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On October 25th, 1895, Frida Singer went to the Civil Registry Office in Kowary to report that her younger brother had passed away the day before. Fritz Singer, the son of Julius and Amalie Singer (née Peter), was just six years and two months old. His tombstone is one of the few that remain in the Jewish cemetery in Jelenia Góra.
Photo of Fritz Singer’s tombstone, Jelenia Góra, 2012 / Source: Fotopolska.eu
Fritz Singer was born on November 25th, 1888, in Kowary, which was then called Schmiedeberg and is located less than twenty kilometers from Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg). Kowary, like other nearby towns, was part of the Jewish community of Jelenia Góra. Fritz was the youngest of nine children born to Julius and Amalie Singer.
The family lived in a tenement at Markt 10, now ul. 1 Maja 19. Julius Singer was an enterprising man—he ran the inn “Under the Golden Lion” (Zum Goldenen Löwen) in the same building, reminders of which can still be seen in the form of the decorative lion heads on the doors. He also owned a local distillery and a fruit juice factory, which was said to produce the best mountain raspberry juice in the area.
The building where the Singer family lived / Photos by Jowita Selewska
Advertisement from 1884
Julius Singer was born on February 6th, 1849, in Kluczbork (Kreuzburg), the son of Samuel Singer, a horse dealer from Krasków (Kraskau), and Friederike, née Wendriner. On April 19th, 1876, he married Amalie Peter in Trzciel (Tirschtiegel), the daughter of Lewin Louis Peter and Seraphine, née Kirsch. Within a year, they moved to Kowary, where their first child, Alphons, was born on July 26th, 1877. The family faced difficulties—Alphons died after just six months, and their next son, Bernhard, passed away shortly after birth on May 13th, 1878. The family later had Max, Elfriede, and Hans—who lived only a year—followed by Willy, Elsbeth, Martha, and finally Fritz, through whom we learn about the Singer family’s story.
Amalie Singer passed away prematurely on February 26th, 1891, at just under 39 years old, leaving her husband with six children. Less than a year later, Julius decided to marry Minna Rothenberg from Rawicz (Rawitsch), the daughter of merchant Selig Rothenberg and Pauline, née Birnbaum. The wedding took place on February 2nd, 1892, in Wrocław (Breslau), where Julius would start his business ventures in the 1920s.
Death certificate of Fritz Singer / Source: The State Archive in Wrocław, Jelenia Góra branch
As early as 1912, Julius Singer is listed in the address books at Gartenstrasse 63 (now Piłsudskiego Street, near the Capitol Musical Theater) as a distiller. Later, the address book for the Jewish community in Breslau also includes his youngest and only son from his second marriage, Siegmund Singer, and his wife Erna, née Kohn, at the same address. Julius likely passed away in 1932 and was buried in the new Jewish cemetery on Lotnicza Street in Wrocław. His wife Minna probably died earlier, as she does not appear on the address list of community members.
Julius Singer in the address book of the Jewish community in Breslau (Wrocław)
Siegmund lived at Gartenstrasse 63 until the start of the war. He managed to escape to Shanghai and then arrived in San Francisco on September 17th, 1946, aboard the USS General W. H. Gordon. At fifty-one, he came to the United States to start a new life. According to the 1950 census, he settled in Milwaukee with his second wife, Sara, who was from Poland, and went into the antiques business. He passed away on December 18th, 1968.
It’s not known what happened to the rest of Fritz’s siblings.
Passenger list with the name Sigmund Singer
I’d like to thank Jowita Selewska for her help in finding the current address in Kowary.
The text appeared in the magazine Chidusz, issue 3/2023.
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Historical view of the guesthouse / Source: polska-org.pl
Who was Eliza, or rather Elise? Judith Eliseba Höniger was born into a Jewish family on October 9, 1854, in Zülz, now Biała in the Opole Voivodeship. She was the daughter of David Höniger, a doctor from Rybnik, and Henrietta Jetty (née Fröhlich) from Gliwice (Gleiwitz).
She was the oldest of three siblings, which may have influenced her later career. Her brother Gideon was born in 1858, her sister Sara in 1860, and her youngest brother, Ruben, was born on February 2, 1864, but sadly passed away three months later.
Contemporary view of the building / Photo by Marta Maćkowiak
According to the records of the W. Schimmelpfeng Information Bureau, the complex in Jagniątków was built in the 1890s. The 5-hectare property included buildings, a park garden, and a farm with 4 horses, cattle, and pigs. The guesthouse was a well-known Jewish educational center, renowned for its excellent reputation and high level of teaching. The staff consisted of about 10-12 people.
According to a 1925 guidebook, one of the buildings was used by parents visiting their children.
Advertisements and documents related to the Eliza Höniger guesthouse
Elise Höniger never married or had children and passed away in Jagniątków on April 18, 1915, at the age of 61. She was buried in the Jewish cemetery in Wrocław on Ślężna Street. After her death, the guesthouse was managed by her sister, Sara, and her niece, Frieda. The center continued to operate actively until the war. On August 17, 1942, Sara and Frieda were deported in the first transport for elderly people from Berlin to Theresienstadt, where they were murdered.
