasse ).

I see Kuczkas ( Sukkah )

I remember it from my childhood. These are extensions to flats to honor the feast Sukkot. The Jews lived there as a token of the forty day wandering of the people of Moses on the desert. People used to treat it as huts. Due to the fact that they lived in a city, they couldn't build the right shelters the same as a tradition. In celebration of the Sukkot feast we ate delicious fish. The taste of it I remember till today. It is very odd that a few Kuczkas had stood the test of time … it's interesting, what is the usage of them today, hiding place for flotsam and jetsam, summer kitchen or loggia?

From Kamionka, the way leads me to the Furstenberg’s zinc company. I remember very well my meetings with Janek in those surroundings. He wore trousers with suspenders.   I cared for him but couldn’t admit that even to myself. I would like so much to meet you, Janek again… I have so much to tell you.