Jewish Families from Giraltovce, Slovakia

This project seeks to collect all of the Jewish families from Giraltovce, Slovakia.

Jews first settled in Giraltovce in 1750 from Poland. By 1786, 21 Jews lived in Giraltovce. The first Jewish cemetery of the community was sanctified in 1800. By 1848, 137 Jews lived in the town. In 1890, the first Jewish school was established and a decade later the first synagogue was consecrated. The majority of the community was Ashkenazic Orthodox.

Prior to the world wars most of the Jews were involved in trading in commerce; following World War I, many Jews became tailors and carpenters. Many men from this community fought in World War I, with only a few recorded deaths. In April 1920, 475 of the Jews from Giraltovce voted for the Jewish parties. By 1930, the Jewish population had declined to only 220 people. Simultaneously, Zionist movements began to thrive in Giraltovce through the local activity of Bnei Akiba and Betar.

Prior to the Holocaust, 345 Jews (58 families) lived in Giraltovce. Most of the community was transported to concentration camps; 452 Jews from Giraltovce and the surrounding area were deported. On January 18, 1945, the Russian military liberated the town. Only 58 of the 351 Jews from Giraltovce survived the Holocaust, and most of them immigrated to Israel and the United States.

Links

• Jewish Culture Giraltovce Jewish Gen, By Eng. Gabi Lana (deceased)
• Giralotovce Jews Kehilalinks - Jewish Gen