This project is dedicated to commemorating the once vibrant and influential Jewish community of Kozienice "Koznitz" in Poland. The goal of this project is to identify and catalogue all of the Jewish families that lived in Kozienice prior to the destruction of the Jewish community during World War II.
From Wikipedia:
Kozienice [k%C9%94%CA%91%C9%9B%CB%88%C9%B2it%CD%A1s%C9%9B] (Yiddish: קאזשניץ Kozhnits) is a town in central Poland with 21,500 inhabitants (1995). Located four miles from the Vistula, it is the capital of Kozienice County (Polish Powiat kozienicki). The name of the town first appeared in records in 1429, when it was spelled in Latin Coszinicze (Kozinice). In 1569 it was called Kozienycze – the name comes from the given name Kozina.
Kozienice had a Jewish community with a long history. Kozienice is pronounced as "Kozhnitz" in Yiddish. In the early 19th century, the Kozhnitzer Magid Yisroel Hopsztajn was one of the pioneers of Hasidism in Poland. He established the Kozhnitz dynasty. In 1856, there were 2,885 people in Kozienice with 1,961 Jews, and in 1897, there were 6,882 people and 3,700 were Jews. Before World War II, about 15,000 souls lived in this region. The Jewish community lived there for about 400 years. The two main industries there were tourism, with Jewish pilgrims visiting the Maggid's tomb, and shoe manufacturing.
Kozienice had approximately 5,000 Jews before World War II. In September 1939, the Germans forced 2,000 Jews into a small local church, where many of them died of suffocation.
Kozienice had 15 streets. The Germans established a ghetto in the Fall of 1940 in an area of only three streets. A Jewish council was established by the Germans, but most prominent Jews refused to serve. On September 27, 1942, 8,000 Jews from Kozienice and nearby towns were sent to the Treblinka death camp, where they were murdered on arrival.
Only 70 - 120 Jews were then left in the Kozienice ghetto, but they were deported in late December 1942 to the Pionki slave labor camp and to Skarzysko Kamienno camp. Some Jews, however, were able to hide near Kozienice.
Kozienice was home to the Kozienice Chasidim, Chasidic group founded by Israel ben Shabtay Hepstein (Hapsztejn, Hofstein, 1733-1814), known as Magidem [Hebrew, "preacher"] of Kozienice, a sorcerer and tzaddik, one of the main Chasidic leaders. He had been a pupil of Dov-Ber of Miedzyrzecze, Elimelech of Lezajsk and Levi Yitzhak of Berdyczow. At a young age, he became a melamed in the Przysucha cheder. According to legend, on his deathbed, Elimelech of Lezajsk touched his heart, imparting him with great goodness and sensitivity. Around the year 1765, he settled in Kozienice. He led an ascetic life, and was also known for his charity work. He was a valued Talmudist and Kabbalist, as well as the author of Avodat Israel, published posthumously (Hebrew, Work of Israel, 1848).
- Kozienice Yizkor Book on Jewishgen Note that this book is courtesy of a translation done by Kozienitzer & Glowaczower Assoc., Inc. NY. The entire book is now available at the above link.
- Kozienice on Virtual Shtetl
- Kozienice on the International Jewish Cemetery Project
- Photographs of Kozienice in the United States Holocaust Museaum
- The Kozienice Cemetery on Lo Tishkach
- The Kozienice Rabbinic Dynasty
- Malkah Shapiro, (1894–1971) The daughter of the Rebbe of Kozienice, Poland.
The Following surnames are included in this project as of 17 May 2014 (as more profiles are added, this list will be updated and the top branch of each family will be linked below shortly.
NOTE: NOT EVERY PERSON FROM KOZIENICE WITH ONE OF THE SURNAMES BELOW HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE TREE- ONLY THOSE WHERE A CONNECTION WAS POSSIBLE. SOME FAMILIES ARE MORE COMPLETE THAN OTHERS. Also note that the trees of some families listed might extend farther back in time; however, the link below is to the earliest representative of the family to have lived (or likely lived) in Kozienice):
- Abusytz-- Izrael (c.1806)
- Abusiowicz-- Abus Note: Abus likely did not use a surname and his sons probably adopted the surname "Abusiowicz"
- Ajbeszyc--Mosze Chaim Note: there are connections and other issues that require deconflicting with the Abusiowicz family above- work in progress.