Death certificate of Eliza Höniger, transport list containing the names of Sara and Frieda, Frieda’s transport card, and death certificate of Sara / Source: The State Archive in Wrocław, Jelenia Góra branch
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Today’s protagonist is Mathilde Buttermilch – another of the seven individuals whose tombstones have been preserved in the Jewish cemetery in Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg), and whose life stories I want to bring closer. And this tale will be not only about Mathilde but also about her grandson, who gained fame at the age of 100. So, if you ever think you’re too old for something, remind yourself of Hans’s story. But first, let’s return to his grandmother.
Tombstone of Mathilde Buttermilch in the Jewish cemetery in Jelenia Góra / Photo by Marta Maćkowiak
Death certificate of Mathilde Buttermilch / Source: Landesarchiv Berlin
On September 12, 1876, she married Alexander Buttermilch, a trader from Lissa (Leszno), the son of the late Jakob Buttermilch from Landeshut (Kamienne Góry) and Colina née Gottstein, who lived in Leszno before her death. Considering that Mathilde’s mother’s maiden name was Buttermilch and she came from Lissa, there is a high probability that the spouses were related within a certain generation.
Alexander and Mathilde settled in an apartment in the tenement house at Plac Ratuszowy 34 (Markt 34), which would remain their home until their deaths. Alexander passed away first, on March 3, 1907.
Plac Ratuszowy 34 in Jelenia Góra / Source: Polska-org.pl
Marriage certificate of Max Keilson and Elsa Buttermilch / Source: Landesarchiv Berlin
Photo of Hans Keilson / Photo by Herman Wouters for The New York Times
young Hans Keilson
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Today is the anniversary of Rosel Aptekmann’s death, so her story will be the first in a series dedicated to people buried in the Jewish cemetery in Jelenia Góra (Hirschberg). Only a few tombstones with readable inscriptions have survived, just seven in total. Let’s learn about Rosel Aptekmann.
The gravestone of Rosel Aptekmann at the Jewish cemetery in Jelenia Góra / Photo: Marta Maćkowiak
On November 23, 1938, Leo Aptekmann came to the Civil Registry Office to report the death of his wife. Rosalie passed away on the same day at the age of 46 in the Martin Luther Evangelical Hospital in Jelenia Góra (formerly Hirschberg-Cunnersdorf). Presently, the building houses a Caritas care and medical facility (located at ul. Żeromskiego 2).
Two weeks after Kristallnacht. Perhaps this event had an impact on her health.
Rosalie Aptekmann’s death certificate / Source: Landesarchiv Berlin
Former Martin Luther Evangelical Hospital in Jelenia Góra, now Caritas care and medical facility at ul. Żeromskiego 2 / Source: Polska-org.pl
Leo and Rosalie lived at Hermann Göringstrasse 43 (formerly, before 1933, Warmbrunnerstrasse, now ul. Wolności), 600 meters from the hospital. According to available sources, it seems that the numbering of buildings has not changed.
The building on ul. Wolności (formerly Warmbrunnerstrasse/Hermann Göringstrasse) in Jelenia Góra / Source: Polska-org.pl
The building at ul. 43 Wolności 43 in Jelenia Góra today / Photo by Marta Maćkowiak.
The Aptekmanns were married for just under two decades, having tied the knot in Jelenia Góra on August 12, 1919.
Leo Aptekmann arrived in Jelenia Góra from Ukraine, specifically from the city of Smila, where he was born on February 25, 1892, as the son of Israel Aptekmann, a merchant, and Sophie née Brodski, residents of Kiev.
Rosalie, née Hirschstein, came into the world in Jelenia Góra on December 19, 1891, as the daughter of Julius Adolph Hirschstein, a merchant, and Rosalie née Moritz, who lived in Jelenia Góra in a house at plac Ratuszowy 4.
Leo and Rosalie initially resided at today’s ul. Wolności 32, in a house adorned with David’s stars on the veranda. Today, in addition to apartments, there is a shop and a Pentecostal church at that location.
Building at ul. Wolności 32 in Jelenia Góra / Photo: Marta Maćkowiak
Tenement at plac Ratuszowy 4 in Jelenia Góra, fragment from the exhibition at the Karkonosze Museum / Source: polska-org.pl
Marriage certificate of Julius Hirschstein and Rosalie Moritz in Mainz / Source: Mainz City Archive
It is unknown whether Leo and Rosalie Aptekmann had any descendants. So far, I haven’t come across any trace of them, and it is also unclear whether Leo remarried.
However, it is certain that after Rosalie’s death, her husband lived for some time at Jägerstrasse 6 (today ul. Wyczółkowskiego) until he was deported and killed at Majdanek concentration camp.
Building at ul.Wyczółkowskiego 6 in Jelenia Góra / Photo: Marta Maćkowiak
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The Jewish community in Jelenia Góra (formerly Hirschberg) was quite modest, with a peak population of only 450 people. Nevertheless, the city had two Jewish cemeteries.
