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This project seeks to collect the Basch family from Polná, Jihlava District, Vysocina Region, Czechia (Czech Republic).
Polná is a town in SE Bohemia. The town lies on the line between two historic Czech lands - Bohemia and Moravia. Therefore the town became an important mercantile and tactical point. Polna is 45 miles WNW of Brno (Brünn), and 8 miles NE of Jihlava (Iglau). Polná is in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic.
Jewish Cemetery: The Jewish cemetery is 700 metres NW of Hus´ Square, behind the street "Pod Kalvarii". In the cemetry graves of many members of the Basch family can be found. The cemetery was established in 1619.
Holocaust: Nazis confiscated all Jewish property and on May 18 1942 the 40 Jews living in Polna were deported to Terezin. Only 2 adults and 2 children returned after the Holocaust. Among the 40 deported 11 were from the Basch family (as well as other relatives, as the Subert family that married into the Basch). They were on Transport Av, no. 277 (18. 05. 1942, Třebíč -> Terezín)
Among the Basch deported from Polna are:
Today there is a Jewish museum in the old synagogue in the Jewish Ghetto. Polna's synagogue was beautifully renovated between 2011 and 2014, as was the rabbi's house, which is located next door to the synagogue. The synagogue contains an exhibit on the history of Polna's Jewish community. Photos and stories of the Basch family can be found in the museum.
The Jewish Ghetto is in the center of town. The houses are renovated. One of its gates was still standing as of 1970. Nowadays a local pub restaurant with Jewish symbols on the windows is in one of the large houses across the Ghetto. The affluent Jewish families also lived outside of the Ghetto.
Jews are mentioned in the vicinity in 1415 and two Jewish families in Polna itself in 1570. The town's law-manual of 1582 also contains a Jewish *oath formula. There were 27 Jewish families living in Polna in 1724. 541 Jews lived in the town in 1847. In 1869 there were 430 Jews in Polna, and 238 in 1890. In 1930 the community numbered 51 (1.2% of the total population).
Polna is in Hugo Gold (ed.), Juden und Judengemeinden Boehmens… (1934), pages 508–511.
Links:
https://dbs.bh.org.il/place/polna
https://www.czechtourism.com/c/polna-synagogue/
https://jguideeurope.org/en/region/czech-republic/bohemia/polna/
This project page was curated by Sharon Horsky in memory of her :
Great grandfather: Julius Basch, born in Polna, lived and worked in Vienna and Prague. Deported from Prague and murdered in Izbica.
Great grandmother: Franziska Basch nee Stern. Born in Nove Veseli, lived in Vienna. Deported from Prague and murdered in Izbica.
Great Aunt: Amalie Fröhlich nee Basch, born in Vienna. Deported from Prague and murdered in Maly Trostinec.
2nd Great Aunt : Adele Basch nee Stern. Born in Nove Veseli, lived in Polna. Deported from Polna, Murdered in Lublin.
1st Cousin (twice removed) :Josef Basch. Born in Polna. Deported from Polna. Murdered in Lublin.
1st Cousin (twice removed): Helena Schwarzkopf nee Basch, born in Polna, and her daughter Sonja Schwarzkopf both murdered in Trawniki.
2nd Great Aunt: Elisabt Elise Haupt nee Basch. Born in Polna, Deported from Prague, murdered in Treblinka and her son Leo Haupt and his two young children murdered in Riga, and her two grandchildren who died in 1940 on their way to Palestine on the Patria.
2nd Great Aunt: Charlotte Hasenberg nee Basch Born in Polna murdered in Treblinka and her daughter Martha Basch and two young grandchildren murdered in Lodz.
And in memory of all Basch family and descendants murdered in the Holocaust.