- Adler-- Leybus (not known- estimated 1740)
- Aidenboim-- Izrael (not known- estimated 1750)
- Ajdelsztejn/Aydelszteyn/Edelszteyn-- Szymon
- Ajzensztein-- Maier (c. 1800)
- Bakalarz-- Wolf There are several other families of this surname in Kozineice that may be related but have not been connected yet.
- Bekierman-- Abram (c.1801)
- Berenbaum/Birenbaum-- Dawid and Zelik
- Berkman/Bergman-- Leyzer
- Blumencweig-- Aron and possible brother Jakob Icek (1805)
- Blumnekrantz-- Jankel
- Borensztein-- Motek May be related to Wigdor Borensztein (below) but not yet verified.
- Borensztein-- Wigdor Early 1700s.
- Bromberg-- Dawid (c.1770)
- Bromnaft/Bromzaft-- Szymon
- Cantkier-- Maier
- Cukier/Cukierman-- Dawid
- Cymbalista-- Zelik (1809)
- Cynerman-- Icek (not known- estimated 1780)
- Cytron/Cytryn-- Zelman Herszek and possible brother Izrael
- Dawidowicz-- Jankel
- Erlich-- Janas Zelik (1836)
- Eychenboim/Eychenbaum/Ejchenbaum/Aichenboim-- Herszek and Peysach and Zelik might be all related but not yet proven.
- Eydelman-- Icek
- Eysenberg/Eisenberg/Ejzenberg/Aisenberg/Aysenberg/Ajzenberg-- Boruch Boruch may not have lived in Kozienice, his son Chaim Getzel might be the first generation to have lived in Kozienice.
- Faiersztein-- Berek (1776)
- Figlinszpiler-- Haim
- Finkelsztein/Finkelszteyn/Finkelsztejn-- Berek
- Fiszman-- Izrael
- Flayser-- Leybus and Szapsia
- Flomenboim-- Leybus
- Frydman-- Abus (1809) Probably related to Izrael/Icek Frydman (below)
- Frydman-- Izrael/Icek
- Fryn
- Frysz-- Chaim
- Gielblad-- Josek
- Gienuntman-- Abram
- Giman-- Nachman (not known- estimated 1740)
- Goldszteyn
- Gingold/Gringold-- Izrael and Srul
- Grosman-- Chaim
- Gurfinkiel
- Guterman--Josek (before 1760)
- Gutman-- Moszek and brother or cousin Leybus
- Gutman-- Icek (1805) Likely a child of either Moszek or Leybus but not determined yet.
- Harman
- Helman-- Icek
- Herszenbaum-- Herszek
- Herszhorn-- Motek (1777)
- Holsztein
- Hoppenberg-- Leybus
- Hopstein/Hopsztein-- Shabbetai (c. 1715)
- Horowicz-- Maier
- Kalksztejn-- Owadya (1813)
- Karpman-- Jakob(not known- estimated 1720)
- Kierszenbaum-- Abram (not known) (not clear if Abram actually lived in Kozienice or if his son Mendel was the first Kirszenbaum resident)
- Kierszenblat-- Berek Note: it is uncertain if each listed child of Berek is actually his child- see "about" section for each child.