New Jewish Cemetery in Jelenia Góra on Sudecka Street / Photo by Marta Maćkowiak
The first, so-called “old” cemetery, was established between 1818 and 1820 in the vicinity of Nowowiejska, Na Skałkach, and Studencka streets. Today, there is no trace of this cemetery. No tombstones or cemetery architecture have been preserved, and a public square now stands in its place. After the resolution to close the cemetery was adopted by the City Council Presidium in Jelenia Góra in 1957, the liquidation process began in 1961.
Map of Jelenia Góra featuring the marked location of the old Jewish cemetery / Source: Fotopolska.eu
Photograph, likely depicting remnants of the old Jewish cemetery according to Fotopolska users, year 1928 / Source: Fotopolska.eu
Facing the street stood a beautiful mortuary building, which was set on fire during Kristallnacht in 1938. Surprisingly, the structure survived the war, and until 1972, it was inhabited by Leon and Maria Grzybek, the caretakers of the area. The Grzybek couple, quite fittingly named (Grzyb means ‘mushroom’ in Polish), tragically died due to mushroom poisoning. The cemetery was ultimately closed almost 100 years after its establishment, in 1974. The last burial in this building took place in 1959, and at that time, the Jewish community in Jelenia Góra consisted of 20 families.
Mortuary building at the Jewish cemetery in Jelenia Góra / Source: Okruchy z historii Żydów na Śląsku (Fragments from the history of Jews in Silesia), Warsaw 2014 via cmentarze-zydowskie.pl
Mortuary building at the Jewish cemetery on Sudecka Street in Jelenia Góra / Source: Polska-org.pl
Mortuary building at the Jewish cemetery in Jelenia Góra – building in the bottom right corner / Source: Polska-org.pl
Today, one part of the cemetery serves as a parking lot. Along the sidewalk, likely on the site of the mortuary, there is a boulder with a commemorative plaque, and further back, you can find several well-preserved tombstones.
Seven of them have been deciphered, and each will be the subject of a dedicated article: Rosel Aptekmann, Mathilde Buttermilch, Wilhelmine Danziger, Betty Ucko, Herman Cohn, Fritz Singer, and Leon Goldgraber, a representative of the post-war Polish community.
“The bitter death will not separate love” – inscription on one of the tombstones at the Jewish cemetery on Sudecka Street in Jelenia Góra.
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Today, another story, the starting point of which was a trace of a mezuzah found by Janka from Krakuska City Guide and secured by Aleksander from Mi Polin in a tenement house at ul. Sebastiana 19 in Krakow. Let’s see who lived there once.
Photos by Aleksander Prugar
One of the families living in a Kraków tenement house at ul. Sebastiana 19 was the
Wachtel family – Henryk, Helena and their daughter Maria.
Henryk and Helena, in fact, Chaim Wachtel and Chaja Baustein, got married on June 30th, 1908, in Jarosław, where the groom held the position of a private clerk. It is not known how
they both ended up in a city several hundred kilometres away from their homeland, but they spent several years there.
Henryk was born in Słotwina on August 11th, 1881 as the son of Izak Wachtel and Rywka née Gleitsman, while Helena came from Podgórze, where she was born on April 1st, 1885 as the daughter of the merchant Joshua Baustein and Malka Schudmak.
A piece of Chaim Henryk Wachtel and Chaja Helena Baustein’s marriage record / Source: State Archive in Przemyśl
One and a half year after their wedding day, their first child, the daughter Maria, was born
in house number 161 on September 12th, 1909. After the next 4 years and moving into the new house at number 52, their son Osias was born on August 19th, 1913. Osias changed his
name two times – first to Oskar, and finally to Aleksander.
In the meantime, Henryk worked as a clerk in Jarosław and Krosno. After 1914, the family settled permanently in Kraków, and Henryk started a timber business – he began running a construction and carpentry timber yard based at ul. Kamienna 22 (I found a bill from
1935 at the Internet auction!)
Henryk Wachtel’s construction and carpentry timber yard’s bill / Source: Aleksander Prugar
The address book from 1936
Henryk and Helena survived the war – the notes in the marriage certificate evidence this, according to them, in the 1950s, they officially changed their names and surnames: from
Chaim to Henryk, from Chaja to Helena, from Wachtel to Wachniewicz. After the war, they lived in Warsaw, where their son Aleksander started a new life. He buried his mother in 1964 in the Jewish cemetery on Okopowa Street. The fate of Maria, the daughter of Henryk and Helena, Alexander’s sister, remains unknown.
A photography of Maria Wachtel / Source: Jewish Historical Institute in Warsaw
A protocol concerning Jewish inhabitants of Kraków – in the picture: Henryk Wachtel, 1940 / Source: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
A grave of Helena Wachtel buried at Jewish cemetery in Warsaw on Okopowa Street / Source: Foundation for Documentation of Jewish Cemetries in Poland
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