- Kiestenberg-- Moszek (not known- estimated 1750)
- Kiestenberg-- Nosen (not known- estimated 1730)
- Kirem-- Herszek
- Kirsz/Kurtz-- Daniel; Szmaia
- Klaynszteyn/Klejnsztejn-- Herszek
- Klempner-- Jankel
- Klempner-- Moszek
- Kolender-- Leybus
- Kopler-- Nute
- Kronfeld-- Aron
- Kupferhamer-- Nusyn
- Kuszerman-- Zysman
- Ledermaister-- Dawid (c.1895)
- Lederman-- Peysach (not known- estimated 1740)
- Lerer-- Oyzer
- Lichtensztein-- Mendel Only four profiles
- Liebhaber-- Josek (not known-estimated 1765)
- Litman-- Tanchan (c.1801)
- London-- Szlama (c.1750) and brother (?) Chaim and brother (?) Michal
- Lytzman
- Luxemberg-- Szmul (not known- estimated 1750)
- Mandel --Peysach (not known- estimated 1760)
- Margulies-- Dawid Icek (c.1808)
- Medalian-- Lewek/Herszek (c1780)
- Mel-- Szlama (1795)
- Melberg-- Szmul (not known- estimated 1760)
- Melman-- Moszek' Note that Jankel, and Eliasz have been connected as sons of Moszek but may not actually be his sons. Szmul Pinkus is certainly his son.
- Nayhaus-- Jankel (not know estimated 1750)
- Nisbaum-- Icek
- Nisenblat-- Lipa
- Offen-- Icek
- Olsyzna-- Leyzer (not known- estimated 1760)
- Pass-- Szlama (not known- estimated 1760)
- Pelcer/Pelcman-- Jakob (not known- estimated 1780)
- Perelszteyn
- Piekolek-- Judko (1816)
- Piekolek--Szymszon
- Presajzan-- Pinkus (not known-estimated c. 1720)
- Rabinowicz
- Rapoport-- Herszek (c.1788)
- Rechtent-- Kielman
- Rejklich-- Icek (1800)
- Rosentzweig
- Rotenberg-- Fiszel (not known- estimated 1775)
- Rotenberg-- Judko
- Rozen-- Moszek (not known- estimated 1795)
- Rozenberg--Mendel (before 1740)
- Rubinsztein-- Haim
- Rubinsztein-- Szapsa
- Sapsia
- Silberberg/Zylberberg-- Josel/Judko (not known- estimated 1750) Appears to be the eldest of three brothers- parents not known.
- Silbersztain/Zylbersztain-- Moszek Probably a descendent of Simsio (below) but not yet confirmed.
- Silbersztain/Zylbersztain-- Simsio
- Sobol-- Mozsek (not known- estimated 1755)
- Spiwak
- Szafirszteyn-- Froim (c.1803)
- Szajn/Szayn-- Zelman
- Szames-- Szapsia (not known- estimated 1720)
- Sznyperman-- Dawid
- Szpajsman/Szpaysman-- Nachman (c.1773)
- Sznayder-- Jankel (c.1802)
- Sztern-- Leybus/Dawid
- Szylman-- Jankel
- Szyper-- Jankel
- Tenenbaum-- Dawid
- Teper--Szoel (1802) Two other Tepers- Chaim (1770) son of Moszek and Herszek (1803) son of Ojzer might be related but require further research.
- Tob-- Haskel
- Unger/Ungier--Josek (c.1799)
- Uren-- Herszek Wolf and (assumed to be brothers) Leybus
- Waintrop-- Herszek (not known- estimated 1750)
- Wajnberg (includes Wainberg and Weinberg)-- Dawid (c.1720)yet.
- Wajnberg-- Fiszel Almost certainly a descendant of Dawid (above) but connection not verified
- Wajnsztok/Wejnsztok-- Lewek
- Waldenberg-- Leybus Icek (1814)
- Waldman-- Herszek
- Waserman-- Symcha (c.1808)
- Waxman
- Wertzchaizer
- Wolbergier-- Herszek (not known- estimated 1740)
- Wolf-- Herszek
- Zalcman-- Eliasz (c.1806) It is possible that Eliasz is the son of Icek Zaltzman (below) but it is not confirmed yet.
- Zalcman/Saltzman/Saltbzerg/Zaltzberg-- Lejb Ber
- Zaltzman-- Icek
- Zylberberg-- See Silberberg above
- Zylberszporn-- Maier
- Zyngier-- Szmul